Separated shoulder

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Definition Symptoms Causes Risk factors When to seek medical advice

Tests and diagnosis Complications Treatments and drugs Prevention Lifestyle and home remedies

Definition

Your shoulders are your body's most mobile joints. But the ability to move in many directions can leave your shoulders prone to injury.

The top of your shoulder blade (acromion) meets the end of your collarbone (clavicle) at the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. A stretch or tear of the ligaments of this joint — often due to a fall directly on the shoulder — is known as a separated shoulder. By contrast, a dislocated shoulder is a more extensive injury in which the upper arm bone (humerus) pops out of its cup-shaped socket.

Conservative treatment — such as rest, ice and medication — is often enough to relieve the pain of a separated shoulder. Most people regain full shoulder function within a few weeks after experiencing a separated shoulder. A separated shoulder doesn't usually require surgical intervention.

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Symptoms