How do you treat AC joint sprain?

Treatment may include:

1. Rest. This allows your shoulder to heal.
2. Sling. This protects the shoulder and holds the joint in a good position for healing.
3. Cold packs. These help reduce swelling and relieve pain.
4. Prescription or over-the-counter pain medicines. These help relieve pain and swelling.
5. Arm and shoulder exercises.

How long does it take for an AC joint sprain to heal?

An AC sprain will take up to 6 weeks or longer to heal, depending on how severe it is. It is often treated with a sling. Or a sling and an elastic wrap around the chest may be used. Physical therapy may be needed to help the shoulder keep full range of motion.

What does an AC joint sprain feel like?

With an AC joint injury, you may experience: General shoulder pain and swelling. Swelling and tenderness over the AC joint. Loss of shoulder strength.

What does a torn AC ligament feel like?

Some of the signs and symptoms of AC injury are: Pain when lying on the involved side. Pain increases with heavy lifting or overhead and across body movements. Swelling and bruising along the shoulder. Tenderness over the AC joint.

Can a sprained AC joint get worse?

Leaving your AC joint injury untreated means your condition can worsen, which can have serious consequences, such as: Severe shoulder separation. Serious displacement or collarbone fracture. Arthritis in your shoulder.

Will my AC joint ever heal?

Depending on how severe the injury is, it may heal adequately in two to three weeks. In severe cases, the shoulder may not heal without surgery.

Is a sprained AC joint bad?

When those ligaments are stretched or torn they can be very painful. The injury to the ligaments in an AC separation can be mild to severe. The injuries are graded depending upon which ligaments are torn and how badly they are torn.

How do you sleep with a torn AC joint?

Give these positions a try:

1. Sit in a reclined position. You may find sleeping in a reclined position more comfortable than lying flat on your back.
2. Lie flat on your back with your injured arm propped up with a pillow. Using a pillow may help reduce stress and pressure on your injured side.
3. Lie on your uninjured side.

Is AC joint surgery worth it?

What are the results of AC joint surgery? Most patients get excellent pain relief with this operation, and nearly 95 percent return to their preinjury level of activity and sports. There are few complications and most patients are very satisfied with the result.

How serious is an AC joint injury?

Risks of leaving an AC joint injury untreated Severe shoulder separation. Serious displacement or collarbone fracture. Arthritis in your shoulder. Damage in nearby joints, like your rotator cuff.

What causes an AC joint sprain?

Causes of an AC joint sprain. An AC joint sprain typically occurs due to a specific incident such as a direct blow to the point of the shoulder. This commonly occurs in contact sports due to a collision with another player or following a fall onto the point of the shoulder.

What does AC joint mean?

AC Joint. The joint between the acromium process of scapula and the distal end of the clavicle; it is the location of most shoulder separations, which are particularly common in collision sports—e.g., ice hockey , rugby , American football, and Australian rules football.

How can you get an acromioclavicular (AC) joint injury?

An injury to the AC joint can occur as a direct blow to the shoulder , which is common is contact sports, such as football and hockey. It can also occur when slipping and falling onto the shoulder or riding a bike too aggressively and going over the handlebars.

What is an AC joint shoulder sprain?

AC Joint Separation/Sprain. An AC joint separation, or AC joint sprain, is an injury to the ligaments which hold the acromioclavicular joint together at the top of the shoulder.