What is a shoulder separation?
A shoulder separation is a tear in the ligament that holds your collar bone to your shoulder blade.
Ligaments are short, tough bands of tissue that hold your bones together at a joint.
Your ligament may be partially or completely torn
Shoulder separations are common, especially among people who play sports
Your shoulder will be painful and tender
You may need a sling or, if the injury is severe, surgery
Anatomy of a Shoulder Joint
 |
What causes a shoulder separation?
A shoulder separation is usually caused by falling on your shoulder or outstretched arm. It's a common injury for people who do high-speed or contact sports, such as:
Rugby
Football
Skiing
Jet-skiing
What are the symptoms of a shoulder separation?
Your shoulder joint is:
Painful
Tender
How can doctors tell if I have a shoulder separation?
How do doctors treat a shoulder separation?
Treatment depends on how bad your shoulder separation is.
For a mild shoulder separation, doctors will:
Have you wear a sling to rest your shoulder
Have you do exercises to keep your joint working
For a severe shoulder separation, doctors will:
Do surgery on your shoulder
