What is a shoulder separation?
A shoulder separation is a tear in the ligament that holds your collar bone (also called clavicle) to your shoulder blade (at the acromion).
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
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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
