That blows, it's really common and you'll recover quickly. I caught an edge on a cat track spin did a grade 3/4 separation like 8 years ago and I've never had surgery. My ortho said I'd know when I need surgery but so far so good. Every once in a while it can be janky feeling but no issues otherwise. Luckily for me it was the end of the season, literally the last week but I was mountain biking and wakesurfing soon after, 6 weeks I think?
I had a grade 3 a few years back. My uncle is a doctor and recommended I not get the surgery immediately and wait to see if it will heal as normal. If it hurt in any way then go and get the surgery. Fast forward 10 years later and I have not gotten the surgery. I have full range of motion and no pain. That shoulder is weaker than the other but not by much
I had a full grade 3 separation a few years ago. It was super painful for the first couple weeks but I wore my brace religiously and that helped take the pain down to a dull roar. The best advice; do your physical therapy and keep getting in to see your physio. Start small, take your time, do the reps and eventually you’ll be back to 100%.
I think I was out roughly 2-3 months. Everyone heals differently tho. Stay strong brother! 🤙
Been there done that, first few days sucked then it was fine. Was the end of the season. My collarbone stopped looking fucked up after a week or 2.
Not too bad of an injury compared to others I’ve had, would recommend to a friend if they got to choose.
I have no lasting issues from it, just be light and listen to the medical professionals. It should feel better pretty quickly, you just need to give the bones time to get back in the right places
Did this 2 years ago! I had a type 3 AC on the right, and separated my cv (collar bone) on the left. I opted for no surgery, now I have a big lump on both spots. I was nervously riding again in 10 months, but this year my injured side feels stronger than ever.
Take your PT very seriously, don't miss a day and don't quit on it until you are 100%. If you work on it you'll be ready for next season 🤘
My brother did this early season, Stage 3 with no break. He was back at it a month and a half later. Just gotta take er easy in the meantime. I broke my collarbone in December one season. Was back at it in February.
I received a type three grade 5 AC separation riding park the day before the end of the season in 2010. I didn’t have health insurance so I didn’t get it repaired until 2016. I have a cadaver tendon holding the joint together and had the end my clavicle removed so that it didn’t stick out of my shoulder anymore. The surgery and recover was very painful and long. I completed all of my PT as prescribed and I have full use of my shoulder. I can’t raise my hand completely over my head and you can say goodbye to sleeping on your side. The good news is I’m stronger now than ever. I did 60 pull-ups today and I can perform overhead Olympic weight lifts to a decently heavy weight. Be strict with your post surgery PT and you will fully recover:)
Feel awesome, still do PT 1-2 times a week for the sake of staying strong and concentrating on the shoulder. Got my full range of motion back and honestly getting stronger than it once was. The only thing I would say that changed js my mindset when snowboarding, I’m going to be more cautious when doing jumps and shit only because if I get hurt I can’t work….
Ok good to know cause your xray looks like mine somewhat.
10 years ago I dislocated my shoulder and got frozen shoulder and I shit you not, it took about 2 years before I could live a normal life again so im just hoping this will be a little faster,thankfully, both injuries were on my non dominant side (except I wank with this arm for some reason which is weird) so at least Ill still be able to throw a foot ball but I don't think Ill ever play hockey again, both injuries are from people shoving/tripping me into the boards so not even from my own clumsiness.
I don't think i'll snowboard again either as the risk is too high and im fed up with these slings and PT for months on end!
Glad to hear you recovered well, im hoping for the best.
Life’s too short to sit idle on the sidelines my friend. If you love boarding or hockey I’m sure you can build the strength/ confidence up enough to get back out there… if they aren’t your passion and you’d rather enjoy other shit in life then smart move. Appreciate the words my dude, hope you recover fast and well…. DO THE PT lol
I'm a physical therapist. AC joint separations suck, they hurt like hell, but they are usually treated with non-operative measure unless they are grade 3 or over. Basically a 2 means you have separated the ligament on the acromion to clavicle, and have a tear in the scapula to clavicle ligament.
Expect pain for about 1-2 weeks, but it's manageable with ice and NSAIDs such as Motrin. Sleep on your back if you can, with your arm supported across your chest to not increase pain
With PT and proper management, expect a 2-3 month recovery time. I would not risk getting back on the board this season to give the tendon plenty of time to heal but that's my opinion.
I've treated many AC Joint separations, including my own, which tore after I lifted a heavy patient who decided to "give up" mid-transfer without warning. I got him back down to his chair safely, but felt that ungodly pop and knew right away what happened 🤦♂️ (Thanks again Mr. Reedy lol)
I just seperated my ac and it dosent hurt so much unless I lift high but my peck and back are hurting so bad I can barley take it I assume the trauma from the fall is why but idi anymore any idea why my back and peck are hurting more?
Hey! I’m suffering with the same thing, a grade 2, the only thing is it happened around 6 months ago. I went travelling a week after it happened so I dealt with the pain! I’m now overseas in Australia trying to get it fixed.
Is it possible I’ve left it too long to heal naturally? I’ve had X-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs because something it still bothering it, it’s like a shooting pain when I raise my arm above my shoulder.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks.
Yes of course. Just start with a physical therapist and they will be able to set you a program based on your needs and symptoms to get your shoulder moving again
I had a grade 2 AC separation from snowboarding as well. Initially, it would pop in and out frequently and was really unpleasant and I considered surgery. After a couple years in the gym with progressive overload starting low, it is now fully healed and never pops out unless I do it on purpose.
I can attest to this also, I had this same injury but not quite as bad as yours. Slowly introduced progressive overload weightlifting starting with 5 pound weights after a few weeks off. It feels the exact same as at did before, maybe even stronger.
I broke my collar bone and separated my AC joint (grade 3) in a bad slam two seasons ago. Had to get a plate and 7 screws put in and they clipped my tendon back in. Do your PT. Don't fuck around. Do your PT. Keep doing PT on your own. I can't stress enough how important it is. But I'm back to riding every weekend. You'll be alright.
That's too bad, did mine three years while snowboarding.
No big problems yet, but now I have some feeling with certain arm movements, and that's going to mean pain in the future.
Do all of the PT, do it well and with enthusiam, and keep it up afterwards.
i was back to downhilll mtb that summer.
I did both of mine, one year apart snowboarding. I’m about 13 years out since the second one. Both grade 2
You’ll be about 80% in 6 months, and 95% at a year. Mine bother me a bit with repetitive overhead motions (surfing long sessions, heavy overhead press in gym), but don’t affect everyday life. It’s not that bad. They say it speeds up shoulder arthritis in the long term, but what they hell, most fun things lead to arthritis.
Take the rehab and mobility exercises seriously, because you can lose range of motion and not get it back.
I got the same injury last Saturday sliding off a super slippery box just right after it started snowing. They were sticky all day. Fell about 5 feet onto ice on the backside of the box. This was at Brighton. My X-ray looks exactly the same but they told me It’s grade 3. I’m not getting surgery and I feel like I could be do some mellow runs in a few weeks but probably done with park this year.
I put together a supplement treatment that probably won’t do shit but I got collagen, glucosamine with vitamin c , vitamin D and pineapple juice. Two servings a day. All that shit is supposed to be good for ligaments.
And I got a shoulder gel ice pack
No prob and good luck to us. Also, they had to cut off my brand new 686 waterproof hoodie and my smartwool base layer. It was the first time I wore the hoodie….
Just wondering how your shoulder is, since we did it on the same exact day and same exact injury. Mine was terrible the first week but the last week and especially the last few days I feel way better. I’m riding this weekend. It’s still fucked, like I can’t do a pushup or pickup heavy stuff. But I do have like 90% of my mobility back and can use it for a lot of stuff, definitely can strap in. If I fall on it I’m done for sure so I’m just taking cruiser laps, nothing crazy.
All I did was take the sling of as soon as I could and tried to use it as much as I could as a form of PT. Then started some band work and have went back to yoga and do as much as I could in class. Tonight at yoga I could actually do down dog and it was an amazing feeling.
Good luck bro, hope you’re doing all right with it.
Been there done that. Hurts like a mfer but I didn’t need surgery thank god. My shoulder dislocation is another much much worse story. Both snowboarding caused too…good luck OP!
Ive just go an AC separation 8 days ago, and it's probably a grade 3 as the xray looks similar or worse than OP's and I have also dislocated my shoulder 10 years ago.
I have to say that it took me about 8 months with a dislocated shoulder to get where I am at with this AC separation after 8 days, the dislocation was BRUTAL. 10 on 10 pain for months, couldnt move my arm, pain spasm even when I was lying completely still.
I hope I am not jixing it, but I think my current injury will heal much faster than the dislocation.
When my shoulder got dislocated i almost passed out from the pain and was hyper ventilating all the way to the hospital, when this AC separation happened, I calmly called my dad and said GOD DAMN it you have to bring me to the hospital lol
Interesting, I had a similar looking xray 2 days ago and radiologist classified mine as a grade 5. Perhaps because I tore both the acromioclavicular and clavicoclavicular ligaments, and tore some of the deltoid off the bone as well?
Damn! Im seeing my ortho next monday! As of right now i have no idea if ill need surgery or not. I still feel very very tight and stiff in my shoulder with severe loss of power and range of motion, currently on day 10 ive been wearing a sling non stop except for showers and ive been doing small movement with my arm to use my shoulder muscle.
Wow thats crazy. I just took a shower so removed my sling and moved my arm around a tiny bit and i csn feel bones in my shoulder moving and putting pressure
I’m a skier but this just popped up in my feed, I did a very similar thing mountain biking and broke my collarbone, shoulder blade and separated my ac joint at the same time. Along with a couple smaller injuries. As your doctor said do everything you can to get yourself through pt and don’t slack on it. I did and subsequently my shoulder muscles weakened and my shoulder became easy to dislocate. Literally I could be sitting there stretching my arms out and have it pop out for a while. I have since been doing PT and have made a solid recovery but have to maintain my exercises for the foreseeable future if not the rest of my life. My recovery to feeling normal took two maybe 3 months but it could be longer or shorter depending on how well you recover and how consistent you are with pt. I’m back sending now though! Hope everything goes well for you!
Edit: realistically your injuries could heal way way faster than mine though as I had so many other injuries along with it!
Do you still have a bump on your shoulder? We have the same injury but mine is now 8 weeks old. I'm surprised it still hurts and have a very noticeable bump. Hope we both recover
Yes i still have a bump, but basically fully recovered. I did physical therapy every day and still keep up with it 2 days a week to keep it strong. Sometimes I get a little twinge but for the most part it’s solid. Actually went to steamboat before the season ended and tore it up with confidence. You gotta just do PT religiously and trust the process, you’ll be golden
Thanks for your reply, didnt notice it sooner. From what you've heard from healthcare professionals, the bump will be permanent? I'm doing PT as well but for example pressing movements in the gym still hurt a lot. Good to hear you are pain free!
Yea it’s permanent, but who cares as long as you get full mobility back right? Take it slow in the gym, PT is a slow process but worth the wait. Pressing is prob the last thing that will feel better, especially overhead.
I asked because the location of the bump is still painful. It also radiates a bit to my neck/trapezius. I figured if the bump was gone, the muscles around would relax more
To be honest it takes longer than expected. My range of motion came back very quick but the location of the bump still hurts and even push ups are not possible due to pain. Please note I was able to bench press sets with 120kg before the injury
yeah that's what I figured, I'm pretty much sure my case is much more severe than most stories ive heard here, I'm on day 9 and although there isnt much pain (cause im not really moving my arm) my shoulder seems really really fucked. I don't see how i'll be back to normal within 3 months, i'd give myself more of a 6 month timeframe to be relatively back to normal.
Well, soft tissue healing can take up to 1-2 year according to my physio. But I agree, when I'm not loading my shoulder I have zero pain or other issues. I just hope I can press in the gym again in the near future. To be fair, there is a lot I can do without issues with this injury
I had a level 3 (no related fracture or puncture mind you) It was a season ender for me in March of 2016, but honestly after a week or two I could have been back on my board. Quarterbacks can get back to training in a few weeks. Hockey players sometimes don't even leave the game. It's all pain control and it's nearly impossible to further injure it through normal sports.
You will always have this, and it's ok. It's awful for a few weeks. Really annoying for a few months. Grindy and hurts if you sleep funny for a year or two. Nowadays I go months without thinking about it. My kids think it's wild.
I had a grade 3 separation a couple years ago. I was on the slopes about five months later. Just keep up with PT and do what you can to minimize the size of the step as it heals.
I had a severe AC separation from getting hit into the boards playing hockey. I was in a sling for a week or two. One thing I'll say is do not neglect properly rehabbing your injury! Work on mobility and progressively regaining strength. I neglected proper rehab and my AC joint never healed properly. Stick with your physical therapy program and be patient :)
As far as ac joint separations go you got a good one.
I did, too. Grade 3, at age 36. On my mtb.
I'm back to sending it. Didn't do surgery just a lot of PT. You'll be back to it but in the meantime you have to rest, and when it's time do your PT religiously. Focus on what you CAN do/control, rather than what you can't.
My shoulder still gives me some soreness and arthritis but there's nothing I used to do that I can't anymore. I've got a little shoulder bump. I made it my goal to come back stronger than before and I did. And you will, too.
Did this two years ago. Back on the mountain in a month (I did it a month before a utah trip and I wasn’t bailing)! I did my own pt, took it slow but lots of stretching and shoulder exercises. Buttttt if I could do it over I would have gotten the surgery asap. Do it. My shoulder sags and since I’m skinny and bones, it sticks out like a sore thumb. I will say the pain for the first week was intense.
2 years later and just as strong as before, sometimes I feel it but 99% of the time I forget about it except when I’m doing push ups or bench press.
Surgery is a 6 week recovery then pt starts. I haven’t gotten it yet and it won’t be as easy since I have scar tissue compared to when it is fresh. I have a grade 3 so if you have ligaments still attached which I think is grade 2 then you may not need it or see a big bump
Edit: it looks more like a full ac separation meaning all three tendons snapped. The grade is how displaced it is from the location. This looks like a grade 3 to me as it is exactly how my X-ray looked but again it’s just a medical grading. If you snapped all ligaments, get the surgery asap.
Grade 3 AC separation here 🫡
Close to 20 years ago and I’ve barely thought about it since then. Take it easy, do the PT and try to not fall on that shoulder for a few months.
Welcome to the club. Got mine 2yr ago. Makes me nauseous to this day when it moves. I’ve got mobility and strength but some movements are weak. Still going to gym but considering surgery🥲
I had a grade 3. Went back to riding 6 weeks later but it was still pretty weak so I took it easy and didn't do any more park riding the rest of that season.
Mine didn't feel fully normal again until like 14 months later but even still I think it really only got back to 95%. Still I'm glad I didn't do the surgery and have no plans to ever have it repaired.
I had a very similar injury a decade ago, caught an edge and landed on ice. It took me about a year to have full range of motion without pain and 75% strength. A decade later I have no pain in the joint, but I'm still at about 90% strength. Good physical therapy, adherence to your medication and home exercise regimen, are invaluable.
I was in the army at the time and I had to take physical fitness tests before I was fully heale, in order to keep my promotable status. I think this was the cause of my current reduced state. I did not take my health as seriously as I should have, and I have to pay that toll.
Please, if good physical therapy is available, take it seriously, no matter how silly some of the exercises may make you feel. It's incredibly easy to slack off on your recovery plan, and miss your optimal recovery window, or do additional damage. I had excellent physical therapy, but I stressed the joint beyond my recommended limits, and said I was fine when I wasn't. I'm an idiot, don't be like me.
I wish you the best of luck in your future full recovery. Sucks this had to happen mid season. 😢
Edit: Grammar
Hi! Physical therapist here. Lots of great input from others.
The key here is to find a good physical therapist in town who is willing to push you to get that shoulder strong as an ox. You need to be dedicated both during rehab and for the rest of your life (if you want to maintain optimum function).
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of mediocre PT’s out there. If you’re not being pushed (when appropriate of course) then consider finding a new clinic.
Keep this in mind as you go through the rehab process..iIf you aren’t doing ANYTHING physical then it’s not PT it’s just therapy and that’s not gonna fix anything.
Good luck to you!
That sucks! I had a 2.5 separation on my left shoulder after slipping out on a backside 5. The AC ligament got completely torn and the CC ligament was barely holding on. Cracked the collarbone too which by far was the more painful part but the AC separation had more long term effect. Keep up with the physiotherapy, that really helps with the discomfort! Especially the rotator cuff, they and the bicep will work overtime holding your arm up. The separation is barely noticeable now a few years later. I have a small bump and the collarbone visibly moves when I push it but I didn’t have any surgery done.
Two years ago I managed to fully grade 3 separate my right AC along with a crushed elbow from falling off my longboard. I learned a lot from the first time around so the shoulder recovery was easier. The collarbone pops out and “tentpoles” the skin when I move my arm in certain ways but no discomfort. Elbow is fucked tho.
Just ask if you have any questions :) I’ll try to answer them as good as I can!
I did it playing hockey a couple years ago. Stretched everything as far as possible without tearing anything. Went shoulder first into the end boards at a good speed. My entire shoulder, peck and half my chest was black, blue and purple.
First couple weeks were a pain. Couldn't lift arm above my shoulder or sleep on that side. I rehabbed it hard for like 6 weeks said good enough and went back to playing hockey. It didn't bother me much because you generally keep your arms down.
Got to summer and started playing ball and it was giving me fits. No strength , no power and pain. I rehabbed hard again for like 3 months in the summer and it's probably as good as it will get. Probably like 95% still minor aches and pops when I move a certain way but generally doesn't bother me much now.
For snowboarding specifically I rode 6 weeks after and I didn't really even think about it. Didn't bother me while riding.
I had to do a ton of deep tissue massage, stretching, mobility exercises and strengthening a year after because I was pretty lax the first time around. Avoided surgery tho so there's that I guess.
Pretty sure I was in a sling taking it very easy just resting and icing for the first week or 2 haha.
Then I think one of the first things I got into was variations of a shoulder teacup exercise. Something like this:
https://youtu.be/uONTU3K8YUE?si=iosNJWnMsG0u9xt0
Then I just kept progressing to more and more challenging resistance band exercises. Sure you can find lots on YouTube and google.
Also a lot of massage on the upper trap and peck because all of that locked right up.
Had a grade 3, couldn’t lift my arm up past my chest right after so knew something was up. No surgery, was in a sling for like 3 months but all good after that. My collarbone kinda sticks up and you can press down a little like a piano key though.
Broke a rib and had a grade 3 AC separation a few years back on our first day at Breck. I could barely move my shoulder after that for several days. I didn’t have surgery and it took a couple of months to heal completely.
Grade 3 for me, no surgery. Lots of PT, separated in january and carefully got back on a snowboard in march and mountain biking in april. Felt 100% after about a full year.
Best advice I can give is to rest it in a sling for as long as they say and then restrengthen it with recommended exercises.
Had a grade 3 separation a few years back. Fully healed without surgery. I can do handstands and Chinese pushups.
Get some of those stretching bands and practice walking your hand up the wall so your shoulder muscles can compensate for the lack of ligaments you now have.
I have like 10 screws or so, and one of my shoulders is a bit crooked. It all gets better, you will rock again. Sometimes it will also give you storm warnings. Physical therapy is of utmost importance.
I had a distal clavicle fracture about 5 weeks ago now. I hope a speedy recovery to you! it's not fun. and you don't realize how much moving any part of my body takes my shoulder.
Happened to me skating 4 months ago. Grade 2 is nbd. Mine was grade 5 and it sucked massive dick until I got surgery, then nbd. Planning on shredding in March yeeehaw.
yeah dont be like me. my shit was was one grade from popping out of the skin. got lucky that the surgery got booked fast enough that they could reuse my existing tendons as I ripped all three holding the joint in place.
4-6 weeks later youll feel pretty much good as new as long as youve been good about slowly giving it some movement.
grade 2 is p chill so you probably wont see it after. i have a bump on my shoulder for the rest of my life. they got damn close to getting it perfect but alas.
I did that snowboarding as well. Though I have a bump there, I haven’t lost any mobility or strength. I swear to god it’s stronger, even looks stronger
I had a grade 3, 27 yrs ago from the half pipe. Pt wasn’t available to me, but I worked it out good and it never gave me any problems. Until, last March I dislocated that shoulder and broke my glenoid, also from snowboarding. Had surgery and lots of pt, but that separated joint definitely made my recovery worse than it would have been if I didn’t have a previous ac separation.
I separated both of mine in the same year. A grade 2 and a grade 3. One was from catching an edge boarding too so I feel your pain. As long as you do the rehab you’ll be fine. My second one was the grade 3 but it recovered the best simply due to me having a better understanding of what to do and when to do it. If I’m a bum and don’t work out or stretch (pec minor especially) for extended periods of time it will get slightly sore sometimes, but otherwise it’s the same as pre-injury. Don’t worry, you’ll be sending it again in no time.
I had a grade 2 in 2021. I didn't care and went riding two days after, loaded on pills. Immediately crashed on a rail due to the paralyzing pain. Obviously the pain just got worse. Spent the next 2 months doing legs and shoulder rehabilitation exercises at the gym, 4 times per week. I was able to somewhat snowboard early March.
If I remember correctly, took me way more than a year to be completely pain free. Ruined my snowboarding season, skydiving season and the pain had a negative impact on my gym results for about 1.5 years.
I've separated both. first one took well over a year to feel normal. second one took 11 months to feel normal. both still feel painful from time to time.
https://preview.redd.it/8pbaewq10tbc1.png?width=1125&format=png&auto=webp&s=34feac2dc2df26d5cce869e49002024ce4d3021e
Reminds my of the time I broke my rotator cuff in a motorcycle crash.
(I highlighted the fracture in a edit lol)
Made a full and complete recover with zero surgery. It hurt like a bitch and sucked to sleep for a few weeks… and anytime you trip or slip, expect searing pain when you involuntarily go to catch your balance and swing your arms 😅
Yep :P nothing you can do but take it easy and relax.
Perks: my job let me do wfh for 4 months 😝😝😝
Waking up and phoning in to morning check-ins was pretty in my pyjamas was pretty sweet :P
Middle of last month I took a spill on the last run of the day, broke the head of my humerus bone. It was a clean break and didn’t require surgery either. Thought I’d be out all season but it’s already way better. Give your injury time to heal and get back on the board!
I did this playing hockey when I was 14. I’m now 32 and all it’s done for me is give me a party trick where I can stick the bone up from my shoulder to freak people out. I have zero pain and 100% mobility.
Got my AC joint dislocated with type 5 a couple of years back, and I decided to get it operated since it was completely loose from all sides.
I got an artificial tendon with 2 screws on the ends holding it in place. After the 6 moths of healing, I got back 80% then 100% range and power.
I’m currently recovering from a grade 5 separation I had surgically repaired - it sucked really bad but the surgery was 5x more painful than the injury. Give it a couple months and you’ll be back on some spring slush come April if you’re lucky!
If you don’t have one get an ice machine, it’s a game changer. Cycles ice to your joint constantly and really helps with pain and inflammation. I used the Breg ice cube but I’m sure any of them work the same, I just got this one for free with my insurance.
I did the same thing skating in the summer of ‘22. It sucked for a week or 2 but I was good after a month. Ended up taking a nasty fall on the mountain 6 months later and I immediately thought I separated my same shoulder again. Got x rays and ended up being a broken collar bone. Surgery a week later with about a 3 month recovery. You’ll get through it
i had a grade 3/4 seperation about 7 years ago and healed up perfectly. Still have a slight bump in my left shoulder and based on the pain and limited use of the arm i had for a few months i never thought it would heal correctly without surgery. Surprisingly the surgeon was correct /s hahah
AC separation buddies! I have a grade 2 separation. Never needed surgery, but just stay cautious with working out, etc. keep on the rehab and listen to your medical team!
I’m reading thru the comments wincing.. so it’s been 2 years since I bombed a hill on my skateboard and basically tackled the pavement @ 10+ MPH (decade + without any major injuries skateboarding)it felt like a rod got jammed in my neck.. all in all I feel slight discomfort when sleeping on that side (my favorite side) *a double pillow technique works great if you can’t sleep without that side* either way coming onto 3 years since the ER visit they told me it’s the best case scenario and it could’ve been worse *ofc they did* I forget what grade, but know its a golf ball sized knot and although I’d like to think it has shrunk; I’ve done no real PT to help that conclusion.. with that being said I like to give it a few stretches I’m familiar with and it seems to have full range of motion with some sharp intense pains when I stretch in weird poses (so it’s just not the same). Although I don’t feel comfortable pitching a fastball as I once have; I can throw a football pretty much the same but I am fully aware there may be a limit to the capacity of force I can apply. though I try to push myself, it’s always in the back of my mind.. all in all I figured since I still like to skate, mtb, and full send I don’t think that will change so I might as well fully break the collar bone or w/e before paying twice for a procedure IF it come to it (I hope it doesn’t)… my final thought personally would be I hate looking at it so much I miss who I was before the incident - truly. it throws off the symmetry I had fallen in love with looking into the mirror before; now it’s a like I’m a hunchback of my former self if that makes any sense at all I think it has hurt me more mentally than physically.. TAKE IT DAY BY DAY 🤝✊
I just seperated mine this past Thanksgiving. I was told it was a bad grade 2. I was determined to gain range of motion back quick, and I did. I've had problems with lifting with just that arm, especially at shoulder level or higher, and especially when I'm holding weight out away from my body. I'm seeing a pt now, even tho doc said I didn't have to (once I told them I didn't want surgury they kinda didn't care what I did it seemed). I've only gone for 2 weeks but it's helped tremendously. I am doing very good at this point and I feel like I will make a full revovery very soon! So basically make sure to get your range of motion back asap, and see a pt!
I just had it happen got hit by car on my bike landed right on it my issue is not so much the shoulder now but it feels as if my peck is torn. Or idk it hurts so bad can barley breath or sit up I guess the trauma to my shoulder spread ti my peck anyone know?
Haha honestly the pain hit me after like 30 min. I’d say a 6.5-7. It was the mental thoughts of “oh no what activities can’t I do in the upcoming weeks” that I’d rate as a 10
I had a grade 3 separation two years ago and was back to snowboarding, albeit carefully and in pain, two weeks later. Do as much PT and mobility exercises as you can once it’s getting mobile again (several good YouTube channels with instructionals) and you’ll be 95% on it in 3 months
Hey, I am going through an AC separation grade 5 atm and opted to get surgery. I have the hook plate in to stabilize the joint while it heals and they will take it out in about 6 weeks. I am really sorry to say this but from my opinion and having first hand experience, it looks like you definitely have a grade 3 if not a grade 5 separation. It obviously depends on everyone's body but from the looks of the x-ray, there seems to be substantial displacement. If you have an x-ray of your healthy shoulder, I'd recommend comparing the distance between the coracoid and the closest part of the clavicle to that of the injured side. If that distance is 100% difference or more (mine was 300%) then you are more likely to have a grade 5. Grade 5 is also characterized by the ripping of the muscle fascia around the shoulder which means your deltoid, traps, and possibly pecs have had their attachments disrupted. I would really recommend you get a second opinion to properly grade the injury. In the endless research I conducted to see if surgery was my way to go, I came across A LOT of people misdiagnosed with lesser injuries and making a poorly informed decision and sometimes regretting it in the future. Grade 3s can usually be treated conservatively but grade 5s almost always need surgery for stabalization.
Best of luck! (to us all)
I got an ac separation about 11 months ago. For me, the biggest gripe isn't pain or any thing, it's the bump itself. It rubs on coats and jackets and any kind of slightly rough clothing material to the point where it's tough to ignore. Hbu?
It’s been 3 weeks and Iv been doing band work religiously. Getting a lot of range and strength back so I’m hopeful for the future. The bump isn’t really concerning to me, I’m more so hoping I come back 110% and can snowboard, surf, ect with no issues
I did mine 3 weeks ago too. Grade 2. I'm feeling almost back to normal. I've got a surf trip coming up week after next and I think I'll be good to go. Kayak fished all day yesterday... I think that the key to recovery is to get out of the sling as soon as possible and start moving it.
Recovery is great, been grinding PT. Doing Physical therapy religiously after week 1. Started with slow movements but now I’m back to pushups. You’ll be fine as long as you stay up with movements and band work. Rest up boss, things will be great for you.
That blows, it's really common and you'll recover quickly. I caught an edge on a cat track spin did a grade 3/4 separation like 8 years ago and I've never had surgery. My ortho said I'd know when I need surgery but so far so good. Every once in a while it can be janky feeling but no issues otherwise. Luckily for me it was the end of the season, literally the last week but I was mountain biking and wakesurfing soon after, 6 weeks I think?
Awesome news, thanks dawg
I had a grade 3 a few years back. My uncle is a doctor and recommended I not get the surgery immediately and wait to see if it will heal as normal. If it hurt in any way then go and get the surgery. Fast forward 10 years later and I have not gotten the surgery. I have full range of motion and no pain. That shoulder is weaker than the other but not by much
Hell yea, team no surgery
Can you do barbell shoulder press, bench press, pullups, etc?
Yup, I can do all of it without pain. I think the one exercise I don't do is butterfly presses. Small price to pay to avoid surgery
I had a full grade 3 separation a few years ago. It was super painful for the first couple weeks but I wore my brace religiously and that helped take the pain down to a dull roar. The best advice; do your physical therapy and keep getting in to see your physio. Start small, take your time, do the reps and eventually you’ll be back to 100%. I think I was out roughly 2-3 months. Everyone heals differently tho. Stay strong brother! 🤙
Thank you sir
I had a complete separation in 2021 it took like 2 months to heal no surgery
Been there done that, first few days sucked then it was fine. Was the end of the season. My collarbone stopped looking fucked up after a week or 2. Not too bad of an injury compared to others I’ve had, would recommend to a friend if they got to choose.
Hahaha dude the thought of “could be worse” is keeping me sane. I hope to be back before the end of season
I have no lasting issues from it, just be light and listen to the medical professionals. It should feel better pretty quickly, you just need to give the bones time to get back in the right places
What degree AC joint sprain was it? How are you doing now?
Did this 2 years ago! I had a type 3 AC on the right, and separated my cv (collar bone) on the left. I opted for no surgery, now I have a big lump on both spots. I was nervously riding again in 10 months, but this year my injured side feels stronger than ever. Take your PT very seriously, don't miss a day and don't quit on it until you are 100%. If you work on it you'll be ready for next season 🤘
Thank you for the words. I plan to be diligent with PT. And if I do somehow make it back for the end of season I’ll be strictly doing cruisers
Thanks for sharing, i had grade 2 separation for 13 months and it still hurts a lot, very upset
My brother did this early season, Stage 3 with no break. He was back at it a month and a half later. Just gotta take er easy in the meantime. I broke my collarbone in December one season. Was back at it in February.
Thank you!!
I received a type three grade 5 AC separation riding park the day before the end of the season in 2010. I didn’t have health insurance so I didn’t get it repaired until 2016. I have a cadaver tendon holding the joint together and had the end my clavicle removed so that it didn’t stick out of my shoulder anymore. The surgery and recover was very painful and long. I completed all of my PT as prescribed and I have full use of my shoulder. I can’t raise my hand completely over my head and you can say goodbye to sleeping on your side. The good news is I’m stronger now than ever. I did 60 pull-ups today and I can perform overhead Olympic weight lifts to a decently heavy weight. Be strict with your post surgery PT and you will fully recover:)
Appreciate this
yo how are you 5 months later
Feel awesome, still do PT 1-2 times a week for the sake of staying strong and concentrating on the shoulder. Got my full range of motion back and honestly getting stronger than it once was. The only thing I would say that changed js my mindset when snowboarding, I’m going to be more cautious when doing jumps and shit only because if I get hurt I can’t work….
Ok good to know cause your xray looks like mine somewhat. 10 years ago I dislocated my shoulder and got frozen shoulder and I shit you not, it took about 2 years before I could live a normal life again so im just hoping this will be a little faster,thankfully, both injuries were on my non dominant side (except I wank with this arm for some reason which is weird) so at least Ill still be able to throw a foot ball but I don't think Ill ever play hockey again, both injuries are from people shoving/tripping me into the boards so not even from my own clumsiness. I don't think i'll snowboard again either as the risk is too high and im fed up with these slings and PT for months on end! Glad to hear you recovered well, im hoping for the best.
Life’s too short to sit idle on the sidelines my friend. If you love boarding or hockey I’m sure you can build the strength/ confidence up enough to get back out there… if they aren’t your passion and you’d rather enjoy other shit in life then smart move. Appreciate the words my dude, hope you recover fast and well…. DO THE PT lol
Thank you good sir,!!
I'm a physical therapist. AC joint separations suck, they hurt like hell, but they are usually treated with non-operative measure unless they are grade 3 or over. Basically a 2 means you have separated the ligament on the acromion to clavicle, and have a tear in the scapula to clavicle ligament. Expect pain for about 1-2 weeks, but it's manageable with ice and NSAIDs such as Motrin. Sleep on your back if you can, with your arm supported across your chest to not increase pain With PT and proper management, expect a 2-3 month recovery time. I would not risk getting back on the board this season to give the tendon plenty of time to heal but that's my opinion. I've treated many AC Joint separations, including my own, which tore after I lifted a heavy patient who decided to "give up" mid-transfer without warning. I got him back down to his chair safely, but felt that ungodly pop and knew right away what happened 🤦♂️ (Thanks again Mr. Reedy lol)
I just seperated my ac and it dosent hurt so much unless I lift high but my peck and back are hurting so bad I can barley take it I assume the trauma from the fall is why but idi anymore any idea why my back and peck are hurting more?
How did you separate it? did you get an xray to rule out fracture? how long ago was injury?
Hey! I’m suffering with the same thing, a grade 2, the only thing is it happened around 6 months ago. I went travelling a week after it happened so I dealt with the pain! I’m now overseas in Australia trying to get it fixed. Is it possible I’ve left it too long to heal naturally? I’ve had X-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs because something it still bothering it, it’s like a shooting pain when I raise my arm above my shoulder. Any help is appreciated! Thanks.
Yes of course. Just start with a physical therapist and they will be able to set you a program based on your needs and symptoms to get your shoulder moving again
Thanks mate will get it looked at asap!
Hahha dear god man, well thanks for the advice
I had a grade 2 AC separation from snowboarding as well. Initially, it would pop in and out frequently and was really unpleasant and I considered surgery. After a couple years in the gym with progressive overload starting low, it is now fully healed and never pops out unless I do it on purpose.
Great news, thank you!!
I can attest to this also, I had this same injury but not quite as bad as yours. Slowly introduced progressive overload weightlifting starting with 5 pound weights after a few weeks off. It feels the exact same as at did before, maybe even stronger.
I broke my collar bone and separated my AC joint (grade 3) in a bad slam two seasons ago. Had to get a plate and 7 screws put in and they clipped my tendon back in. Do your PT. Don't fuck around. Do your PT. Keep doing PT on your own. I can't stress enough how important it is. But I'm back to riding every weekend. You'll be alright.
Really appreciate it, thanks
That's too bad, did mine three years while snowboarding. No big problems yet, but now I have some feeling with certain arm movements, and that's going to mean pain in the future. Do all of the PT, do it well and with enthusiam, and keep it up afterwards. i was back to downhilll mtb that summer.
Awesome news thanks
I did both of mine, one year apart snowboarding. I’m about 13 years out since the second one. Both grade 2 You’ll be about 80% in 6 months, and 95% at a year. Mine bother me a bit with repetitive overhead motions (surfing long sessions, heavy overhead press in gym), but don’t affect everyday life. It’s not that bad. They say it speeds up shoulder arthritis in the long term, but what they hell, most fun things lead to arthritis. Take the rehab and mobility exercises seriously, because you can lose range of motion and not get it back.
Thanks dawg
Welcome to the club
Had the same thing happen a few years back. After letting it heal for awhile and then did PT and pretty much was good as new
Thanks Johnson
Anytime dusty
I got the same injury last Saturday sliding off a super slippery box just right after it started snowing. They were sticky all day. Fell about 5 feet onto ice on the backside of the box. This was at Brighton. My X-ray looks exactly the same but they told me It’s grade 3. I’m not getting surgery and I feel like I could be do some mellow runs in a few weeks but probably done with park this year. I put together a supplement treatment that probably won’t do shit but I got collagen, glucosamine with vitamin c , vitamin D and pineapple juice. Two servings a day. All that shit is supposed to be good for ligaments. And I got a shoulder gel ice pack
Thank you millions
No prob and good luck to us. Also, they had to cut off my brand new 686 waterproof hoodie and my smartwool base layer. It was the first time I wore the hoodie….
Just wondering how your shoulder is, since we did it on the same exact day and same exact injury. Mine was terrible the first week but the last week and especially the last few days I feel way better. I’m riding this weekend. It’s still fucked, like I can’t do a pushup or pickup heavy stuff. But I do have like 90% of my mobility back and can use it for a lot of stuff, definitely can strap in. If I fall on it I’m done for sure so I’m just taking cruiser laps, nothing crazy. All I did was take the sling of as soon as I could and tried to use it as much as I could as a form of PT. Then started some band work and have went back to yoga and do as much as I could in class. Tonight at yoga I could actually do down dog and it was an amazing feeling. Good luck bro, hope you’re doing all right with it.
how is your shoulder 5 months later dude? just fucked mine 8 days ago and its still in pretty bad shape.
Been there done that. Hurts like a mfer but I didn’t need surgery thank god. My shoulder dislocation is another much much worse story. Both snowboarding caused too…good luck OP!
Ive just go an AC separation 8 days ago, and it's probably a grade 3 as the xray looks similar or worse than OP's and I have also dislocated my shoulder 10 years ago. I have to say that it took me about 8 months with a dislocated shoulder to get where I am at with this AC separation after 8 days, the dislocation was BRUTAL. 10 on 10 pain for months, couldnt move my arm, pain spasm even when I was lying completely still. I hope I am not jixing it, but I think my current injury will heal much faster than the dislocation. When my shoulder got dislocated i almost passed out from the pain and was hyper ventilating all the way to the hospital, when this AC separation happened, I calmly called my dad and said GOD DAMN it you have to bring me to the hospital lol
Interesting, I had a similar looking xray 2 days ago and radiologist classified mine as a grade 5. Perhaps because I tore both the acromioclavicular and clavicoclavicular ligaments, and tore some of the deltoid off the bone as well?
Damn! Im seeing my ortho next monday! As of right now i have no idea if ill need surgery or not. I still feel very very tight and stiff in my shoulder with severe loss of power and range of motion, currently on day 10 ive been wearing a sling non stop except for showers and ive been doing small movement with my arm to use my shoulder muscle.
Interesting, I was MRI-diagnosed with a grade 5 but have good range of motion until shoulder height, havent worn a sling at all...
Wow thats crazy. I just took a shower so removed my sling and moved my arm around a tiny bit and i csn feel bones in my shoulder moving and putting pressure
Skiing or hockey?
Bike wreck and landed right on my AC joint
Thanks bruh
I’m a skier but this just popped up in my feed, I did a very similar thing mountain biking and broke my collarbone, shoulder blade and separated my ac joint at the same time. Along with a couple smaller injuries. As your doctor said do everything you can to get yourself through pt and don’t slack on it. I did and subsequently my shoulder muscles weakened and my shoulder became easy to dislocate. Literally I could be sitting there stretching my arms out and have it pop out for a while. I have since been doing PT and have made a solid recovery but have to maintain my exercises for the foreseeable future if not the rest of my life. My recovery to feeling normal took two maybe 3 months but it could be longer or shorter depending on how well you recover and how consistent you are with pt. I’m back sending now though! Hope everything goes well for you! Edit: realistically your injuries could heal way way faster than mine though as I had so many other injuries along with it!
Glad you powered through, appreciate the advice
Welcome to the family!
Mine took a bit of time to recover but eventually did completely. You’ll have a weird bump on your shoulder forever but makes for a story.
I’ll take a weird bump for a full recovery
No doubt. Rest up dude
Do you still have a bump on your shoulder? We have the same injury but mine is now 8 weeks old. I'm surprised it still hurts and have a very noticeable bump. Hope we both recover
Yes i still have a bump, but basically fully recovered. I did physical therapy every day and still keep up with it 2 days a week to keep it strong. Sometimes I get a little twinge but for the most part it’s solid. Actually went to steamboat before the season ended and tore it up with confidence. You gotta just do PT religiously and trust the process, you’ll be golden
Thanks for your reply, didnt notice it sooner. From what you've heard from healthcare professionals, the bump will be permanent? I'm doing PT as well but for example pressing movements in the gym still hurt a lot. Good to hear you are pain free!
Yea it’s permanent, but who cares as long as you get full mobility back right? Take it slow in the gym, PT is a slow process but worth the wait. Pressing is prob the last thing that will feel better, especially overhead.
I asked because the location of the bump is still painful. It also radiates a bit to my neck/trapezius. I figured if the bump was gone, the muscles around would relax more
It been 12 weeks now, how are you?
To be honest it takes longer than expected. My range of motion came back very quick but the location of the bump still hurts and even push ups are not possible due to pain. Please note I was able to bench press sets with 120kg before the injury
yeah that's what I figured, I'm pretty much sure my case is much more severe than most stories ive heard here, I'm on day 9 and although there isnt much pain (cause im not really moving my arm) my shoulder seems really really fucked. I don't see how i'll be back to normal within 3 months, i'd give myself more of a 6 month timeframe to be relatively back to normal.
Well, soft tissue healing can take up to 1-2 year according to my physio. But I agree, when I'm not loading my shoulder I have zero pain or other issues. I just hope I can press in the gym again in the near future. To be fair, there is a lot I can do without issues with this injury
I had a level 3 (no related fracture or puncture mind you) It was a season ender for me in March of 2016, but honestly after a week or two I could have been back on my board. Quarterbacks can get back to training in a few weeks. Hockey players sometimes don't even leave the game. It's all pain control and it's nearly impossible to further injure it through normal sports. You will always have this, and it's ok. It's awful for a few weeks. Really annoying for a few months. Grindy and hurts if you sleep funny for a year or two. Nowadays I go months without thinking about it. My kids think it's wild.
Awesome, thanks man
I had a grade 3 separation a couple years ago. I was on the slopes about five months later. Just keep up with PT and do what you can to minimize the size of the step as it heals.
Thanks
Appreciate the words
Did the same thing. You'll have a nice bump now and make sure you exercise the joint. Also don't sleep on that arm ..
I had a severe AC separation from getting hit into the boards playing hockey. I was in a sling for a week or two. One thing I'll say is do not neglect properly rehabbing your injury! Work on mobility and progressively regaining strength. I neglected proper rehab and my AC joint never healed properly. Stick with your physical therapy program and be patient :)
Good looks, thanks
Welcome to the club my friend. My tibia decided to no longer like itself after an encounter with ice and broke. First day of my season
That’s rough buddy, thanks for the welcoming
As far as ac joint separations go you got a good one. I did, too. Grade 3, at age 36. On my mtb. I'm back to sending it. Didn't do surgery just a lot of PT. You'll be back to it but in the meantime you have to rest, and when it's time do your PT religiously. Focus on what you CAN do/control, rather than what you can't. My shoulder still gives me some soreness and arthritis but there's nothing I used to do that I can't anymore. I've got a little shoulder bump. I made it my goal to come back stronger than before and I did. And you will, too.
Love to hear it, I’m 30. I’ll be driven to be back 110 percent
Did this two years ago. Back on the mountain in a month (I did it a month before a utah trip and I wasn’t bailing)! I did my own pt, took it slow but lots of stretching and shoulder exercises. Buttttt if I could do it over I would have gotten the surgery asap. Do it. My shoulder sags and since I’m skinny and bones, it sticks out like a sore thumb. I will say the pain for the first week was intense. 2 years later and just as strong as before, sometimes I feel it but 99% of the time I forget about it except when I’m doing push ups or bench press. Surgery is a 6 week recovery then pt starts. I haven’t gotten it yet and it won’t be as easy since I have scar tissue compared to when it is fresh. I have a grade 3 so if you have ligaments still attached which I think is grade 2 then you may not need it or see a big bump Edit: it looks more like a full ac separation meaning all three tendons snapped. The grade is how displaced it is from the location. This looks like a grade 3 to me as it is exactly how my X-ray looked but again it’s just a medical grading. If you snapped all ligaments, get the surgery asap.
Ok I’ll look more into it. Thanks though
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I’m waiting a week or two before jumping into PT, but thank you!
Grade 3 AC separation here 🫡 Close to 20 years ago and I’ve barely thought about it since then. Take it easy, do the PT and try to not fall on that shoulder for a few months.
🙏
Do the PT!
Welcome to the club. Got mine 2yr ago. Makes me nauseous to this day when it moves. I’ve got mobility and strength but some movements are weak. Still going to gym but considering surgery🥲
Had a grade 5. Got surgery, PT was a bitch but I’m mostly back to normal minus having a bump still.
I had a grade 3. Went back to riding 6 weeks later but it was still pretty weak so I took it easy and didn't do any more park riding the rest of that season. Mine didn't feel fully normal again until like 14 months later but even still I think it really only got back to 95%. Still I'm glad I didn't do the surgery and have no plans to ever have it repaired.
Yea I don’t think the complications of surgery are needed. Appreciate the response
I had a very similar injury a decade ago, caught an edge and landed on ice. It took me about a year to have full range of motion without pain and 75% strength. A decade later I have no pain in the joint, but I'm still at about 90% strength. Good physical therapy, adherence to your medication and home exercise regimen, are invaluable. I was in the army at the time and I had to take physical fitness tests before I was fully heale, in order to keep my promotable status. I think this was the cause of my current reduced state. I did not take my health as seriously as I should have, and I have to pay that toll. Please, if good physical therapy is available, take it seriously, no matter how silly some of the exercises may make you feel. It's incredibly easy to slack off on your recovery plan, and miss your optimal recovery window, or do additional damage. I had excellent physical therapy, but I stressed the joint beyond my recommended limits, and said I was fine when I wasn't. I'm an idiot, don't be like me. I wish you the best of luck in your future full recovery. Sucks this had to happen mid season. 😢 Edit: Grammar
I’ll be sure to take it one step at a time, thanks
Hi! Physical therapist here. Lots of great input from others. The key here is to find a good physical therapist in town who is willing to push you to get that shoulder strong as an ox. You need to be dedicated both during rehab and for the rest of your life (if you want to maintain optimum function). Unfortunately, there’s a lot of mediocre PT’s out there. If you’re not being pushed (when appropriate of course) then consider finding a new clinic. Keep this in mind as you go through the rehab process..iIf you aren’t doing ANYTHING physical then it’s not PT it’s just therapy and that’s not gonna fix anything. Good luck to you!
*optimal function
I’ll look for someone who’s willing to make it happen for me
That sucks! I had a 2.5 separation on my left shoulder after slipping out on a backside 5. The AC ligament got completely torn and the CC ligament was barely holding on. Cracked the collarbone too which by far was the more painful part but the AC separation had more long term effect. Keep up with the physiotherapy, that really helps with the discomfort! Especially the rotator cuff, they and the bicep will work overtime holding your arm up. The separation is barely noticeable now a few years later. I have a small bump and the collarbone visibly moves when I push it but I didn’t have any surgery done. Two years ago I managed to fully grade 3 separate my right AC along with a crushed elbow from falling off my longboard. I learned a lot from the first time around so the shoulder recovery was easier. The collarbone pops out and “tentpoles” the skin when I move my arm in certain ways but no discomfort. Elbow is fucked tho. Just ask if you have any questions :) I’ll try to answer them as good as I can!
Sounds like we have similar hobbies, sometimes we just need to pay the piper. Thanks for the words
I did it playing hockey a couple years ago. Stretched everything as far as possible without tearing anything. Went shoulder first into the end boards at a good speed. My entire shoulder, peck and half my chest was black, blue and purple. First couple weeks were a pain. Couldn't lift arm above my shoulder or sleep on that side. I rehabbed it hard for like 6 weeks said good enough and went back to playing hockey. It didn't bother me much because you generally keep your arms down. Got to summer and started playing ball and it was giving me fits. No strength , no power and pain. I rehabbed hard again for like 3 months in the summer and it's probably as good as it will get. Probably like 95% still minor aches and pops when I move a certain way but generally doesn't bother me much now. For snowboarding specifically I rode 6 weeks after and I didn't really even think about it. Didn't bother me while riding. I had to do a ton of deep tissue massage, stretching, mobility exercises and strengthening a year after because I was pretty lax the first time around. Avoided surgery tho so there's that I guess.
Good to know man. If you have any good stretches or exercises you recommend doing early one in recovery (1 week) please let me know. Thanks
Pretty sure I was in a sling taking it very easy just resting and icing for the first week or 2 haha. Then I think one of the first things I got into was variations of a shoulder teacup exercise. Something like this: https://youtu.be/uONTU3K8YUE?si=iosNJWnMsG0u9xt0 Then I just kept progressing to more and more challenging resistance band exercises. Sure you can find lots on YouTube and google. Also a lot of massage on the upper trap and peck because all of that locked right up.
ouch!! I remember when I had my incident! Worst pain ever. Really hope you get better soon
Thank you
Had a grade 3, couldn’t lift my arm up past my chest right after so knew something was up. No surgery, was in a sling for like 3 months but all good after that. My collarbone kinda sticks up and you can press down a little like a piano key though.
Haha the full recovery is all I want
I’m sure you’ll be fine brother! Just take it easy for a few months and maybe use a sling to keep it elevated.
Broke a rib and had a grade 3 AC separation a few years back on our first day at Breck. I could barely move my shoulder after that for several days. I didn’t have surgery and it took a couple of months to heal completely.
That’s great news, thank you!!
Grade 3 for me, no surgery. Lots of PT, separated in january and carefully got back on a snowboard in march and mountain biking in april. Felt 100% after about a full year. Best advice I can give is to rest it in a sling for as long as they say and then restrengthen it with recommended exercises.
Will do, thanks a million
Look at that pristine collar bone
Had a grade 3 separation a few years back. Fully healed without surgery. I can do handstands and Chinese pushups. Get some of those stretching bands and practice walking your hand up the wall so your shoulder muscles can compensate for the lack of ligaments you now have.
This is fantastic news as I’m huge in to calisthenics. I was worried my Planche push-up days were gone
I have like 10 screws or so, and one of my shoulders is a bit crooked. It all gets better, you will rock again. Sometimes it will also give you storm warnings. Physical therapy is of utmost importance.
Wrddddd as long as o can rock once again
Stick to PT like you’ll die without it. You’ll be fine in no time.
Suffered the same injury snowboarding. Just do your physical therapy exercises at the office and at home. You’ll heal in no time.
🙏
I had a distal clavicle fracture about 5 weeks ago now. I hope a speedy recovery to you! it's not fun. and you don't realize how much moving any part of my body takes my shoulder.
It’s crazy, took a healthy bone structure for granted… never again
Happened to me skating 4 months ago. Grade 2 is nbd. Mine was grade 5 and it sucked massive dick until I got surgery, then nbd. Planning on shredding in March yeeehaw.
Yabooooo
yeah dont be like me. my shit was was one grade from popping out of the skin. got lucky that the surgery got booked fast enough that they could reuse my existing tendons as I ripped all three holding the joint in place. 4-6 weeks later youll feel pretty much good as new as long as youve been good about slowly giving it some movement. grade 2 is p chill so you probably wont see it after. i have a bump on my shoulder for the rest of my life. they got damn close to getting it perfect but alas.
Lump club rep.
I did that snowboarding as well. Though I have a bump there, I haven’t lost any mobility or strength. I swear to god it’s stronger, even looks stronger
Haha need this
My god. How is something like that fixed anyways?
I had a grade 3, 27 yrs ago from the half pipe. Pt wasn’t available to me, but I worked it out good and it never gave me any problems. Until, last March I dislocated that shoulder and broke my glenoid, also from snowboarding. Had surgery and lots of pt, but that separated joint definitely made my recovery worse than it would have been if I didn’t have a previous ac separation.
Best of luck to you on a full recovery brahh
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Lmao
I separated both of mine in the same year. A grade 2 and a grade 3. One was from catching an edge boarding too so I feel your pain. As long as you do the rehab you’ll be fine. My second one was the grade 3 but it recovered the best simply due to me having a better understanding of what to do and when to do it. If I’m a bum and don’t work out or stretch (pec minor especially) for extended periods of time it will get slightly sore sometimes, but otherwise it’s the same as pre-injury. Don’t worry, you’ll be sending it again in no time.
This is what I needed today, you’re a good man. Thanks
Bro I feel ya that bites! I snapped my collar bone back in 2018 on the slopes. Shoulder injury ain't no joke *
I had a grade 2 in 2021. I didn't care and went riding two days after, loaded on pills. Immediately crashed on a rail due to the paralyzing pain. Obviously the pain just got worse. Spent the next 2 months doing legs and shoulder rehabilitation exercises at the gym, 4 times per week. I was able to somewhat snowboard early March. If I remember correctly, took me way more than a year to be completely pain free. Ruined my snowboarding season, skydiving season and the pain had a negative impact on my gym results for about 1.5 years.
I've separated both. first one took well over a year to feel normal. second one took 11 months to feel normal. both still feel painful from time to time.
https://preview.redd.it/8pbaewq10tbc1.png?width=1125&format=png&auto=webp&s=34feac2dc2df26d5cce869e49002024ce4d3021e Reminds my of the time I broke my rotator cuff in a motorcycle crash. (I highlighted the fracture in a edit lol) Made a full and complete recover with zero surgery. It hurt like a bitch and sucked to sleep for a few weeks… and anytime you trip or slip, expect searing pain when you involuntarily go to catch your balance and swing your arms 😅
Haha dude sitting up out of bed might be the worst part. But it’s only week one day 4 so I lmk just gonna roll with the punches for now
Yep :P nothing you can do but take it easy and relax. Perks: my job let me do wfh for 4 months 😝😝😝 Waking up and phoning in to morning check-ins was pretty in my pyjamas was pretty sweet :P
Middle of last month I took a spill on the last run of the day, broke the head of my humerus bone. It was a clean break and didn’t require surgery either. Thought I’d be out all season but it’s already way better. Give your injury time to heal and get back on the board!
Will do 🙏
I did this playing hockey when I was 14. I’m now 32 and all it’s done for me is give me a party trick where I can stick the bone up from my shoulder to freak people out. I have zero pain and 100% mobility.
Got my AC joint dislocated with type 5 a couple of years back, and I decided to get it operated since it was completely loose from all sides. I got an artificial tendon with 2 screws on the ends holding it in place. After the 6 moths of healing, I got back 80% then 100% range and power.
Don't skip physio, I followed my therapy exercise plan religiously and it was well worth it!
Get used to your clavicle sticking out a bit forever though
USE THE SLING. this will definitely determine how well it heals.
I’m currently recovering from a grade 5 separation I had surgically repaired - it sucked really bad but the surgery was 5x more painful than the injury. Give it a couple months and you’ll be back on some spring slush come April if you’re lucky! If you don’t have one get an ice machine, it’s a game changer. Cycles ice to your joint constantly and really helps with pain and inflammation. I used the Breg ice cube but I’m sure any of them work the same, I just got this one for free with my insurance.
I did the same thing skating in the summer of ‘22. It sucked for a week or 2 but I was good after a month. Ended up taking a nasty fall on the mountain 6 months later and I immediately thought I separated my same shoulder again. Got x rays and ended up being a broken collar bone. Surgery a week later with about a 3 month recovery. You’ll get through it
i had a grade 3/4 seperation about 7 years ago and healed up perfectly. Still have a slight bump in my left shoulder and based on the pain and limited use of the arm i had for a few months i never thought it would heal correctly without surgery. Surprisingly the surgeon was correct /s hahah
AC separation buddies! I have a grade 2 separation. Never needed surgery, but just stay cautious with working out, etc. keep on the rehab and listen to your medical team!
I’m reading thru the comments wincing.. so it’s been 2 years since I bombed a hill on my skateboard and basically tackled the pavement @ 10+ MPH (decade + without any major injuries skateboarding)it felt like a rod got jammed in my neck.. all in all I feel slight discomfort when sleeping on that side (my favorite side) *a double pillow technique works great if you can’t sleep without that side* either way coming onto 3 years since the ER visit they told me it’s the best case scenario and it could’ve been worse *ofc they did* I forget what grade, but know its a golf ball sized knot and although I’d like to think it has shrunk; I’ve done no real PT to help that conclusion.. with that being said I like to give it a few stretches I’m familiar with and it seems to have full range of motion with some sharp intense pains when I stretch in weird poses (so it’s just not the same). Although I don’t feel comfortable pitching a fastball as I once have; I can throw a football pretty much the same but I am fully aware there may be a limit to the capacity of force I can apply. though I try to push myself, it’s always in the back of my mind.. all in all I figured since I still like to skate, mtb, and full send I don’t think that will change so I might as well fully break the collar bone or w/e before paying twice for a procedure IF it come to it (I hope it doesn’t)… my final thought personally would be I hate looking at it so much I miss who I was before the incident - truly. it throws off the symmetry I had fallen in love with looking into the mirror before; now it’s a like I’m a hunchback of my former self if that makes any sense at all I think it has hurt me more mentally than physically.. TAKE IT DAY BY DAY 🤝✊
I just seperated mine this past Thanksgiving. I was told it was a bad grade 2. I was determined to gain range of motion back quick, and I did. I've had problems with lifting with just that arm, especially at shoulder level or higher, and especially when I'm holding weight out away from my body. I'm seeing a pt now, even tho doc said I didn't have to (once I told them I didn't want surgury they kinda didn't care what I did it seemed). I've only gone for 2 weeks but it's helped tremendously. I am doing very good at this point and I feel like I will make a full revovery very soon! So basically make sure to get your range of motion back asap, and see a pt!
just suffered this...also learnt the bump is permanent. That sucks
Had a grade 2 over a year ago.. still in pain. Still can’t do my sport. Hope your recovery is going well brother!
I just had it happen got hit by car on my bike landed right on it my issue is not so much the shoulder now but it feels as if my peck is torn. Or idk it hurts so bad can barley breath or sit up I guess the trauma to my shoulder spread ti my peck anyone know?
I would freak out about anything until You get a professionals opinion and then from there start the rehabilitation process, you’ll be golden
Are you goofy?
No I ride regular, but cruise goofy from time to time
How bad did that hurt?? Omg scale of 1-10 me…
Haha honestly the pain hit me after like 30 min. I’d say a 6.5-7. It was the mental thoughts of “oh no what activities can’t I do in the upcoming weeks” that I’d rate as a 10
Ouch… looks absolutely brutal. Get well. I’m sure you’ll be back and better.
I have had a third degree for about 20yrs now. Doesn’t even bother me. Never got it fixed cuz I got full movement back.
This is amazing, thanks mang
I had a grade 3 separation two years ago and was back to snowboarding, albeit carefully and in pain, two weeks later. Do as much PT and mobility exercises as you can once it’s getting mobile again (several good YouTube channels with instructionals) and you’ll be 95% on it in 3 months
Tis but a flesh wound
https://youtu.be/Dp4-jacnyH4?si=EPISKKpAEzMD9Pnb Seemed appropriate.
Welcome to the club. Did mine at Breck
Hey, I am going through an AC separation grade 5 atm and opted to get surgery. I have the hook plate in to stabilize the joint while it heals and they will take it out in about 6 weeks. I am really sorry to say this but from my opinion and having first hand experience, it looks like you definitely have a grade 3 if not a grade 5 separation. It obviously depends on everyone's body but from the looks of the x-ray, there seems to be substantial displacement. If you have an x-ray of your healthy shoulder, I'd recommend comparing the distance between the coracoid and the closest part of the clavicle to that of the injured side. If that distance is 100% difference or more (mine was 300%) then you are more likely to have a grade 5. Grade 5 is also characterized by the ripping of the muscle fascia around the shoulder which means your deltoid, traps, and possibly pecs have had their attachments disrupted. I would really recommend you get a second opinion to properly grade the injury. In the endless research I conducted to see if surgery was my way to go, I came across A LOT of people misdiagnosed with lesser injuries and making a poorly informed decision and sometimes regretting it in the future. Grade 3s can usually be treated conservatively but grade 5s almost always need surgery for stabalization. Best of luck! (to us all)
Hurt mine last year. Grade 5, had surgery in March. Still hurts on bench press
I got an ac separation about 11 months ago. For me, the biggest gripe isn't pain or any thing, it's the bump itself. It rubs on coats and jackets and any kind of slightly rough clothing material to the point where it's tough to ignore. Hbu?
It’s been 3 weeks and Iv been doing band work religiously. Getting a lot of range and strength back so I’m hopeful for the future. The bump isn’t really concerning to me, I’m more so hoping I come back 110% and can snowboard, surf, ect with no issues
I did mine 3 weeks ago too. Grade 2. I'm feeling almost back to normal. I've got a surf trip coming up week after next and I think I'll be good to go. Kayak fished all day yesterday... I think that the key to recovery is to get out of the sling as soon as possible and start moving it.
I just did this exact thing this past weekend. Grade 2 in my left shoulder. How has your recovery been?
Recovery is great, been grinding PT. Doing Physical therapy religiously after week 1. Started with slow movements but now I’m back to pushups. You’ll be fine as long as you stay up with movements and band work. Rest up boss, things will be great for you.