The treatment of AC separation varies according to the degree of injury.
Treatment consists of merely pain relief and moving the shoulder as soon as possible. The pain almost always disappears in 3 to 6 weeks; the injury heals spontaneously.
Lasting pain caused by injuries in the joint is rare. In this case, one or more infiltrations in the Ac-joint are recommended.
In less than 10% of all cases the pain remains despite infiltrations. A arthroscopy of the AC joint can then provide a definitive solution. The meniscus in the joint is removed, and a small piece of the end of the collarbone is removed by arthroscopy ("distal claviculectomy" or Mumford procedure).
After this procedure, rehabilitation can take place immediately; immobilisation is not really necessary. Return to work depends on the nature of the work: between 2 and 8 weeks (desk work versus heavy work in construction).
For active and sporty (young) people, we recommend an arthroscopic procedure from grade 3, regardless of whether there are any accompanying injuries. If the treatment can be instituted relatively quickly, it can often be done via keyhole surgery. An open procedure should be performed at a later date.
