The Acromioclavicular Joint

A brief pause from IMC race reports here to talk about the acromioclavicular joint (otherwise known as the AC). Even though I recovered enough to race well, there are long-term implications of this injury that can't be ignored.

Before, with normal shoulders, at Ironman Wisconsin, September 2005.

When I crashed back in May, I went over the bars and landed hard on my (helmeted) head and left shoulder. I knew that I had a severe shoulder injury due to the pain in that area, and the new bump that appeared. However, I learned that evening in Rockyview Emergency all about separated shoulders; in my case a grade-three separation. After a few days, the shortness of breath that marked the punctured left lung were gone; two weeks later all the abrasions had healed, leaving me with some unexpected tattoos; three weeks later the pain from the bruised ribs abated enough that I could get out of bed without well-considered contortions.

After, check the new shoulder hump, at Ironman Canada 2007.

However, the protruding clavicle is still there, and will be for life. The success rate for shoulder surgery to correct this is not good; it's merely cosmetic in effect, and is reversible. This is the worst part:

Several studies have looked at what happens to the AC joint after this injury. It appears that many people, whether they had the joint repaired surgically or not, will need an operation at some time in the future. The injured joint degenerates faster than normal. Over time it becomes arthritic and painful. This process may take years to develop, but sometimes it happens within one or two years.

http://www.orthogate.org/patient-education/shoulder/acromioclavicular-joint-separation.html

What to do if this happens to you? Aggressive chiropractic and physiotherapy treatment, and if it is due to someone else's negligence, aggressive legal action. Don't take this injury lying down.