Shoulder Separation What is a separated shoulder?
A shoulder separation is an injury to the acromioclavicular joint on the top of the shoulder. The shoulder joint is formed at the junction of three bones: the collarbone (clavicle), the shoulder blade (scapula), and the arm bone (humerus). The scapula and clavicle form the socket of the joint, and the humerus has a round head that fits within this socket. A shoulder separation occurs where the clavicle and the scapula come together. The end of the scapula is called the acromion, and the joint between this part of the scapula and clavicle is called the acromioclavicular joint. When this joint is disrupted, it is called a shoulder separation. Another name for this injury is an acromioclavicular joint separation, or AC separation. Is a shoulder separation the same as a shoulder dislocation? No! These two injuries are commonly confused, but they are very different conditions. As described above, the shoulder joint is located at the junction of three different bones: the clavicle, the scapu
