Shoulder Separation Injuries

Type I, type II, and type III shoulder separation injuries

A shoulder separation is the partial or complete separation of two parts of the shoulder: the collarbone (clavicle) and the end (acromion) of the shoulder blade (scapula). A shoulder separation can be type I, in which the acromioclavicular (AC) ligament is partially torn, but the coracoclavicular (CC) ligament is not injured. In a type II shoulder separation, the AC ligament is completely torn, and the CC ligament is either partially torn or not injured. A type III shoulder separation occurs when both the AC and CC ligaments are completely torn.

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Patrick J. McMahon, MD - Orthopedic Surgery

Current as ofMarch 21, 2017

Current as of: March 21, 2017

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Patrick J. McMahon, MD - Orthopedic Surgery