Passion Commitment & Service

The acromioclavicular (AC) joint is the joint composed by the clavicle (collarbone) and the highest point of the acromion (shoulder blade). The AC joint is held closely together by multiple ligaments (one in the front, one in the back, one on top and one in the bottom). Additionally, there are two ligaments connected to another bone called the coracoid (conoid and trapezoid) that keep the clavicle in place.

An AC joint injury is a common shoulder condition generally caused by a hard fall or blunt force to the joint. Dr. Ujjwal Sinha, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon can help alleviate acromioclavicular joint pain and deformity after an injury and return patients to an active, healthy lifestyle. The most common cause of an AC joint injury is a direct contact force impacting the top of the shoulder. The fall can cause the joint to experience a mild sprain or, in cases of a particularly forceful impact, a complete shoulder separation. An AC joint injury is measured in multiple grades, spanning from Grade 1 as a mild sprain up to Grade 6 as a debilitating and complete disruption resulting in a total AC joint separation.

A surgical procedure may be recommended by Dr. Ujjwal Sinha in higher grade injuries or when non operative treatments have failed. An arthroscopic AC joint stabilization procedure is generally performed by Dr. Ujjwal to stabilize the joint and decrease and correct the separation between the acromion and clavicle. In most cases, the AC joint is reconstructed by utilizing a ligament graft in combination with suture fixation in order to restore full joint stability and function. Dr. Ujjwal will evaluate a patient’s AC joint injury on a case-by-case basis through physical examination and acquired imaging to determine the proper surgical technique needed to reconstruct damaged surrounding ligaments and resolve the AC joint injury.