[Closed] Separated AC joint (shoulder) anyone had surgery?

I've had shoulder decompression surgery, and was off work a month (non physical job) - that's a lesser surgery, but it took a long time to be back 100% - 18 months. I was able to cycle after a month though but not able to 'pull' on the bars, but if you've got heavy lifting in your job, it may cause you issues with an AC repair.

Yes, same side as an unhealed broken collar bone from years back. Was having physio but unfortunately ended up with a frozen shoulder that was eye-wateringly painful. Had it manipulated under ga then more physio. Wish I'd had even more physio and been more diligent with exercises. Followed by trails with constant turns to get my upper body riding position corrected. Find a decent physio would be my advice and do what they say.

Edit: had metalwork, surgeon did a brilliant job with minimal scarring.

Bankart repair about 6 years ago, been rock solid ever since. Had 2 months off the bike, well worth it.

How long were you all unable to drive for? And what about lifting?

I can't quite remember tbh, I was off work for a week, went back on light duties, as I don't like being off sick.

I'd say driving was 2 weeks? Not much more if any. Lifting was when physio told me I could.

Did mine in June, grade 3 or 4 (doctor’s words)

Surgery end of June, advised no driving for 2 months but was fortunate enough to be able to work from home...I missed a few days initially and after the operation while the painkillers did their thing and movement came back.

Riding wise I was advised not to for 6 months after surgery which would have taken me to Christmas. Not a chance in hell that was going to happen, I kept ticking over on the turbo (they were happy with that) and eventually made it outdoors end of October.

Physio started mid-August and was signed off early November.

Very happy with the repair and it gives me no problems on 4 hour road rides.

Did mine almost 5 years ago.

High end of Grade 4. The consultant who saw me said anything worse would be "a mess".

Had surgery to stabilise the joint, which was a no-brainer as it didn't have any ligaments at all to keep the collar bone in place.

It's been fine since, and I can do everything I could before, just with slightly more crunchyness in the joint.

Thanks Haze, but sugar! I can't afford that amount of time off work. Sod the bike, the kayak, everything else, I need to be paying bills.

Should maybe add the location of the collarbone break was complicating things...as above no ligaments supporting anything, and the break was right on the end.

They were concerned if it went again there wouldn’t be enough bone left to screw into adequately.

I think I could have been driving sooner to be honest, but being able to work from home meant I didn’t need to push it.

Good luck!

Would speculate that active folk make the worst patients. I was driving far sooner than recommended which resulted in my eventually noticing that I wasn't sitting in the seat properly thus causing more discomfort.

You also need to factor in NHS waiting times and my experience was that it bore no relation to what they're supposed to offer regardless of how much pain you were in.

Most responders have something different to a pure A/C separation so bear that in mind
I had a similar injury after being involved in an RTA on the bike. Mine got better over the course of 12 months with no surgery.
If you are not improving I would really press the clinical team to state what they hope to achieve for you along with probability of success/ failure

Most responders have something different to a pure A/C separation so bear that in mind

Yeah fair point, as above they constantly stressed how delicate the collarbone fix was...so maybe without that I’d have been up and around sooner.

Ah topical ! Smashed my right clavicle on January 5th, had surgery last Wednesday, 6 pins and a plate.
Sat in hospital ward in HK waiting for discharge. Similar process expected as above.

Had a pure AC separation. Grade 3/4 on dominant side. Was advised to leave it a year which I did. Not had it repaired, but was advised if I lift bricks or played violin it should be fixed. I don’t. Since yours has been two years and you presumably use it for manual work, you will probably benefit from it being fixed. I’d say a month at least but that’s a guess. When I separated mine, my wrist was so badly smashed up I couldn’t use the whole arm for over three months anyway. I would say that recovery from surgery was a lot faster than recovery from trauma. If that helps.

Grade 4 here. Had the op a week after the crash. Week off work and then back to work as a desk jockey and driving an auto.

I had this done. Not sure if they do this on the NHS though.

I felt fine after a couple of weeks but was warned off no riding for 6 months. Worked out OK as it coincided with Winter so I bought a smart trainer and zwift.

Grade 3 here in 2009. I didn't have surgery and the heaviest thing I carry at work is a packet of post it notes, but there are some days I wish I'd pushed for surgery.
The biggest feature is the stuck up bone. I can't carry skis on that shoulder (first world problem huh!) because it hurts like hell if I catch the bone and I do worry how it will be as ageing takes hold and my skin thins.
BUT there is always a risk with surgery which on the whole I'm glad I didn't take.

Jeeze, all I can add is that today is 5 months since I bust my right clavicle, which I had plated 2 months ago. I have a frozen shoulder, which will probably need an op to release it. Once the collar bone had been plated the worst pain was from the AC joint and the sternum joint at each end because both parts of the collar bone had been flapping around doing nothing for 3 months, buried in muscle and stuff with no chance of meeting up. After the op I found four fingerprint-sized bruises inside my upper arm from where somebody had tugged my arm outwards in order to get the CB lined up. The most distressing aspect of the CB break was the loss of a good inch of width from my shoulder and my squashed armpit, which was permanently sweaty and rank.

I have the next X ray on 22 Feb when we will see if the surgeon managed to wake up the ends of the bones, which had rounded off and gone to sleep.

Most responders have something different to a pure A/C separation so bear that in mind
I had a similar injury after being involved in an RTA on the bike. Mine got better over the course of 12 months with no surgery.

My story is similar. I separated my left shoulder (hit the ground in the Surrey Hills) in May 2017. I did it on the Saturday, went to Minor Injuries on Monday/Tuesday iirc. They X-rayed it and said, "It's just bruised, no break." The bruise covered a quarter of my torso, but then they hadn't asked me to take my t-shirt off, so couldn't see that. (As you may be able to tell, I'm a little underwhelmed by the performance of the local MI unit. Should have clogged up casualty instead!) Anyway, 6 months later I happened to ask my GP why I still had a pronounced lump on my shoulder and why it was still giving me problems. He explained it was separated, etc. It was a year before the pain stopped waking me up in the night if I made the mistake of sleeping on that side. It took roughly 18 months before it stopped aching. All seems fine now, just a lump. It may have healed a little quicker if the experts had diagnosed it correctly and advised me accordingly. Or may not - I'll never know.

had a grade 4 seperation about 4 years ago.

physio advised to get the op soon as possible and put me in touch with a surgeon in Glasgow who specialises in this.

got the op in the november within 2 weeks, was about 4weeks after that to physio starting which lasted until the May. I had a bicep tear plus a frozen shoulder after the op which took longer.

worst case you will be not be doing much with arm for first months and will take longer until you get decent mobility back. first few weeks youll be lucky to move the shoulder round in more than small circles and wont be lifting anything more than a cuppa.

having said all that i now have 95% range of movement, and virtually pain free. Plus the repaired shoulder is stronger than the left one.

Physio did say at the time the longer you leave the op the more difficult it becomes so something to think about.

100% glad i had the op though.

hope it goes well for you.

Grade 2 separation, Dislocation and broken head of the humerus. (Hit a tree quite fast). Did it in one year in June. 6 weeks completely immobilized but no surgery. Managed some gentle cycling in November after lots of physio. I'd say it took 18 months to be back to full strength and I'm at probably 80% range of motion. Shoulders are tricky.

Thanks for all your responses. As I said I'm self employed and really can't afford more than a couple of weeks off work. The rainy day fund went on a house move a few years ago, and is yet to build up again so.... I will listen to the surgeon, but I think I know what I will have to do. I can't have anymore injections, so it's cod liver oil and pain killers for me, and keep on with the physio.

AC grade 4 separation here. Hit a submerged kerb.

Had to push to have the opperation and get it tied back down. Was told that if I left it as it was, (with a massive lump on my shoulder) it would give me problems as I got older.

Was on my bike two weeks after opperation. No issues 1 1/2 years later. Fabulous NHS @ Durham

@twowheels that’s great to know. Had my surgery Wednesday, stiff rather than painful. Follow up February 1st I will definitely be on gym bike after that, if no unforeseen complications