What to do about (presumed) AC joint type 3 separation

[simon43]

First, this injury is not as a result of my exercise and weight training regime.

I injured my left shoulder about 5 years ago when I fell backwards off a ladder from about 2 metres height, landing on hard concrete. To protect my head during the fall, I was able to land on my left shoulder. Ouch! Extremely painful.

I rested the next day by lying in a hammock. The hammock broke (!) and I fell about 1 metre onto hard concrete again, landing on my left shoulder.

Double ouch!

I didn't go to the doctor or hospital, and my shoulder slowly recovered, but not completely. Over the years, although there is no constant pain or ache, I do get very sharp twinges of pain when I move my left arm quickly away from my body, ie perpendicular to my body.

I can raise my left arm above my body with no pain, and I can slowly move my arm away from my body without pain, but if I lift weights where my arms are spread, (eg bench press, wide arm pull-up, chin-up), then I either get an immediate sharp pain, or it exacerbates shoulder pain when I subsequently move my arm away from my body. I can do close spaced pull-ups/chin-ups and other free weight exercises just fine.

So, given the lack of day-to-day pain, and the fact that I can weight train if I'm careful about what routine I do, then I haven't worried about this injury.

Now however, I can see a visible 'bump' on the top of my shoulder, which is not present on my right shoulder, (which BTW also suffered an AC joint injury from a previous fall, but not more than a type 2 injury...)

My concern is that although I have minimal problems with my left arm right now, perhaps the lack of arm movement or pain will increase as I get older.

I read that endoscopic surgery can be performed to repair the AC joint damage. Is it better to have surgery now or have no surgery and improve the shoulder strength/range of movement through exercise etc?

Of course, I will visit a doctor in Bangkok in a few weeks. But I'd like to know if others have suffered similar injuries, what treatment they had, and what was the long-term result.

Edited February 25, 2018 by simon43

[jvs]

X-ray first.

[Sheryl]

I can't answer your question - and it will take an ortho specialist's exam and reading of Xray , and possibly scan, to do so.

 

but I can tell you which doctor to see:

 

https://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Mason-Porramatikul

[simon43]

Thanks Sheryl, I note you recommended this same doctor in a previous post some years ago. I'll make an appointment with him.

Presumably I can have an initial consultation with him to determine the next steps, and if surgery is required, have this undertaken at another (cheaper) hospital if the Bumrungrad cost is high.