AC Seperation

**Taekwonsaul** · Posted On: 5/02/2010 3:44pm

So last Wednesday I was in BJJ class drilling takedowns and I got taken down and fell right on my shoulder. I went to the doc later on and found out I had a type 3 AC separation. Now he says it is going to take 10 weeks to heal. Now that is a long ass time to be away from BJJ. Anyone here have any experience with this kind of injury? Anything I can do to stay in a shape or make the recovery process quicker?

**HailtotheKing** · Posted On: 5/02/2010 4:45pm

A type 3 will most likely be a chronic problem for you. It may go back to feeling normal, but it may not. The best thing you can do is let it rest and scar up, so you'll have some stability. You'll be back before you know it.

**Naszir** · Posted On: 5/02/2010 4:46pm

I had a grade 2. I would love to tell you that a few weeks you'll be fine to roll but you need to rest that shoulder. IT will take time to heal. Let it. I know that is the hardest thing to tell anyone who is into this, but you need to give it some time. As for staying in shape, I did a stationary bike to keep up cardio. Please understand i am not a doctor or therapist, I am just a guy who had the same injury but to a lesser degree.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 5/02/2010 5:27pm

In addition to what everyone else said, you'll want to get some physical therapy for rehab too.
It will take some time and consistency to get strength and stability back in there.

**Taekwonsaul** · Posted On: 5/02/2010 5:55pm

I see. Yeah I think the hardest thing is that I will have to miss so much BJJ. I was recently awarded my 4th stripe and was looking forward to compete in a no gi tourney hosted by my school on the 22nd.

**helmutlvx** · Posted On: 5/02/2010 10:14pm

I had an AC 1 and it still bothers me sometimes, so tough break, dude. Definitely get physical therapy for that and rest up.

**Aodhan** · Posted On: 5/04/2010 5:30pm

Originally Posted by HailtotheKing

A type 3 will most likely be a chronic problem for you. It may go back to feeling normal, but it may not. The best thing you can do is let it rest and scar up, so you'll have some stability. You'll be back before you know it.

x2. Part of the problem is ligaments don't stretch well. If you remember the old click pens, they had that little spring inside. That's pretty much like a ligament, you can compress ok, but once you stretch it out abnormally, you can never really get it back to its original tightness.

Same with ligaments, which is why people that have chronic shoulder separations often have surgery to shorten the ligaments to help prevent it.

Take the time, concentrate on keeping your fitness by other activities, and then get back at it.

John

**Taekwonsaul** · Posted On: 5/04/2010 9:50pm

the doc did mention there was a possibility of surgery to fix it and maybe make it heal better. Is that worth it? I mean I'm a pretty active guy. I weight train and train BJJ/Boxing a lot. I want to be be able to do what I did before. I don't think the doc understands how much i need my shoulder to be able to perform for all the things i do.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 5/05/2010 1:06am

I didn't do the surgery, they wanted to cut off the end of my clavicle.
**** that.

**Aodhan** · Posted On: 5/05/2010 10:37am

Originally Posted by Taekwonsaul

the doc did mention there was a possibility of surgery to fix it and maybe make it heal better. Is that worth it? I mean I'm a pretty active guy. I weight train and train BJJ/Boxing a lot. I want to be be able to do what I did before. I don't think the doc understands how much i need my shoulder to be able to perform for all the things i do.

Grade 3 is at the higher end of the scale. Is your doc a sports/ortho specialist? If not, I'd talk with one. Outline exactly what you do, the stresses on the shoulder, etc. and see what they recommend.

If you can force yourself to take the downtime and heal properly without surgery, I'd give that a go first, personally, but talk with a couple docs and see what they recommend.

John