AC joint separation grade 3 successful rehab protocol

I had a severe (grade 3) AC joint separation in 2017. I followed a careful rehab programme and was back to reasonably hard climbing (8b) in six weeks and normal climbing (V14) in 12 weeks, well ahead of schedule. In this episode, I share what I did, when and why. Vlog #21.
My climbing injuries book Make or Break:
www.davemacleod.com/shop/make...

[@thehartkrusher]

"that actually made me physically sick because i couldn't imagine jumping on a hold again" incredibly huge relate , the worst part of the injury honestly wasn't the pain or not being able to sleep on my side it was the intense anxiety that i wouldn't be able to compete in my sport and workout properly again

[@marmarcberserker5503]

Exacly dude. I had 3 grade ac separation and im was feeling this same.

[@toadyou5]

That's how I still feel after 4 months, haven't been to an orthopedic because no insurance. Insurance should kick in soon so I can go.

[@marmarcberserker5503]

@@toadyou5 did you have surgery?

[@toadyou5]

@@marmarcberserker5503 nope I didn't have insurance so just sling and did my own rehab type thing. They told me it was a 3 at urgent care. Trying to build a small amount of muscle around it but with covid haven't been doing much, also battling addiction so tough.

[@marmarcberserker5503]

@@toadyou5 sorry to hear about your injury. I am 4 month after surgery no insurance i paid for surgery by my money and rehabilitation. I had dog bone button surgery. I am still unable to be activ as before. It's long jurney to back to normal. But the whorst about this injury is that it broke my spirit. Iam a sailor hard worker and i am worried i wouldn't back to work .

[@jamsxr]

Very helpful. Grade 3, day 1, how do you put a T-shirt on!? Agony

[@PumpingIron247]

Pretty easy.. bad arm through the hole, then pull for head, and last the good arm :) Thats what I do today on day 1

[@PumpingIron247]

Indiana Prepper grade 3 , will have another check in 4 weeks. I am very frustrated, used to train crossfit 2-3 hours a day. What is your situation? :)

[@PumpingIron247]

Indiana Prepper Best of luck !

[@jamsxr]

I couldn’t move my arm on day 1, but it started feeling better quickly. A few weeks and I’ve got good movement, although my physio has told me to keep the sling on for a bit longer. Saw a surgeon last week who advised against surgery based on my recovery. I’ve still go a big lump that will likely be there forever. I do get a numb pain in my shoulder if I walk for over 30 min, I hope that’s just part of the recovery process. Grade 3..

[@PumpingIron247]

Jim 86 interesting! I am advised against the sling, unless I feel pain. It seem surgery is the less prefered option

[@sergegrosman]

Thanks very much for this. Just did my AC and it's a great relief to see such a good outcome.

[@mikebilly4599]

Thank You for sharing this! This is going to help me BIG TIME with my grade 3 separation! God Bless!

[@timdeclerck4782]

Incredibly insightful, I'm on week two day 3 and getting really frustrated and scared for my climbing future. To hear that's normal is an amazing relief.

[@CanCanPresents]

This was so helpful. Thanks for such a detailed, well thought out video.

[@fionayoung2853]

Thank you so much for this video! It made me feel so much better when you said you felt pretty grim at the end of the first week with no improvement, as that's where I'm at. This is so helpful to see your exercises too!

[@vlupis1]

Dave, this video deserves million likes!

[@trainsmore]

Bro... thank you so much. i needed to hear this. Hearing your experience and seeing you still do front lever and fully climb and stuff makes me so stoked.. i've been so stressed that i may not be able to train advanced calisthenics again. appreciate your video so much man - thanks for sharing

[@gyleschaloner3055]

Thanks for your insight Dave, I’m not a climber although I do enjoy it when I do it, I came off my mountain bike and broke my collarbone and damaged my ac joint a couple of days ago, shoulder feels very angry but will get on to good rehab baby steps and keep your video in mind 👍🙏

[@kevinfrost1579]

Hi Dave. Want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the vid. Simultaneously informative and calming, especially in the first few days when all the questions are flying around. Broken clavicles, ribs, familiar territory but AC separation grade 3 a new one on me. Road bike ‘off’ at 25 mph ( not so much ‘bounce’ as ‘thud’), now starting week 6 of rehab. Great pointers for the relevant medical specialists and hugely helpful to see your journey and means to recovery. I seem to be on a similar recovery trajectory (rapid). Your Vid has helped and will continue to help many more in the future, so A MASSIVE THANK YOU 👍. Hope the climbing is going from strength to strength. Back on the bike and doing LEJOG in 2 weeks. Cheers 😀

[@georgebonelli2283]

That was an awesome story of your journey. Thank you for sharing. Just separated my AC this weekend from a cycling accident. My journey has just begun and fully expect to recover and inspired by your diligence and detail. Well done you.

[@jayeshnandan6492]

Great explanation! I've been here stressing about an AC joint trauma, probably Grade 1. Your video gave me hope. Thank you. Wish you safe climbing 💪🏽

[@TheLivingwild]

Very helpful Dave gave my hope for a full recovery

[@samalvares7711]

Thank you! I separated mine mountain biking, and this video has give me a lot of confidence in my recovery.

[@daveg8700]

Thank you for this information. It was very helpful for my grade 1 injury to get an idea of what I should be doing and expecting from a time line perspective.

[@rileyhernandez1872]

how is your grade 1 injury going? i also have grade one injury, i'm 16 days into injury, doing daily physical therapy with resistance bands or light resistance on machine at gym. was told after x ray i have grade 1 injury, but even 16 days later i still have some sharp discomfort in some positions, most significant in the morning (though I'm careful not to sleep on my side). curious what your healing timeline was like. thanks!

[@classicbasslines]

Great video, thank you. Urgent care doc said I had either a type 3 or type 5, and said I would need surgery. Saw an orthopedist who said I wouldn’t need surgery. I’m on day 10 and out of the sling and getting more motion every day. Glad I took your advice to keep the shoulder moving as much as I could from day 1

[@cprado4867]

Thank you all for posting , just had a type 3 separate two days ago from engaging in a tackle and same shoulder going into ground

[@kellyboy5]

Cannot begin to say how helpful this has been. Recently diagnosed with this myself and unfortunately had no info from the consultant despite my pre prepared list of questions. Thank you so much!

[@JoseVazquez-dy9tu]

Thank you, gives me hope, I suffered a grade 3 in a motorcycle accident two weeks ago, in beginning stages of healing.

[@btbam666]

This video is awesome thank you for taking the time to make. Your rehab and dedication was incredible and how far how fast you progressed was insane! made me cringe watching some of the stuff being on day 12 currently of my grade 3 AC separation from flying off a bike and landing on my shoulder and head and rolling. You are correct week one was the worst absolutely! Also I did not get my shoulder taped by a physio until day 8 which made a HUGE DIFFERENCE in pain and stability in the joint! I would suggest anyone get it taped asap to help with both pain and stability. Going to keep following your video. I am not a climber just someone who likes to workout and do pullups and need to work for 30 years more still so am determined to get back to being able to do that stuff after seeing you do pullups or half ring pullups I think in week 3 and 4 is just crazy! The mental extreme anxiety part like the person mentioned below me of not being able to workout properly again sure is stressful and debilitating on the mind. I luckily got in to see a surgeon 1 week after it happened and after watching your video and numerous others I was terrified week one of surgery and everything along with that. Thankfully she said she believes can rehab it so going to work my ass off like you did and pray to get back the ridiculously amazing strength that you did and to the point of forgetting what shoulder had the injury! lol that is absolutely crazy to be at that point I could never imagine that is possible but I guess you have proved it to be lol thanks again Dave!

[@canyoudoitagain7978]

Thank you for this video. Have a grade 3 injury although without much issue in movements. I was sure I'd need a surgery but after watching you I am confident physio alone will help my recovery.

[@TimsLab]

Today marks the 7th week since I separated my shoulder. Your older blog posts really helped with my motivation to trust the rehab and put in the time. Feeling good and almost back to the level of climbing I was pre injury. Thanks for the video

[@TimsLab]

@EtZy Stronger than I was before! Lying on my shoulder isnt quite as comfortable as it used to be, but i can still sleep through it

[@TimsLab]

@EtZy Yep... but not too noticeable.

[@winterramos4527]

@@TimsLab do you weight lift? And if so, how's the pressure?? I'm a weight lifter and I need to get back at it...I'm going nuts

[@markhunter3661]

Day one of the same injury for me, I'm fighting feeling down at the prospect of no sport for a while, this video was incredibly helpful

[@ricomoore5704]

Very informative! Thanks for your well thought out analytical perspective.

[@adommie]

Thank you, I needed this video as this has been psychologically tough. Your video gives me hope and knowledge. I injured mine in jiujitsu. I’m on day 5 now, grade 3 as well.

[@Veodo]

Hi how are you now? Im on my day 5 grade 3 and still in the worst pain ever... how are you doing? This video gives me hope

[@adommie]

Veodo a lot better, I finally did 10 real pushups yesterday and it’s been about 6 weeks. It gets better my friend. Go to therapy if you can and do the exercises they provide. It still gets some pain in certain positions but I’m sure that will improve over times

[@rwjr2010]

Hey 6 months out from grade 5 with surgery. Lifting at about 80% from pre-injury. Push urself, but stop when you start feeling pain. Just try to keep workout volume higher and weights lower.

[@developerjosh]

I did the same thing at Jiujitsu currently trying to overcome it landed on my shoulder from a takedown. Any advice would be fricken great. It is tough going from doing a lot of training to not being able to do anything at all.

[@bboysergiorock]

@@developerjosh Grade 2 from BJJ here, one and a half months away, still feel pain in certain areas but much better

[@edwin68aguilar]

Great video! Thanks for all the details they’re incredibly helpful!

[@BeanDip209]

Thank you for the video, i got diagnosed with a grade III seperation and this video makes me feel much better about the future.

[@BeanDip209]

Update. This man helped me so much. 4 weeks out i was dam near back to my full workout schedule. Burpees pullups. This is my own experience, but b better to work it than baby it

[@noctiscaelum1582]

@@BeanDip209 how’s it going mate ? Are you still doing good? Anything different you notice in that shoulder or is it as if it never happened besides the probable bump

[@Mr4litre]

Into week 3 of a stage 3 separation. I feel I am progressing well. This is a very thorough video. Thanks for making it.

[@ShyairLopez]

How are you feeling 3 months later? I am currently into my 3rd week as well with a stage 3 separation. Currently im not able to lift to much weight or even swim.

[@Mr4litre]

@@ShyairLopez doing great!!! I have returned to Australian rules football. And I have returned to nearly all my usual gym program. Some of my exercises I still cannot lift as much as I did. And some movements I have some clicking. But otherwise my recovery went well. I stuck to my rehab work religiously and always worked to pain. I would say the 8 week mark was a big turning point for me.

[@paulwiseman7198]

This is really encouraging thank you! I was hit off my bike by a car over the weekend and landed upside down on my shoulder. Seems to be grade 1 or 2 separation. I'm noticing small improvements day by day even now, and it's really helpful psychologically to see how fast you were able to recover and to full strength, from a more serious injury than I have as well. I'm definitely going to check out your book in my down time, injuries suck! Hoping it will help me avoid more in future (maybe not the cars though)

[@daliks]

how did it go?

[@paulwiseman7198]

@@daliks Really well thanks! If I remember I was climbing again at full strength after around 5 or 6 weeks

[@daliks]

@@paulwiseman7198 nice!! I hit a tree 3 weeks ago, on my mtb.its going very well compared to my other shoulder which has a ac lux type 3 and something wrong with the supraspinatus. Has been causing soreness for almost 20 years now. Will be getting checked for the fresh injury but thankfully seems much less severe even though you can see a bump when relaxing the shoulder.

[@paulwiseman7198]

@@daliksgood luck man and hope you heal well. I had that same bump too

[@daliks]

@@paulwiseman7198 3 weeks now and i am back on the mtb, but not surfing yet. Will be seeing an orthopedic surgeon for advise too. My left shoulder with the old injury hurt more after mtb then the fresh one yesterday😂

[@noonanci]

This is really inspiring. I’m a triathlete who just had a grade 3 from a cycling tumble. Debating whether I need surgery but this really gives me hope that I can get back swimming with good diligence to rehab exercises. Thanks so much for sharing. Also love how you took control of your rehab. Cheers

[@Dinodinosaur66]

Great video again. I know it's covered in the make or break book but I've had a few pulley injuries in the past and would be interested in the latest info on pulley injury rehab, including your personal experiences with them and more importantly factors that can help with the prevention of pulley injuries. Another video I would be interested to see is if and how you train and prepare specifically for hard onsight trad climbing (mental, physical and tactical)

[@chokhou]

Thanks for sharing your recovery. I'm in process to doing the same thing as you. Just want to get back on my bike.

[@ChristianRaymondFilms]

How is the recovery coming along?

[@Dawa202]

Thanks for your valuable advice Dave.

[@gavlatravla]

really helpful even 4 years on, timeless advice thank you.

[@Csoveskukorace46]

More than helpful! This video gave me a lot of hope. Grade 3 separation, 11 day since the accident, and i got back my full range of motion already, and carefully also did my first pushup. I feel motivated, and cant wait how this progress turns out. Thank you sir, for sharing us your experiences!

[@roberteberheissinger588]

How did it continue after day 11? Anything you are willing to share would be highly appreciated. Did the Doctor suggest surgery?

[@salahudindarawi]

Grade 3 with AC joint & CC ligaments?

[@donjuanbeltran]

3 days into my my grade 3 separation I have full range of motion. Mild pain no sling but have pain at the end of the day. Will start using the sling now. Thanks for the video.

[@Zoranicc]

How are you today?

[@iainjones2888]

I really enjoy your videos ... inspiring ! 22 days after a grade 2ish I've applied KT tape and it's almost instantly eased the discomfort plus it nudges me about posture.

[@JRHockney]

I'm about through week 3 after a type 3 separation and can definitely see similar results so far. Your progress is inspiring and your a hell of a climber!

[@ahmeddesai5027]

thank you. I'm hitting the 2 week mark tomorrow for grade 3 and I watch this quite often for inspiration

[@christiankleihs765]

Very impressive, im still on my first weeek in rehab, this video got me inspierd! I had a crash on the motocross track, but instantly When i got home from hospital i set my goal to get back asap!

[@Hamza-nj7iy]

Hi Christian which grade is ur injury And hows your recovery so far

[@LixmanAl]

Hi Christian, I crashed racing motocross nearly 2 weeks ago and had a type 3 acj injury. How long before you were back on the bike and have you crashed on that side since? I'm thinking of getting different body armour as concerned about the floating end of the collarbone on that side now. @Christian Kleihs

[@mkyz4198]

Great video. I’m at the end of week 1 and terrified about having the ability to make a full recovery some day. Seeing you return with that amount of mobility and strength is very impressive and it gives me a lot of optimism for my upcoming weeks of healing and strengthening my shoulder. Thanks for sharing!

[@almiighttrack3158]

How’s your recovery going , I’m 1 week from a type 3 separation... I’m only on a sling no Physical therapy yet .. can you recommend anything with the swelling or sleeping any tips would be GREATLY appreciated

[@mkyz4198]

Juan tellez I’m now 4 weeks post injury and doing much better. I was in a sling for 10 days. Began doing light exercise at home with 5 lb plates after day 14. For swelling, I was icing 2-3 times each day for 20 minutes for the first 2-3 weeks then reduced to as much as needed. I basically slept on my back with a pillow under my arm for the first two weeks. I was able to sleep on my left side while keeping the pillow under my injured right arm. I was also able to go swimming around day 21. I’m still unable to do push-ups without pain and I couldn’t imagine doing bodyweight dips anytime soon but I can overhead press, deadlift, and even shrug with almost zero discomfort. Keep listening to your body but don’t be afraid to put it to work when you feel ready. Good luck!

[@almiighttrack3158]

Mkyz419 wow that’s great , thanks for the heads up , I’m def going to try this out .. did you go for surgery or opt for non surgical?

[@mkyz4198]

Juan tellez I meet with my doctor August 31st which will be 12 weeks post injury to discuss having surgery or leaving as is. I do construction and like to workout with moderately heavy weight and told him if I wasn’t myself at work or in the gym after 12 weeks I’d most likely opt for surgery. It’s healing so well right now that I don’t think I’ll need surgery.

[@egjundis]

I'm 3 weeks into healing from a grade 2 AC Joint separation. Your video has been very helpful. Thank you!

[@AngelMartinez-yj3sm]

I had a grade 3 almost grade 4 , I self healed / no surgery only physical therapy.. I feel great and sometimes forget i even had have it

[@waheebulla5003]

@@AngelMartinez-yj3sm Hey there. Hope you're doing well. I had an accident back in December 2020. And incurred a similar case to yours. Although I feel mine was grade 5. Stability, strength, and all is now coming back to normal. But the bump still remains. Although it was much larger and drastic during the time of the accident and it has subsided to a good degree. How was the case with yours? I'm shit scared to get operated. How long did you take to heal from the injury? Also, do ligaments heal by themselves?

[@jackfleming7137]

@@waheebulla5003 how are you doing now?!

[@ASlyFilm]

Thank you so much! I wish I found this video a month ago. All my questions were answered. Was thinking about surgery, but decided not to do it. Letting it heal naturally. It's already been a month and I feel fine. Still popping, but the pain is gone. A grade 3 looks scary, but in the end I was just freaking myself out.

[@sasquatchhimself]

Just separated my shoulder last night mountain biking. Haven't been seen by an ortho surgeon yet so I still have my questions/concerns, and this video was quite encouraging. Thank you for giving me hope!

[@chinesecream]

Get an arm sling and go to urgent care.

[@Meeroo670]

As I have made a mistake 2 years ago when I was injured in my shoulder and never paid attention to it thinking it was a simple injury like all football injuries that I had before. After 11 weeks I finally gave up and went to see an orthopedic specialist. I was diagnosed with type III AC separation. And I had no option other than doing the surgery. I highly I highly recommend you to put the arm sling and visit orthopedic doctor ASAP.

[@ReaIJohnDoe]

Dave absolutely makes up in his lack of stud like looks with his Dr like intelligence. What a guy X As I always say, I could listen to Dave talk for days. I don't even climb anymore, haven't for 11 years now after terrifying myself beyond recovery, but always keep an eye on what Daves doing.

[@Mdjagg]

Looks like a stud to me

[@pinkhoodie_sw]

Thank you so much! Now currently going through this, and this is super helpful.

[@luizdeitos]

I have this injury grade3. Mtb cicling. Tnks . Your vídeo explain a lot of things 🙏🙏🙏

[@freddievanheerden9739]

Thank you very much for this video. I'm almost 4 weeks into my recovery with the same kind of injury and it is encouraging. I received mixed opinions from two specialists (one being pro-surgery for my case and the other suggesting to first attempt non-surgical treatment) and your video has given me a lot of hope.

[@hashsyed]

How do you feel now? I have an AC Sprain

[@freddievanheerden9739]

@@hashsyed I've still got some pain and discomfort (6+weeks now), but there is still progress and I'm feeling better week after week. At this stage I'm still happy with my option not to do surgery. How bad is your sprain?

[@hashsyed]

@@freddievanheerden9739 Glad to hear you're making progress and thanks for sharing. Sprain is bad. I can still move my shoulder but overhead has pain and can't do basic push / pressing movements like push ups. Considering rehab options like this video & steroid/cortisol injections.,

[@freddievanheerden9739]

@@hashsyed all the best with the recovery. I received one cortisone injection and it really helped, so I can recommend that.

[@GordLamb]

Week 10 of a grade 3 separation, along with various other strains and tears that occurred in my fall. I was pointed to your video after a woes-me post on Reddit, and watching it, it feels like I'm reliving the past 10 weeks, haha. Exactly what I went through, following similar rehab patterns. A week after it happened, I also couldn't even imagine climbing again, and it was so distressing. I'm now back up to around V4 / 5.11a, but extremely cautious and paranoid. I hope it continues to heal. You're giving me so much hope.

[@timsd9565]

Hey man did the bump go away?

[@GordLamb]

@@timsd9565 oh, nah that's there for life. But my shoulder geometry seems to have stabilized and I'm able to climb hard again without pain... at least on that side, lol. Now my other shoulder is sore at the back. No obvious injury aside from just gettin' old, sigh.

[@ferryvantichelen6521]

This was the video I watched a year ago after falling with inline skates. I just wanted to thank you because it gave me confidence I would actually be able to climb again ❤ OK back to Catalyst Climbing's video!

[@ChristianRaymondFilms]

I’m grade 3 in both left and right shoulders from snowboarding since age 3. Going for surgery on L, recover and then my R. Thanks for the video and information.

[@calvinsy9748]

injured my left (Grade 2) snowboarding too. Girl ran straight into me as i was coming off a chair only one boot strapped in. Have you had surgery yet? How did you decide for surgery vs conservative treatment?

[@jackfearon2412]

Just fell over Skiing and I thought I’d had a grade 3 tear as it’s dettached fully. However I seem to be more comfortable outside the cast and can do week 2’s rehab about 24 hours post crash. Feel so much better because of that so thank you so much for this video. The lack of information online was making me panic. It’s great to know you can 100% recover and recover so quickly without surgery too. Hard work has already begun and bad timing with Christmas coming up but who needs white wine and Yorkshire puddings anyway!

[@RottingFarmsTV]

7 months later, how is your recovery?

[@jackfearon2412]

@@RottingFarmsTV it’s been brutal, rushed back into weights and it’s taken longer to settle into place than I hoped. Now i can do almost the same weights wise as before although the crash caused slight nerve damage in the neck so I’ve had shoulder blade winging as a by product. My advice to anyone who’s just done it: - don’t rush out the sling like I did - rotator cuff basic movements with a little dumbell are essential. I put a 3kg in my car and rehab as I drive still to this day. - take your time back into the gym don’t try to lift heavy too soon - probably wish I got the surgery now the lump doesn’t look great

[@casmitherz]

Amazing recovery process! Of course I'm just injured and beginning all of this work myself... I haven't done rock climbing like you show but I want to so bad after watching your demonstration of your physical ability progression. I am Class 3 as well and thank goodness I work out as it has allowed me very limited damage from my fall and my pain is very very little considering the impact I took. Thank you so much for your time creating this content. A++

[@flowerpower111]

Took me 2 years to fully recover, during which I didn't climb a single day. Now I'm back on the walls am climbing better than ever! Thanks for sharing your story, nice to be able to relate.

[@phantomstrider]

It's really motivating to read this. I've been dealing with my grade 2-3 for about 9.months now and still trying to get back through last rehab to the point of pain free. Thanks

[@massoudhabchy7120]

Heyy did urshoulder regained its nornal form ?

[@barnabejoyau]

Thank you for this video! Seing various exercises that you do on rings, i think that a video of you doing a "tipical" session of rings session could be very interesting to see! But maybe not so much to film... Anyway, thanks again, your videos and your books really work great together!

[@KillianDefaoite]

Thanks for this video. I am a powerlifter and I have been dealing with some AC joint issues, actually not from my sport but just from everyday life. This video makes me optimistic that if I am mindful of my condition that I will eventually get back to normal.

[@KillianDefaoite]

Update - unfortunately I just injured said AC joint while bench pressing 300 pounds. I haven't seen a doctor yet, but I'm certain it is the AC joint. My injury is definitely not as bad as yours - I'd say I'm starting at about week 4 or 5 on your recovery process. This video is a godsend. I have confidence I will make a full recovery. But I need to be very slow and measured.

[@manuelreynoso6722]

amazing video I can recall the psicological pain specially me being a chef and working with my hands, its hard to be out of the kitchen but your video and coments guys brought hope to me, thank you and Id love some rehab routines for sn AC grade3 day 8, if you have, thanks a lot!

[@greg77]

Still in a hospital after motorcycle accident watching this and hoping to recover fully will probably need to go with the sling for a bit longer because of open brake wrist on top of grade 3+ separation. Thanks for informative video

[@shaider355]

Thanx for the video ser Dave.. It helps a lot..

[@iplantfreak]

Thank you for this post!!!

[@KyleLanmon]

Today marks 3 weeks after I sprained my knee and injured my medial meniscus. I have been seeing a physical therapist and I have a significant reduction in pain. I think with a few more weeks of rest and light exercising of the joint, I'll be back to normal. I have only recently begun climbing very easy boulders with no chance of falls. It has been extremely difficult to stop climbing for so long, but I'm glad it is on the mend.

[@zsanterre]

Great video man thank you very much. If you were to do a video outlining your specific diet that you had planned out I would also watch that and appreciate it

[@jackstraw9728]

Excellent educational content and video!!! On day 5. Thank you !!!

[@LDubsChannel]

Hey Dave, thanks a lot for posting. I just separated my shoulder a couple hours ago mountain biking. It’s the same shoulder I separated about 20 years ago climbing. I believe it’s grade 3. I don’t know if I’m going to use a sling but am headed to get some collagen, protein and other nutrients and am planning on starting rehab today. Currently in between insurance so probably won’t be able to see a doc or PT. Last time my shoulder recovered well though I never got back the 100% strength in my posterior delt. I definitely want a speedy recovery but to be safe. I found that controlled climbing can be one of the best forms of rehab out there, so I’m planning to get started slowly ASAP.

[@Keri_96]

Hey Luke, how are you today? I don't know what's necessary, a operation, rehab in these early stages. I just separated mine just a couple hour ago playing football.

[@irrevocablydazzled2]

I fell bouldering and injured mine - also type 3. A year ago. Didnt get to see a surgeon for 3 months. He didnt even exam me he just said he wasnt worried and it’d be fine. I wasnt offered physio or anything. Cue a year of agony in my spine and shoulders. I continued to pursue climbing but the pain is consistent a year later. Another xray shows the joint is still displaced. Gotta love it.

[@roelbabagay1051]

Thanks dave for the helpful video, I had a grade 3 AC joint separation on my right and fractured greater tuberosity on left. Happen 26days ago on a dirtbike accident after I landed on my right and bike fell on my left. I going to have my surgery for both sides 5 days from now.

[@climbermacleod]

Oh jings hope it goes well.

[@ShahzadKhan-dj9bc]

How you feel after surgery?

[@letsdoit7314]

This really helps, thank you very much 🙏🙏🙏

[@ejrod0]

So helpful and inspiring, thank you

[@TeddyParker]

underrated talking point. the feeling of physical sickness while assessing your injury and projecting negative emotions around the injury. take a deep breath, put less emotional pressure on yourself, and trust in the process/time.

[@stevedail1]

That is incredible...I’m about 6 weeks into my injury and just starting to figure out what I did (prob grade 2/3)...by I got nauseous when talking to the doctor. Thanks for the tip!!

[@xBry4nTx]

Just got injured less than a week ago. This hit home. I’m going to have to trust the process.

[@SparkMomentum01]

I've been living with ac joint separation since 2016 after a bad accident. The injury was overlooked at the time because I also broke my heal bone, pelvis and crushed two vertebrae.

[@Atev14]

Day 9 after a grade 3 ac joint separation. However, after reading the comments my condition may not be as bad. I do have a purple blob forming near my right armpit area and im not too sure what to make of it. I was supposed to see an orthopedist, to get a clearer picture, but my insurance doesn’t kick in until next month. After reading the comments though thank God that my healing process is going quicker than I expected. Already out of my sling, but still have limited movement. Watching this video was a relief, thank you.

[@paul2841889]

I broke my ac and cc joint (grade 3) four weeks ago. Because of cycling accident, when I went to buy my breakfast…. ( not when I train road cycling …) The surgery had been down also around that time. I find your information useful and thanks for sharing.

[@adommie]

I posted here around 5 weeks ago about my grade 3. Just wanted to offer up my information. Your video made sure I did my PT daily so I’m glad I saw it early. I’m on day 36 now and I can finally do 10 pushups with some discomfort. I also managed to do 200miles on a stationary bike so I didn’t risk any falls. It kept my body moving and not turning into a total potato. Anyone with this issue trust the process and do the PT it does get better. Also my hump looks ugly as hell haha but I accept it! Guess it gives me some character😂 One thing I did do early also was get myself a band resistance set, it helped me a ton.

[@ruemumiji2060]

Hey man what kind of resistance band?

[@atasel]

I've come back and watched this video about 5 times since my grade 3 separation one month ago. It's really the best video on recovery/rehabbing this injury on KZbin (trust me I've dug deeper than I care to admit). So I just really want to thank you for the time you took to make it! I have one little question too, do you or did you at any time have any crackling / crepitations at the joint? My progress is coming along great for 4 weeks but this is the only thing bothering me.

[@bobhemphut4011]

I'm curious about others too. I'm at 7 wks still have cracking and tons of discomfort trying to accomplish certain tasks Range of motion good, but maybe 50 % overall well being of how it feels compared to before. I don't see myself being able to hang from a wall at 12 weeks. I can barely hold my arm above my head for a few minutes. Grade 3 ac sep. And my specialist is super short with me like I'm a McDonald's cheeseburger.

[@climbermacleod]

I only had crepitus in the initial few weeks. It's possible ongoing crepitus with pain late in the recovery is an indication to revisit the whole treatment plan. Possibly restoration of normal joint function is possible with physio, possibly not.

[@21caris]

@@bobhemphut4011 Same here, in week 7, and if i raise my arm above my head, cracklings...

[@user-zl2rk3to4q]

how long did you have soreness

[@deantaylor5051]

Hi Dave, I got a grade 3 AC separation yesterday and the prognosis was bleak ie surgery was my only option. Your video has given me hope that I will play tennis again without having to go under the knife. And we just have to live with a bump on the shoulder. Thank you so much. Dean

[@realestatevideos4514]

how are things now ?? Can you how you recover ?

[@deantaylor5051]

@Real Estate Videos Hi, 9 months on and I am now almost fully recovered. Can sleep on my side, play tennis and squash and train in the gym. I still need to be careful/gentle when doing bench press and shoulder press but even these are getting stronger and less painful. I'm going skiing next week - 9 months since the crash that did my shoulder so hopefully it will be uneventful 😁

[@hannahcooper88]

how are you now? hope you are 100% recovered. I had grade 2 ac joint separation for 7 months and I can not lift any weight, sometimes housework like cutting meat or wiping windows will make it hurt a lot

[@pepperspot805]

Thanks for the information. I never fell on my shoulder, just noticed pain in my shoulder when sleeping. I was told grade 3 AC, but I was never told to wear a sling. I'm at the end of week 4 of rehab and am starting to feel more pain, but this video re-assured me that surgery probably isn't needed since my shoulder seems so much less painful then everyone else who has commented.

[@ebifurai415]

believe it or not i actually found climbing because my psyshio recommended it as shoulder rehab.. happy i did because now i'm hooked.

[@learnenglishwithshabana]

Thank you Dave ❤ really helpful.

[@pkabai]

Great video. I had AC joint separation 3 months ago. Not much pain, I only went to see a doctor when I saw my shoulder in the mirror. My left clavicule was in the sky. I soon got back the normal range of motion, however, some movements still feel funny. Fortunately, I do not have to worry about long term consequences, because I am over 70 :-).

[@chrisandrews3625]

Thanks Dave, just found this video after falling off my bicycle, causing a grade 3 ac joint separation. Really useful thanks. I'm a full time non pro athlete and I'm really struggling to cope with the depression of doing nothing and the slow progress. Your vid helps me put it into perspective, cheers!

[@josefkrycha]

Hey Chris, sorry to hear about your injury. I just want to ask, becacause I fell off my bike last week and I also have a grade 3 separation. The initial x-ray did not reveal it, so they discovered the separation during the first medical check 7 days later. They scheduled me for a surgery in 3 days. Did you also have to undergo a surgery? How is your rehab going?

[@biologybiceps5643]

@@josefkrycha Hey Josef. I hope you are good. How did your surgery go and is your shoulder alright now?..

[@josefkrycha]

@@biologybiceps5643 Hello there, it has been almost 6 months since the accident and my range of motion in the shoulder is still somewhat limited. At times it hurts, but it is generally bearable even without pills. To give you more details, I underwent a surgery 10 days after the accident. During this surgery they attached a metallic splint to my collarbone to hold the acromion in place and stitched the torn ligaments together. After three months there was another surgery to remove the splint and I started rehab as soon as the incision healed enough. Now it is 2 months into the rehab and I still struggle to lift the arm completely above my head. The range of motion and strength keep improving every day, little by little, and I hope it will go all the way to 100%, but it is a long journey. Most doctors have told me that shoulders take a long time to heal, so patience and hard work (physiotherapy) are needed. Thanks for asking!

[@biologybiceps5643]

@@josefkrycha It's really nice to hear that not only did you undergo the surgical procedure but are also improving steadily day by day. Myself suffered a grade 3 two years ago. Have been trying to resolve it conservatively ever since but see no major improvement in either pain or range of motion. Hence, now considering surgery. Yes, the road would be really long ahead with shoulders being the most miserable parts of the body to rehab but i just hope it would be worth at the end. Loads of wishes from my side and thanks for replying!..

[@AlejandroGarcia-ne4yp]

Thank you for sharing helped me alot

[@petercarsbo2193]

Big Thank You.Perfect info 👍👍

[@Riad_Hadjiev]

Thanks for the video! It’s very useful! Is it possible to make any video about knee injuries and rehab? Cause it’s common problem in climbing , I guess (((((

[@nickfdsasdf6540]

Thank you so much for this video! MTB accident and I've felt in the dark and getting really worried after starting research on AC joint trauma. Feels like my injury isn't nearly as bad as yours was, so I'm feeling optimistic until I get a better diagnosis.

[@pezlo9561]

Hey man just had a mtb accident today and hit my shoulder and dislocated my ac joint. How did this go for you? You back to riding?

[@nickfdsasdf6540]

@@pezlo9561 yeah I’m riding again. Was told I have a level two or level three injury. Essentially 2 or all tendons were torn. I don’t have any pain or mobility issues but my bone sticks up a little. I’ve been weight lifting and hitting the gym regularly since the recovery and feel great. Just trying to build as much muscle as I can.

[@carahernould2705]

I was in an ATV accident. Major injuries including flail chest and basal scull fracture. None of it hurt or took a psychological toll near as much as the grade III shoulder separation. Mine is complicated by a pinched ulnar nerve and being immobilized completely by 2 weeks in the ICU on a respirator. At week 3.5 my hand, elbow, and forearm feel weak and stiff. Helpful tips for the gentle initial movements.

[@bangluu3141]

Once it’s gone, it’s gone, your shoulder never be the same, i have one grade 2 or something, after few years, i feel my body is out of balance :( i also developed PTSD, but it’s gettin better now, be safe

[@Ferngully688]

I just had an AC joint separation and a rib fracture mountain biking going downhill after hitting a small ramp. I don’t know what degree it is yet but I see the orthopedic in two days. ER visit confirmed them by X-ray. This video helped address many of my worries, so now I just have to wait and see, and continue with the sling and pain meds for now. Thanks for the video. I have the same deformity as you do, but I don’t think it looks bad. Makes my muscles stick out more haha

[@jonnyreh001]

Omg I am feeling horrible about myself now ... seeing how diligently you cared about your AC III separation ... I threw away my supportive sling after like 2 weeks, I even went for some light via ferrata climbing in my week 4 - 5 ... I am such an idiot. Now it is my week 12. The arm still hurts sometimes ... aspecially when I start with some new movements after long time (for example Ive started playing guitar after quite some time ... this gives me pain to my shoulder ://). I really really hope, that with this reckless attitude I have just prolonged the recovery but will be still able to recover fully. Damn it people - dont take your health easy. You have only once!

[@honzaklaus5196]

Klasickej čech :D

[@Zoranicc]

How are you today?

[@bobhemphut4011]

This is an injury given severity and rate of recovery level of each person... its probably best not to do strenuous things for the first few months for Grade 3.I've played sports, biked and have done lots of stupid stuff. (Do)...had tons of injuries, but this has got me down hard at 35. Couldn't imagine if it was my dominate side. the last 7 wks have been tough, especially those initial wks when you see how disfigured you are and can feel like someone took a sledgehammer too it. Blunt force trauma my friends. Praying everyone has a full recovery.

[@sweeneycunningham3254]

On 6th week after grade 3 AC separation and have 80% mobility so far , starting light strength building as per Physio protocol . Feeling confident of successful recovery

[@Zoranicc]

How are you today?

[@sweeneycunningham3254]

@@Zoranicc I am now doing press-ups 20 reps X 3 , 5 pull-ups and light weights , surfing 😉

[@slixk0459]

Did u get surgery?

[@dj0100]

Day 3 of my AC separation from a motocross accident. Great info, thanks!

[@patgreen6902]

Did mine today MX accident -Grade 3 separation how are you getting on now ?

[@dj0100]

@@patgreen6902 Doing great, still sore in the AM. I was DH mountain biking at 4 weeks and just got back to MX at week 5. Can do pushups and pullups. Have a bump which will probably never go away. Week 3 you will start feeling really good. Good luck.

[@otto5472]

@@dj0100 Did you have the surgery done? I did mine on an enduro ride 2 weeks back, grade 3.

[@dj0100]

@@otto5472 No Surgery. Just 2 weeks in a sling. Then slowly started strengthening the shoulder. Good luck!

[@LixmanAl]

@dj0100 Did mine racing motocross nearly 2 weeks ago. How did yours feel when you got back on the mx bike? I have full movement alreadt with s shoulder brace on but not keen on crashing on that side again due to the floating end of the collarbone, what upper body armour do you have?

[@FractalZero]

wow this is EXACTLY the video i needed

[@FractalZero]

absolutely superb - thank you

[@whitehorse1959]

I got high-sided off a dirt bike 6 days ago. My 120kg’s of senior citizen blubber came down on my left shoulder- complete separation of the ac and smashed ribs. The ribs are more painful by 20 to 1. I tried a sling but threw it away same day. No pain killers, eating sardines and eggs for nutritional support. I work a keyboard, so that’s my rehab for now. No time taken off work, all good. Thanks for your video, it helps to keep perspective. BTW, all the bloody doctors wanted me on high grade pain killers- Fentanyl ffs!

[@connordodge9132]

I had a grade 3 from football that i didnt know about for two years and i just got the surgery and it is sooo painful. This video gives me hope that everything will get better, just need to trust the process.

[@bobhemphut4011]

Man You are either tough or stupid. Cuz my grade 3 hurts at 7 wks pretty bad still when trying to use it. And I deal with pain good went 4 years without knowing I fractured my jaw after getting hit blindside helmet to helmet.

[@biologybiceps5643]

@@bobhemphut4011 Any update Sir?..

[@SuperNightskater]

Hi Im Alan, and I'm 33 yeard old freerunner with 15 months old daughter. I Was doing a frontflip landing down the grass hill to a slide and I kind a over rotated. And landed on my shoulder. Probably I have ac separation grade 3 or hopefully grade 2. I'm fighting with my anxiously minds.when I fell down I thought is broken but is ac separation.I was really scared that I won't be able to continue my sport. But Your video motivated me. So thank You for that. Stay healthy and Strong!!

[@thedrvn]

its 1:30 am Ive just got back from A&E after taking a hard slam whilst snowboarding. Done the AC and this was excellent! Thanks! Think mine is just stage 1 but got an appointment with pysio in the morning but really looking to find out exactly what I've got!

[@michalkotowski1789]

Hi Dave, thank you for this video. Can you Please tell what kind of sling device have you been using?

[@GRose31399]

Thank you so much for this video

[@aayushphysio178]

That was very informative.

[@brucefishing]

Thanks very much for this video. I injured my AC in a fall from my road bike 5 days ago. I have had an MRI and an 4 days away from seeing a surgeon to discuss. I am already seeing some improvement, but am anxious about how long it will be before I can become active again.