Arthrosis consists of wear and tear on the joints, causing symptoms such as swelling, pain and stiffness in the joints and difficulty in performing some movements. Acromioclavicular arthrosis is called the wear of the joint between the clavicle and a bone called an acromion.
This joint wear is more frequent in athletes, bodybuilders and workers who use their arms a lot, which can cause pain and difficulty in movement.
Generally, treatment consists of physiotherapy sessions, taking analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs and in more severe cases, it may be necessary to resort to surgery.
Possible causes
Generally, acromic clavicular arthrosis is caused by an inflammatory process that can occur due to an overload of the joint, which leads to wear and tear on the joint, causing pain when performing some movements.
This problem is more common in people who lift weights, athletes who practice sports in which it is necessary to perform various movements with their arms, such as swimming or tennis, for example, and in people who work daily by straining their arms.
What are the signs and symptoms
Most of the time, people who suffer from acromic clavicular arthrosis feel pain on palpation of this joint, pain in the upper part of the shoulder or when rotating or lifting the arm, during regular daily activities.
The diagnosis of the disease consists of a physical examination, radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging, which allows a more accurate assessment of joint wear and the observation of injuries that may have occurred as a result of arthrosis.
How the treatment is done
Acromio-clavicular arthrosis cannot be cured, but it has a treatment that can greatly improve symptoms and can be performed with physiotherapy and with analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs until the symptoms improve. In addition, exercises that cause wear on the joint should be reduced and replaced with exercises that strengthen the shoulder region.
If physical therapy and new exercises are not enough to improve the situation, it may be necessary to perform an infiltration with corticosteroids in the joint, in order to reduce inflammation.
In more severe cases, it may be necessary to resort to surgery called shoulder arthroscopy. After surgery, the limb should be immobilized for about 2 to 3 weeks and after this period it is advisable to undergo rehabilitation physiotherapy. See how this surgery is performed and the associated risks.
