Separated vs. a Dislocated Shoulder

Patients often believe that the terms dislocated shoulder and separated shoulder can be used interchangeably but they are in fact two different types of injuries. 
A shoulder separation refers to the stretching or tearing of ligaments where the collarbone (clavicle) meets the shoulder blade (scapula), also called the acromioclavicular or AC joint. If these ligaments partially or completely tear, the clavicle can slip forward and detach from the scapula.

Typically this type of injury occurs as a result of a sudden, traumatic event such as a direct blow to the shoulder (e.g., football tackle) or a fall onto an outstretched hand (e.g., falling off a bicycle or horse).  A person that has a separated shoulder will experience some very common symptoms such as severe pain at the time of the injury, swelling, minor deformity and / or bruising.
In comparison, a dislocated shoulder occurs when the head of the upper arm bone (the humerus) “pops” out of the socket. A shoulder can dislocate forward, backward or downward, and may cause tendons and ligaments in the shoulder to tear. The most common symptoms of a dislocated shoulder include swelling, numbness, weakness and bruising. The muscles in a person’s shoulder also may begin to spasm due to the disruption, intensifying the initial pain. 
Treatment options for a shoulder separation and a shoulder dislocation also are quite different.
If a patient experiences a less severe shoulder separation an orthopedic shoulder specialist will typically try to treat it nonsurgically. However, severe separations in an upward direction or dislocations in the backward or downward directions often require surgery to repair the ligaments.
A patient with a dislocated shoulder will often be treated in the emergency room, where a doctor will pull on the shoulder until the joint is realigned and the upper arm bone in back in place. Additional treatment from an orthopedic shoulder specialist maybe required at a later date, based on the patient’s age, persistent dislocation of the shoulder, and the injury of underlying soft-tissue either to the rotator cuff or the capsulolabral complex.
Life after a shoulder separation or dislocation can be greatly affected for several weeks or even months. Most shoulder injuries whether treated surgically or nonsurgically require a period of immobilization followed by rehabilitation. If the injury was not severe, there is fairly rapid improvement and return of function after the first 4 to 6 weeks. Shoulder exercises, usually as part of a supervised physical therapy program, are usually necessary, as it helps to decrease stiffness, improve range of motion and regain muscle strength.
Shoulder injuries are common and everyone can expect to injure his or her shoulder at some point in their life. If it’s a shoulder dislocation or a shoulder separation, the most important thing to remember is that immediate medical care from a qualified orthopedic shoulder specialist is the best course of action.

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