A rugby player fell onto his shoulder some weeks ago. He now presents with a painful lump about 4 cm in diameter on the top of his shoulder. What has he injured?
The acromioclavicular joint is typically injured by a fall on to the point of the shoulder. The result is inflammation then early aggressive arthritis which produces a painful lump just where the shoulder straps of a rucksack press on to the shoulder. The only possible treatment is to excise the joint, but this may not cure the pain.
Common extensor origin
The acromioclavicular joint
The head of the humerus
The sternoclavicular joint
Orthopedics