If significant swelling and muscle spasm have not yet occurred, reduction may be achieved by placing a knee between the seated athlete's scapulae and pulling back on his or her shoulders. Reduction is often evidenced by a snap or a pop. An open reduction includes a ligament repair with reconstruction. Because of cartilaginous damage, resection may be needed to stabilize the joint to the front rib or the sternum. Posterior SC joint dislocations may be rare, but they can have life-threatening consequences if they are missed.
Similar complications can occur after an open reduction.
Patients suspected of having a posterior SC joint injury may have equivocal or normal radiographs. Given the potential danger of this injury, a CT scan should be obtained to make a definitive diagnosis in a patient who has suspicious symptoms. Management of dislocations of both ends of the clavicle. Dr Williams practices pediatric, adolescent, and sports medicine at Crossroads Medical Centers, PA, in Chaska, Minnesota, and is a team physician for USA Track and Field. Dr Howe is the team physician at Western Washington University in Bellingham and an editorial board member of The Physician and Sportsmedicine .