DCO, or Distal Clavicular Osteolysis, is a rather bad shoulder condition that all too many athletes suffer from.
DCO occurs when we have damage to our AC (acromioclavicular) joint and it goes unattended to for a period of time. More-so than that, additional damage is done with further activity and the bones that make up the joint get significant damage.
The AC joint is made up of where the distal clavicle bone meets the acromion process of the scapula (see photo below). A sprain of the AC joint tends to involve a macrotrauma (one significant injury) such as a bad fall or other form of side shoulder impact. The AC joint tends to get hypermobile (or move too much) easily as it is not a very stable joint to begin with. When the joint is injured, or sprained, care is needed to stabilize the joint and allow for it to heal. In-office treatments can significantly reduce recovery time and this is important as a healing AC joint sprain is susceptible to further injury. Continue Reading →
