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What is a shoulder separation?
Types of shoulder separations
How can I prevent a separated shoulder?
Improving sports performance
Shoulder separation rehabilitation for athletes

Types of shoulder separations
As with many injuries, shoulder separations are classified according to the severity of the injury. They are as follows:

• Type I
  A sprain (without a complete tear) of either of the ligaments holding the joint together.
  
  
• Type II
  A tear of the acromioclavicular ligament.
  
  
• Type III
  A tear of the acromioclavicular and coracoclavicular ligaments.
  
  
• Type IV
  Both ligaments are torn, and the clavicle is pushed forward and sideways into soft tissue.

How can I prevent a separated shoulder?
Since a shoulder separation is nearly always the result of a fall or blow, there is not much that can be done to prevent it. However, use of proper protective equipment, such as shoulder pads, is preventive.

Education may also play a role. Athletes can be taught to avoid extending the arm when falling forward or to the side, but whether such teaching is effective when the incident spontaneously occurs is highly questionable.

Shoulder separations subsequent to the first one may be prevented by assuring that rehabilitation has resulted in full recovery before returning to the activity.

Improving sports performance
The key to improving sports performance after recovering from a shoulder separation is a proper rehabilitation program, and adhering to some of those same principles after the injury is gone.

Keep in mind that a shoulder separation is most often the result of a fall or blow, and you can better prepare yourself for these incidences by paying close attention to the rehabilitation exercises listed above. These will not only keep you in the game, but will also help you perform better and with more confidence.