i got hit by a car one week ago today and landed directly on the shoulder. i didn't see a doctor because i hate going, it's bad for our companies worker's comp rates, and i knew they would try to make me stay off of it. and i'd rather work if i can. just in the last day or two the swelling in my shoulder went down enough that i could really clearly follow the clavicle and make sure it wasn't broken, but i figured it wasn't because i've had very little pain the whole way through. but i finally with internet research was able to self-diagnose as a level 2 or 3, probably 3 AC separation. i wish i'd known earlier, so i could have taped it for support during that vital first week of healing. i'll still tape it from now on. here are some pictures of the injury, one week after occurence.
https://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s230/djustins/Colin and his injury/DSC00198.jpg
https://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s230/djustins/Colin and his injury/DSC00197.jpg
https://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s230/djustins/Colin and his injury/DSC00196.jpg
https://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s230/djustins/Colin and his injury/DSC00199.jpg
but the truth is... the shoulder locked up after about 20 minutes to where i couldn't lift the arm near shoulder length. by one or two days after, i could lift the arm above shoulder height again. of course with pain, but i could do it. the most painful things i've done is pulled up on the handlebars (no curb hops for me this week) and lifted something kind of heavy into the bed of a tall pickup (lifting up was fine, setting it back down in the truck a foot away from the body was what hurt). the second most painful thing i do is to swing my bike chain lock around behind me to catch it with the other hand. it's hard to switch hands with this habit, but switching helps enough to make it worth it. other than those things, i've used it pretty regularly already. so, i don't think i would consider surgery or even consultation because i've worked 9 hour days as a messenger, sometimes with up to 40lbs in the bag weighing on the shoulder, beginning about 30 minutes after the accident and through this whole week.
SO. with that long bit out, here is my final question though - after the injury does heal, what will a trauma incident to the same area do later? is there increased risk, or is there maybe decreased risk because significant scar tissue has formed and the joint isn't even there to break anymore?
p.s. the last picture is to show where my bag rests for work.