Degenerative acromioclavicular joint disease

Abstract

The prevalence of the acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis (OA) among general population is very high. We can distinguish a primary and secondary form. The first is related to some risk factors, such as age, even though it has been widely demonstrated that the AC joint undergoes early degenerative changes after the third decade of life. Therefore, an initial OA of the AC joint can appear also in patients in their 40s and is part of an early degenerative ageing process and not necessarily painful. Other risk factors can be intense manual labor or intense sports activities.