On July 14th, 2018, the Cincinnati Reds’ outfielder Scott Schebler was injured when he collided with the wall to make a catch against the Cardinals. Schebler hit the wall hard with the main impact on his right shoulder. He immediately exited the game.

Initial X-rays were normal. Additional X-rays were sought on Wednesday July 18th and showed a sprained acromioclavicular (AC) joint in his right shoulder.

The acromioclavicular joint is where the collarbone (clavicle) meets the shoulder blade (scapula) at the top outer edge of the shoulder. There is no motion in this joint. When sprained, it can hurt with overhead and across body movements. A forceful impact, usually during a direct collision with a solid object or surface, can cause the ligaments supporting this joint to stretch. Some of the fibers are torn. This is referred to as a sprain. If some of the ligaments are completely torn, the AC joint may dislocate.

AC sprains and even most dislocations are allowed to heal naturally. There is no need for protection and hockey players and American football players often return to play immediately. It may be weeks before the shoulder is comfortable enough to play baseball effectively. It is not known how long Schebler is to be out.

This blog was written by Katharine Clement and David Ring.