Acromioclavicular joint

Changed by Craig Hacking, 15 Nov 2016

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

The acromioclavicular (AC) joint is a plane synovial joint of the pectoral girdle.

Gross anatomy

The AC joint is between the small facets of the convex distal clavicle and flat medial acromion. The articular surfaces are lined with hyaline cartilage 4. A wedge-shaped articular disc made from fibrocartilage separates the two articular surfaces, but its function is unknown 2, 6

A weak, synovium-lined joint capsule is attached to the articular margins and is reinforced superiorly by blended fibres of the trapezius muscle 6.

Ligaments

Static stabilisation is provided by: 

  • coracoclavicular ligament: main stabliser 2, 5
  • superior and inferior acromioclavicular ligaments: reinforce the relatively weak joint capsule 5

Dynamic stabilisation is also provided by the deltoid and trapezius muscles, with the superior AC ligament blending with these muscles' aponeuroses. 

Blood supply

Innervation

Variant anatomy

Related pathology

  • -<p>The <strong>acromioclavicular (AC) joint </strong>is a plane synovial joint of the <a title="Pectoral girdle" href="/articles/pectoral-girdle">pectoral girdle</a>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The AC joint is between the small facets of the convex distal <a href="/articles/clavicle">clavicle</a> and flat medial <a href="/articles/acromion">acromion</a>. The articular surfaces are lined with hyaline cartilage <sup>4</sup>. A wedge-shaped articular disc made from fibrocartilage separates the two articular surfaces, but its function is unknown <sup>2, 6</sup>. </p><p>A weak, synovium-lined joint capsule is attached to the articular margins and is reinforced superiorly by blended fibres of the <a href="/articles/trapezius-muscle">trapezius muscle</a> <sup>6</sup>.</p><h5>Ligaments</h5><p>Static stabilisation is provided by: </p><ul>
  • +<p>The <strong>acromioclavicular (AC) joint </strong>is a plane synovial joint of the <a href="/articles/pectoral-girdle">pectoral girdle</a>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The AC joint is between the small facets of the convex distal <a href="/articles/clavicle">clavicle</a> and flat medial <a href="/articles/acromion">acromion</a>. The articular surfaces are lined with hyaline cartilage <sup>4</sup>. A wedge-shaped articular disc made from fibrocartilage separates the two articular surfaces, but its function is unknown <sup>2, 6</sup>. </p><p>A weak, synovium-lined joint capsule is attached to the articular margins and is reinforced superiorly by blended fibres of the <a href="/articles/trapezius-muscle">trapezius muscle</a> <sup>6</sup>.</p><h5>Ligaments</h5><p>Static stabilisation is provided by: </p><ul>
  • -<strong>arterial supply:</strong> suprascapular and <a href="/articles/thoraco-acromial-artery">thoraco-acromial arteries</a> <sup>6</sup>
  • +<strong>arterial supply:</strong> <a href="/articles/suprascapular-artery">suprascapular</a> and <a href="/articles/thoraco-acromial-artery">thoraco-acromial arteries</a> <sup>6</sup>
  • -<a href="/articles/axillary-nerve">axillary</a>, suprascapular and lateral pectoral nerves <sup>2, 6</sup>
  • +<a href="/articles/axillary-nerve">axillary</a>, <a title="Suprascapular nerve" href="/articles/suprascapular-nerve">suprascapular</a> and <a title="Lateral pectoral nerve" href="/articles/lateral-pectoral-nerve">lateral pectoral nerves</a> <sup>2, 6</sup>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/acromioclavicular-joint-injury-rockwood-classification">Rockwood classification</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/acromioclavicular-joint-injury-rockwood-classification">Allman and Tossy classification</a></li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/rockwood-classification-of-acromioclavicular-joint-injury">Rockwood classification</a></li>
  • +<li><a href="/articles/rockwood-classification-of-acromioclavicular-joint-injury">Allman and Tossy classification</a></li>

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