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PNA RESEARCH CASE LIBRARYMusculoskeletal · 2024

Physiotherapeutic Management for Acromioclavicular Joint Sprain With Volar Intercalated Segment Instability at the Wrist: A Case Report

Harsh R. Nathani, Swapnil U. Ramteke, Pratik R. Jaiswal

Cureus · 2024

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THE CASE IN PLAIN ENGLISH

What happened?

A 22-year-old male student and recreational badminton player reported left shoulder and wrist pain following a road traffic accident. The report describes a grade 1 acromioclavicular joint sprain alongside volar intercalated segment instability at the wrist, requiring assessment and rehabilitation of two separate upper-limb regions.

Clinical findings

  • The patient was a 22-year-old male student and recreational badminton player.
  • Symptoms involved the left shoulder and wrist after a road traffic accident.
  • The reported diagnoses included a grade 1 acromioclavicular joint sprain and volar intercalated segment instability at the wrist.

Rehabilitation described in the report

  • The conservative physiotherapy programme included Mulligan movement with mobilization, cryotherapy, low-level laser therapy and progressive exercises.
  • Assessment and treatment addressed both the shoulder and wrist presentations.
  • The original paper should be consulted for the exact mobilization procedures, exercise progression and outcome timings.

Reported outcomes

  • The authors reported reduced pain and improved function during the conservative rehabilitation course.
  • The report describes an individual recovery and does not compare the intervention with another treatment.

Clinical lessons to consider

  • When more than one joint is symptomatic after trauma, each region requires its own assessment and the overall plan must account for both.
  • Intervention selection should reflect the specific joint diagnosis rather than assuming all upper-limb pain has one source.

Limitations — what this case cannot tell us

  • A single case cannot establish the effectiveness of any individual modality or mobilization technique.
  • The report's findings should not replace appropriate assessment of traumatic wrist instability.

Original source

Harsh R. Nathani, Swapnil U. Ramteke, Pratik R. Jaiswal. “Physiotherapeutic Management for Acromioclavicular Joint Sprain With Volar Intercalated Segment Instability at the Wrist: A Case Report.” Cureus, 2024.

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This page is an independently written educational summary, not a reproduction of the full paper. Check the original article for complete methods, outcome tables, references and licensing.