Rockwood Classification

Rockwood CA Jr. Injuries to the acromioclavicular joint — a chapter in the textbook Rockwood and Green’s Fractures in Adults (not indexed in PubMed). Extended Tossy’s three grades (1963) to six types by which ligaments are torn and by the degree and direction of clavicular displacement.

Simovitch R, Sanders B, Ozbaydar M, Lavery K, Warner JJ. Acromioclavicular joint injuries: diagnosis and management. Review of AC joint stability (AC and CC ligaments, capsule, deltoid and trapezius) and radiographic evaluation using the Rockwood types I–VI.

Frank RM, Cotter EJ, Leroux TS, Romeo AA. Acromioclavicular joint injuries: evidence-based treatment. The review reports that types I and II are typically managed non-operatively and types IV and VI operatively, while the indications for types III and V remain debated — management is decided per local orthopaedic pathway.