How do shoulder dislocations occur

Historically, surgical repair was done through an open incision. Now, this procedure is most commonly performed arthroscopically. The labrum that is torn is repaired back to the bone socket using a variety of either metal or plastic anchors in order to reestablish stability of the joint. Following surgery, the athlete is kept in a sling for four to six weeks. Physical therapy is prescribed to regain shoulder motion, strength, and return to football-related activities.

Most football players who dislocate their shoulder for the first time can usually return to play within six weeks of the injury once they reestablish full range of shoulder motion and strength.

They must be able to perform all of the actions necessitated by their position prior to return to play. Those players who undergo surgery usually require five to six months of rehabilitation before they are able to resume contact and collision sports. This explains why a significant number of these athletes ultimately require surgery in the off-season for definitive treatment. This success is defined as no further episodes of instability with the ability to resume strenuous activity.

The shoulder is one of the easiest joints to dislocate because the ball joint of your upper arm sits in a very shallow socket. This makes the arm extremely mobile and able to move in many directions, but also means it is not very stable.

In some cases, the surrounding tissues supporting the shoulder joint may also be overstretched or torn. A dislocated shoulder takes between 12 and 16 weeks to heal after the shoulder has been put back into place. You can dislocate your shoulder if you fall on to your arm heavily.

Most people dislocate their shoulder while playing a contact sport, such as rugby, or in a sports-related accident. In older people, the cause is often falling on to outstretched hands — for example, after slipping on ice.

Shoulder dislocations can happen more easily in people who are highly flexible, such as those with loose joints joint hypermobility. In most cases of dislocated shoulder, the ball part of the joint pops out in front of the shoulder socket. It's much more unusual for the bone to pop out of the back of the shoulder joint.

This can happen after an epileptic fit or an electrocution injury, and is less easy to spot. Do not try to pop your arm back in yourself — you could damage the tissues, nerves and blood vessels around the shoulder joint. Place something soft, such as a folded blanket or pillow, in the gap between your arm and the side of your chest to support it. If you can, ask someone to make a simple sling to hold your lower arm across your chest, with the elbow bent at a right angle. You'll usually have an X-ray to check whether you've broken any bones and confirm the dislocation.

Shoulder dislocation may also cause numbness, weakness or tingling near the injury, such as in your neck or down your arm. The muscles in your shoulder may spasm from the disruption, often increasing the intensity of your pain. Because it moves in several directions, your shoulder can dislocate forward, backward or downward, completely or partially, though most dislocations occur through the front of the shoulder.

In addition, fibrous tissue that joins the bones of your shoulder can be stretched or torn, often complicating the dislocation.

It takes a strong force, such as a sudden blow to your shoulder, to pull the bones out of place. Extreme rotation of your shoulder joint can pop the ball of your upper arm bone out of your shoulder socket. Partial dislocation — in which your upper arm bone is partially in and partially out of your shoulder socket — also may occur. Males in their teens or 20s, a group that tends to be physically active, are at highest risk of shoulder dislocation.

If you stretch or tear ligaments or tendons in your shoulder or damage nerves or blood vessels around your shoulder joint, you may need surgery to repair these tissues. Once you've dislocated your shoulder joint, you may be more susceptible to future shoulder dislocations.

To avoid a recurrence, follow the specific strength and stability exercises that you and your doctor have discussed for your injury. Resting and applying ice to the affected area several times a day will help reduce your pain and swelling. Contact your healthcare provider if you have these symptoms:. Shoulder dislocation can damage blood vessels and nerves that feed the arm and hand. Seeking medical care right away can improve the outcome. Skip to content. Shoulder Dislocation Not what you're looking for?

Start New Search. What is a shoulder dislocation? What causes a shoulder dislocation? Your shoulder can dislocate in several ways, including: Forward and downward dislocation anterior dislocation. These are the most common types of dislocations. They often result from falling on your outstretched hand or on your shoulder itself.

Backward dislocation posterior dislocation. This type of dislocation may be caused by a direct blow to the front of your shoulder, or the violent twisting of your upper arm. What are the symptoms of a shoulder dislocation? Symptoms may include: Pain in your upper arm and shoulder, which is often worse when you try to move them Swelling Numbness and weakness Bruising Deformity of your shoulder The symptoms of a dislocated shoulder may seem like other conditions or health problems.

How is a shoulder dislocation diagnosed? How is a shoulder dislocation treated? Treatment may include: Moving the head of your upper arm bone back into your shoulder joint reduction , often with an anesthetic Immobilizing your shoulder with a sling after reduction Rehabilitation Surgery, if nonsurgical methods don't restore stability.