The shoulder is held securely in place by the ligaments, capsule, and muscles that surround the joint. Whenever these structures are weak or injured, shoulder instability and dislocation can occur. If enough force is applied to the shoulder when the arm is in a vulnerable position, the humerus or ball can pop out from the shoulder socket. This is called shoulder dislocation.

The head of the Humerus is the ball and the cup-like glenoid is the golf tee. The edge of the tee is a rubbery ring, called the labarum that adds extra support to the joint. The shoulder is held securely in place by the ligaments, capsule, and muscles that surround the joint.  Shoulder dislocations are typically very painful, and if a medical professional is present when it happens, they may be able to put it back in place while at the field, before the muscle’s spasm.

If not, it is typically necessary to have it put back in at the emergency room, where the muscles can be relaxed with medicine. To confirm the degree of your shoulder injury, you’ll need a specialist to examine your shoulder. The expert will perform a physical exam and use imaging like x-ray and MRI to evaluate the severity of the injury. For less severe dislocations, adequate rest and physical therapy is needed to heal the shoulder injury.

For severe dislocations with more damage, surgery is frequently the best option. Your surgeon will help determine the best choice for you.  The surgeon will test to make sure your shoulder is stable before the surgery is finished. After surgery, you will be in an arm brace that always stays on except during physical therapy and bathing. Two weeks later, you will begin physical therapy. After about 6 weeks you can remove the brace. On average our athletes return to non-contact sports after 5 to 6 months. For contact sports, it is typically 6 – 9 months depending on your surgeon’s discretion.