Article:
Shoulder Dislocations: Can I go back to playing?

By Gita Pillai, MD

A shoulder dislocation happens when the ball of the shoulder moves out of the socket. When this happens, the ligaments, muscles, or both are torn. Typically shoulder dislocations occur from trauma. Teenagers and young adults often experience shoulder dislocations while participating in contact sports.

The biggest problem with a shoulder dislocation is that if it happens once, the shoulder has a tendency to dislocate more easily. The first time a shoulder dislocates there is usually a major injury, a fall or hard contact, but the following times a simple activity like reaching for something or putting your arm behind your head can cause a shoulder to dislocate.

A dislocated shoulder is very painful. Oftentimes a dislocation requires a trip to the emergency room to place the shoulder back in the socket. The pain will be in the shoulder region but also can radiate down to the hand. Sometimes patients will experience numbness and tingling in the hand because the dislocated ball can cause pressure on nerves around the shoulder.

The first step in treatment is always to place the ball back in the socket. This is usually done in the emergency room. The doctor will give medications to reduce pain and relax the muscles and then reposition the ball back into the socket. The patient will then be placed into a sling that holds the arm off the body, which reduces the chance of redislocation by about 30 percent because it puts the torn ligaments in a better position to heal.

Arthroscopic surgery is a good option for patients who are likely to dislocate again. Through small incisions, the torn ligaments are reattached in the correct position.

Patients who dislocate their shoulder again and again often slowly lose bone on the cup side of the joint, called the glenoid. We know that after a certain amount of bone loss simply reattaching the torn ligaments in these patients does not give good stability. Latarjet surgery takes a piece of bone from another location in the shoulder and reattaches it, filling the deficit created by the dislocations.

The decision to proceed with surgery is a complicated one, typically based upon the likelihood of redislocation and what activities the patient wants to go back to doing. Proper treatment immediately following dislocation is critical in preventing further dislocations.

Orthopaedic Associates of Southern Delaware
Offices in Lewes, Millsboro, Milton and Ocean View
302-644-3311