3 Types of Shoulder Dislocations
What is a shoulder dislocation?
The shoulder joint is called a ball-and-socket joint. The ball is the rounded top of the bone in the upper arm (humerus), which fits into the socket — the cup-shaped outer part of the shoulder blade. When the top of the humerus moves out of its usual location in the shoulder joint, the shoulder is said to be dislocated. A related injury called a shoulder subluxation occurs when the top of the humerus is only partially displaced and not totally out of its socket.
3 Types of Dislocations:
- Anterior dislocation — the top of the humerus is displaced forward, toward the front of the body. This is the most common type of shoulder dislocation, accounting for more than 95% of cases. In young people, the cause is typically sports-related. In older people, it usually is caused by a fall on an outstretched arm.
- Posterior dislocation — the top of the humerus is displaced toward the back of the body. Posterior dislocations account for 2% to 4% of all shoulder dislocations and are the type most likely to be related to seizures and electric shock. Posterior dislocations also can happen because of a fall on an outstretched arm or a blow to the front of the shoulder.
- Inferior dislocation — the top of the humerus is displaced downward. This type of shoulder dislocation is the rarest, occurring in only one out of every 200 cases. It can be caused by various types of trauma in which the arm is pushed violently downward.
Symptoms:
- Severe shoulder pain
- Limited motion of the shoulder
- A hard knob under the skin near the shoulder
- Shoulder bruising or abrasions if an impact has caused your injury
Treatment:
- You can usually go home the same day once your shoulder is back in place.
- You’ll need to rest your arm in a sling for a few days while the pain settles.
- May experience a lot of pain immediately afterwards and can take painkillers to relieve this.
- Your doctor may refer you for physical therapy to rehabilitate and strengthen your shoulder.
- A dislocated shoulder takes between 12 and 16 weeks to heal properly once it’s back in its correct position.
- Should avoid playing rugby and other physical activities until you have regained a full range of movement and strength in your shoulder joint.
Why you should come to Comprehensive Physical Therapy after a shoulder dislocation?
- Strong shoulder muscles are the best defense against shoulder dislocation. It’s recommended that you participate in exercises that build up your shoulder muscles, and your core stability and posture.
- Adequate warm-up before activity will also help prevent shoulder dislocation injuries.
By Dr. Billy Beaudreau, PT, DPT, MTC, OCS, FAAOMPT