Does your shoulder seem to pop out of place too easily? If so, you’re not alone. We’ve helped countless patients who find that they have to be extremely careful during everyday actions out of fear that their shoulder will partially or fully dislocate. But why is your shoulder so unstable, and moreover, what can be done to prevent these chronic dislocations? We take a closer look at repeated shoulder dislocations and their treatments in today’s blog.
My Shoulder Dislocates Easily
Although the shoulder joint is less stable than other large joints in our body, it should still be able to handle a variety of physical activities with ease. Whether you’re pitching a baseball, hammering a nail or lifting and carrying heavy objects, you should be able to do these activities without fear that your shoulder is going to pop out of its socket. Unfortunately, for a small percentage of Americans, these everyday actions aren’t so simple because their shoulders are relatively unstable. They find that reaching for a box in the pantry or rolling over in bed can cause their shoulder to partially or completely pop out of its socket, causing significant pain and discomfort. But why is this the case?
Shoulder instability and the risk of chronic subluxation or dislocation can be caused by a few different factors, but the most common cause is due to a previous shoulder injury. If your shoulder has suffered acute damage, the supportive soft tissues that help to hold the ball joint in the socket bone are weaker and less able to provide this support. This means it will take less stress or shoulder motion to overload the ligaments and cause a partial or total dislocation.
Other factors that can increase your risk of suffering chronic shoulder subluxation or dislocations include:
- Genetically shallow shoulder socket
- Natural aging
- Repetitive stress on the shoulder
- Arthritis
- Prolonged poor posture
All of these factors can play a role in your shoulder dislocation risk, but a previous injury or dislocation is far and away the most common reason why the shoulder continues to feel unstable, especially if the original injury was not properly addressed.
Treating Easily Dislocated Shoulders
If you no longer want to live in fear or shy away from certain activities because of a potential shoulder dislocation, the first thing you’ll want to do is connect with a shoulder specialist like Dr. Holloway. He’ll talk with you about your concerns, view your medical records and any associated images and conduct a physical exam to view your shoulder in motion. From there, he may order additional imaging tests to fully understand what’s going on in the joint, as this will help to determine the best course forward.
Putting an end to these repetitive dislocations really comes down to addressing the original issue, which is oftentimes weakened ligaments and tendons caused by trauma. If this is the case, you can expect your doctor to recommend a combination of activity avoidance, physical therapy, controlled exercise and heat/cold therapy to manage any discomfort that arises after you pursue the more active interventions. Many patients will notice a major improvement in their shoulder stability with 6-12 weeks of targeted physical therapy, but an extended strength training program may be recommended to ensure your shoulder can continue to become stronger and handle the stress you put on it.
For patients with more severe structural damage that won’t or isn’t responding to physical therapy, a more hands-on approach to care may be necessary. In these instances, your specialist may recommend a minimally invasive procedure to artificially strengthen the supportive ligaments. This will reinforce the soft tissues and greatly increase overall shoulder joint stability, in turn decreasing your likelihood of subluxation or dislocation. Of course, any surgical correction will only be effective when paired with the right recovery program, so you can expect to pursue months of physical therapy after surgery to help restore strength, flexibility and overall function in the joint.
Don’t wonder if a simple action is going to result in a shoulder dislocation any more. Take the first step towards renewed confidence in your shoulder by connecting with Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
