Compared to a symptom like pain, instability doesn’t seem all that bad. It may not be ideal, but at least your shoulder isn’t screaming in pain when you extend your arm or lift it over your head. With that said, an unstable shoulder isn’t something you should just ignore because it doesn’t hurt. An unstable shoulder will likely progress to a more debilitating condition if not proactively treated, so take care of the issue before it snowballs. Below, we take a closer look at why it’s so important not to ignore an unstable shoulder.
Don’t Ignore Shoulder Instability
Your shoulder is the most flexible large joint in your body, so it’s inherently not as stable as joints like your hip or knee. If injury or natural degeneration strikes the shoulder’s supportive soft tissues, it may be quicker to lose stability than the stronger joints in the body. This may not seem like a big deal because it’s not yet painful and you don’t put as much strain on your shoulder as you do on your knees and hips, but a number of issues can develop if you ignore the warning signs of an unstable shoulder. You’re at an elevated risk for:
- Worsening Symptoms – If you do nothing to treat the issue and continue doing the same actions and movements that led to shoulder instability in the first place, there’s no reason to think your condition will improve, and in fact it’s much more likely to worsen. An unstable shoulder can become more unstable or develop additional symptoms like pain, weakness or a decreased range of motion.
- Dislocation – When the soft tissues that hold your shoulder in place struggle to do their job, which is the case with shoulder instability, you’re at a heightened risk that the humeral head will dislocate from the shoulder socket. It takes less traumatic stress for a dislocation to occur in an unstable shoulder, so a short fall or a swing of a club or bat can lead to dislocations.
- Decreased Mobility – As a result of instability, many patients avoid making certain motions with their shoulder and arm. When you become overly protective of your joint, it can lose some flexibility as a result of limited use and a lack of normal stress patterns. Unless you work to overcome your shoulder instability, you can expect to experience some flexibility loss over time.
- Psychological Impact – Untreated shoulder instability can have a real impact on your mental health. You may not be able to do all the activities you once loved, and this physical and social withdrawal can leave you feeling sad, lonely and isolated. Don’t let a physical injury turn into a mental burden because it’s keeping you from doing all the things you want to do.
Fortunately, managing shoulder instability is quite simple. That’s not to say it’s easy, because you will have to put in the work on your end if you want to see real improvement with your shoulder stability. However, you typically don’t need a surgical procedure or to completely uproot your daily life to increase stability in your shoulder. The vast majority of patients make significant improvements by pursuing weeks of targeted physical therapy and stretching exercises.
These movements strengthen your shoulder, work to expand your comfortable range of motion and help these supportive soft tissues function more normally. When paired with activity modifications, a weeks-long physical therapy program can leave you feeling more confident in your shoulder’s ability to handle the stresses you put on it throughout the day.
So if you’re dealing with an unstable shoulder, connect with Dr. Holloway and his team to determine the best care path for your unique needs and goals. Whether that’s a targeted PT program or a minimally invasive corrective procedure, we’ll help you stabilize your shoulder and get you back to the activities you love most. For more information, give his office a call today at (865) 410-7887.
