Three Types Of Shoulder Instability

Shoulder instability has multiple causes. There are three types of shoulder instability: small, unnoticeable amounts of joint slippage, subluxation (drop arm) and full joint dislocation. As time passes, individuals may experience a combination of these events, which causes repeated incidents of shoulder instability.
Shoulder Dislocation

A dislocated shoulder is the most obvious form of shoulder instability. This type of injury is usually caused by some kind of violent event (e.g., a sports-related injury, an automobile accident, etc.): A dislocation occurs when the long bone of the upper arm (humerus bone) slides outside of its socket (glenoid cavity) and remains there. Frequently, Dr. Christopher O’Grady needs to manipulate the shoulder to return the humerus to its correct position within the glenoid socket.
Activity modification – modifying activity includes avoiding activities that will aggravate the shoulder.

Physical therapy – to increase the shoulder’s stability, many patients will receive physical therapy. Physical therapy treatments are designed to strengthen the muscles in the shoulder.
Surgical Intervention May Be Necessary

Unfortunately, conservative treatment methods are not always successful for individuals who have a history of traumatic shoulder injury. In addition, Dr. O’Grady may consider an early primary repair for competitive athletes who do not have the length of time necessary to see if conservative care will successfully correct the problem.

Labral or Capsular Injuries May Require Surgical Intervention

Frequently, the outcome of severe shoulder trauma is ligamentous or capsular injury. This type of injury may require surgical repair. Dr. O’Grady typically orders an MRI or an MRI/Arthrogram to identify the type of injury a patient has sustained.
Types of Surgical Procedures
Shoulder