Partial dislocation—the head of the humerus slips out of the socket for a short time and then snaps back into place
Full dislocation—the head of the humerus comes fully out of the socket

Shoulder Dislocation

Causes

Causes may be:

Falling on an outstretched arm
A direct blow to the shoulder, such as from a motor vehicle accident
Forceful throwing, lifting, or hitting
Force applied to an outstretched arm, such as in a football tackle

Risk Factors

Things that may raise the risk of this problem are:

Prior shoulder dislocation
Playing contact sports such as football, wrestling, and hockey
Health problems that result in loose joints, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Poor muscle tone

Symptoms

The main problem is severe pain in the shoulder. Other problems may be:

Changes in the way the shoulder looks
Swelling
Bruising
Numbness and tingling around the shoulder or in the arm or fingers
A shoulder that feels weak and unstable
Not being able to move the shoulder

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about symptoms, past health, and how the injury happened. A physical exam will be done. Images of the shoulder may be taken with:

Treatment

It may take 12 to 16 weeks to fully heal. The goals of treatment are to put the shoulder back into place and to manage symptoms.

The doctor will move the head of the humerus back into the shoulder socket. Medicine will be given to decrease pain. Recovery treatment may include:

Medicine to ease pain and swelling
Supportive care, such as resting the area and using cold or warm compresses
A sling or shoulder immobilizer to keep the shoulder in place as it heals
Physical therapy to help with strength, flexibility, and range of motion

Surgery is rarely needed when this problem happens the first time. It may be needed in a person whose shoulder repeatedly dislocates.

Prevention

This injury is due to an accident. These are hard to prevent.

RESOURCES:

Ortho Info— American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://www.orthoinfo.org

Sports Med—American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
http://www.sportsmed.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://www.coa-aco.org

Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://www.canorth.org

References:

Dislocated shoulder. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/dislocated-shoulder. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Patel DN, Zuckerman JD, et al. Luxatio erecta: case series with review of diagnostic and management principles. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2011 Nov;40(11):566-570.

Shoulder dislocation. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/shoulder-dislocation. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Last reviewed February 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM
Last Updated: 2/17/2021

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