Shoulder Dislocation

Dislocated shoulder treatment involves putting your shoulder bones back into place. Your doctor may try some gentle maneuvers to help your shoulder bones back into their proper positions — a process called closed reduction. Depending on the amount of pain and swelling, you may need a muscle relaxant or sedative or, rarely, a general anesthetic before manipulation of your shoulder bones.

When your shoulder bones are back in place, any severe pain should improve almost immediately. However, your doctor may immobilize your shoulder with a special splint or sling for several weeks. How long you wear the splint or sling depends on the nature of your shoulder dislocation. Your doctor may also prescribe a pain reliever or a muscle relaxant to keep you comfortable while your shoulder heals.

Regaining your strength
After your shoulder splint or sling is removed, you'll begin a gradual physiotherapy rehabilitation program designed to restore range of motion and strength to your shoulder joint. Avoid strenuous activity involving your injured shoulder until you've regained full movement and normal strength and stability in your shoulder.

If you've experienced a fairly simple shoulder dislocation without major nerve or tissue damage, your shoulder joint likely will return to a near-normal or fully normal condition. But trying to resume activity too soon after shoulder dislocation may cause you to injure your shoulder joint or to dislocate it again.

Last Resort Surgery
If your doctor can't move your dislocated shoulder bones back into position by closed reduction, surgical manipulation (open reduction) may be necessary. You may need surgery if you have a weak shoulder joint or ligaments and tend to have recurring shoulder dislocations (shoulder instability). In rare cases, you may need surgery if your nerves or blood vessels are damaged due to the dislocation.

For more information please call 020 8455 7809 or email us on info@igophysio.co.uk

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