Shoulder Instability

What is shoulder instability?

Shoulder instability begins after a shoulder injury damages the tissues that stabilize the joint. If these tissues don’t regain their pre-injury strength, the shoulder’s ball and socket joint loses support, causing ongoing joint instability.

The instability increases the chance that the bones will dislocate in the future, allowing the ball (the upper arm) to partially or completely slip out of the joint. Instability increases the risk of dislocation even without an acute injury.

What causes shoulder instability?

Shoulder instability can develop after any shoulder injury, including:

• Shoulder dislocation (the upper arm comes out of the joint)
• Shoulder subluxation (the upper arm slides partially out and then back into the joint)
• Labral tears
• Rotator cuff tears
• Falling on the shoulder
• Overuse activities
• Overhead activities

You may also have a genetic condition that causes loose, elastic ligaments. Ligaments that stretch too much can’t stabilize the joint.

What are the symptoms of shoulder instability?

Your shoulder may feel loose, as though it could give way and come out of the socket at any time. A dislocation is quite painful, and any shoulder movement increases that pain. A subluxation typically causes short-lived pain.

Dislocations and subluxations may stretch the nerves. If this happens, you may experience a numb area on the outside of your arm, and the shoulder muscles may feel weak.

Other possible symptoms include repeated shoulder dislocations, swelling, bruising, and limited mobility in the arm and shoulder.

How is shoulder instability treated?

The first line of treatment for shoulder instability includes:

• Activity modification (avoiding any activity that triggers your symptoms)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (to reduce swelling and pain)
• Physical therapy (to strengthen the shoulder muscles)

If your shoulder doesn’t improve after several months of non-surgical treatments or you have repeated dislocations, Dr. Ihn may recommend surgery.

In most cases, Dr. Ihn can perform minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery. During arthroscopy, Dr. Ihn uses a tiny camera in a narrow tube to look inside the shoulder, then he employs pencil-thin instruments to perform surgery, repairing and tightening the tissues.

After surgery, you’ll have physical therapy, which includes an intensive exercise program to rehabilitate the ligaments and muscles.

Call Hansel E. Ihn, MD, or schedule an appointment today online to get help preventing or treating shoulder instability.