joint. The "ball part of the joint is the top part of your upper arm bone. The "socket" part of your joint is a cup shaped indentation in your shoulder blade. The socket is smaller than the large ball of the upper arm bone. Because of this, the shoulder can move in many ways. But, it is not very stable. Strong bands of tissue called ligaments help hold the shoulder in place. Muscles and tendons also hold it in place. When the top of the upper arm bone does not stay in the indentation of the shoulder blade, you have shoulder instability. There are three ways that a shoulder can become unstable: ‚
- Dislocation ¢ ˆ ’ Sometimes, the arm bone is pushed out of its normal place. This may be just a little or all the way. If it is just a little, you have a shoulder subluxation or partial shoulder dislocation. If the arm bone is pushed all the way out of the socket, it is a shoulder dislocation. Often, the ligament in the front of the shoulder tears. This makes that part of the shoulder weak. Then, the shoulder can dislocate over and over.
- Repeated strain ¢ ˆ ’ Repeated overhead motions can stretch out the shoulder ligaments. Some sports may cause this, like swimming, tennis, or volleyball. Doing a job that needs you to work over your head often may also cause strain on your shoulders.
- Instability in many directions ¢ ˆ ’ Some people are born with very loose ligaments. They are able to move their joints in many directions. Some people call this "double jointed".
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest. Allow your injury to heal before you do slow movements.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Prop your arm on pillows to help with swelling.
- Use a sling to keep your shoulder from moving
- Use a special strap or sleeve to keep the shoulder from moving into a position where it may dislocate if your doctor orders one.
- Heat may be used later but not right away. Heat can make swelling worse. If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on your shoulder for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
- Do exercises for stretching and strengthening that your therapist or doctor teaches you to do.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- You may also need to see a physical therapist (PT). The PT will teach you exercises to help you get back your strength and motion.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
You may need to rest your shoulder for a while. If you work out or play sports, you may not be able to do those things until your health problem gets better. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Repeated dislocations
- Ongoing pain, stiffness, or soreness
- Infection
- Long-term damage to nerves and blood vessels
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
- Warm up slowly and stretch your muscles before you work out. Use good ways to train, such as slowly adding to how far you run. Do not work out if you are overly tired. Take extra care if working out in cold weather.
- Wear protection when playing sports.
- Follow pitch count guidelines if you are a baseball or softball player.
- Take breaks often when doing things that use repeat movements.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Pain or swelling gets worse
- Hand feels cold or numb
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or swelling or my fingers are cool or blue.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00529 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚