Dr. Sukumar

A dislocated shoulder is an injury in the shoulder joint, which is the most mobile joint present in the body. A dislocated shoulder injury occurs when the upper arm bone juts out of the socket in your shoulder blade. The shoulder is capable of moving in several directions, so a shoulder dislocation can happen through either the front of your shoulder or the back of your shoulder, although most dislocations happen through the front of the shoulder.

Shoulder Dislocation Causes
Shoulder dislocations generally happen in situations involving extreme impact to the shoulders. The most common causes of dislocated shoulders include:

1. Sports injuries: Over 75% of dislocated shoulder injuries are a result of injuries sustained from sports or sports related activities. Contact sports, such as hockey and football, which require a lot of close ranged contact, as well as sports like gymnastics and skiing often cause a lot of dislocated shoulder injuries.
2. Injuries not related to sports/accidents: Hard blows to your shoulder, such as a result of a vehicle accident could be a very common reason behind shoulder dislocations.
3. Sudden fall: Any sudden impact to your shoulder which puts a lot of strain on the shoulder blade, such as falling down a ladder, or tripping on a wet surface, may also lead to shoulder dislocation injuries.

Shoulder Dislocation Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of a shoulder dislocation injury include:

1. Extreme shoulder pain: Severe pain in the shoulder joint along with an inability to freely move the shoulder is a sure-fire symptom of a dislocated shoulder.
2. Visible deformation: If the shoulder joint looks contorted, twisted, or grossly out of shape, it is quite certain that the shoulder has been dislocated.
3. Soft and raw to the touch: When touched from the side, if the shoulder feels extremely mushy and you cannot feel the bone underlying it, a shoulder dislocation injury is definitely the reason behind it.
4. Numbness and weakness: A numb feeling not only in the shoulder, but all throughout the affected upper arm is usually a sign that the shoulder has been dislocated.
5. Swelling/bruising: This doesn’t always occur, especially if the dislocation is a minor one; however, severe swelling and bruising of the shoulder, especially if you have recently suffered a huge impact to it, is a guaranteed sign of a dislocated shoulder. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.