| DISLOCATED SHOULDER - TREATMENT |
| You should go to your doctor's office or the hospital emergency room immediately if your shoulder becomes dislocated. Put ice on your shoulder. Cold reduces swelling by controlling internal bleeding and the buildup of fluids in and around the injured area. |
| Your doctor will reposition the head or ball of the joint back into the joint socket. This can sometimes be done without an anesthetic if it is done within a few minutes after the dislocation occurs. If you have recurrent dislocations, you may be able to learn how to put your shoulder back into place by yourself. However, even in such cases you should see a doctor promptly to make sure that the repositioning has been done properly. |
| Fifteen to thirty minutes after the injury, your dislocated shoulder will be quite painful and swollen. You may then need to be given an intravenous (IV) pain medication and muscle relaxant before the doctor repositions your shoulder. Sometimes local anesthetic can be injected into the joint to help the doctor reposition the bones. After the repositioning, your doctor will have your shoulder x-rayed to make sure it is in the correct position. |
| Your doctor will place your shoulder and arm in a type of sling called a shoulder immobilizer. It will aid healing by keeping your arm next to your body and stopping you from moving your shoulder. You will keep your arm in an immobilizer for 2 to 3 weeks. You may begin shoulder rehabilitation exercises during this time, or after you are no longer wearing the immobilizer. |
| Your doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication or other pain medicine. You should continue to place ice packs on your shoulder for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours until the pain and swelling are gone. In some cases, surgery may be needed to get the shoulder repositioned correctly or if it continues to dislocate. If your shoulder joint becomes weak because of repeated dislocations, your doctor may recommend an operation to tighten the ligaments that hold the joint together. |
| HOW LONG WILL THE EFFECTS OF SHOULDER DISLOCATION LAST? |
| The healing process may take 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the extent of your injury. With proper healing, you should regain full movement of your shoulder. |
| HOW CAN I TAKE CARE OF MYSELF? |
| Follow your doctor's instructions when you begin to use your arm and shoulder again, or you may reinjure it. Do the rehabilitation exercises that are given to you by your doctor or physical therapist. Avoid participation in sports until the shoulder has had time to heal. |
| WHEN CAN I RETURN TO MY SPORT OR ACTIVITY? |
| The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury at a different rate. Return to your sport or activity will be determined by how soon your shoulder recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since the injury occurred. You may safely return to your sports or activity when: |
| - your injured shoulder has full range of motion without pain |
| - your injured shoulder has regained normal strength compared to the uninjured shoulder |
| In throwing sports, you must gradually build up your tolerance for throwing. This means you should start with gentle tossing and gradually throw harder. In contact sports, your shoulder must not be tender to touch and contact should progress from minimal contact to harder contact. |
| WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP PREVENT A DISLOCATED SHOULDER? |
| - avoid situations in which you could suffer another dislocation |
| - wear layers of clothing or padding to help cushion any fall that may occur |
| - do not return to sports until you have full recovery of motion and strength in the arm and shoulder |
