No joint in the body is able to move as much as the shoulder joint. This mobility allows you to lift and rotate your arm over your head, but it also makes the shoulder extremely susceptible to injury. The shoulder joint is simply unable to stay completely stable because of its mobility. This makes it very easy to partially or completely dislocate the shoulder out of its joint. While dislocated shoulders are a common injury, repeated dislocations may be a sign of a more serious problem called shoulder instability.
Shoulder instability is a medical condition that occurs when the entire structure of the shoulder joint does not work properly. There are several different primary causes of shoulder instability. The joints and ligaments in the shoulder can get over stretched after a serious accident or injury. Repeated strain on the shoulder can also cause instability over time. People who are double-jointed may also suffer from this medical issue because they naturally have very loose joints.
The signs and symptoms of shoulder instability may be very obvious, but we will still have to physically exam your body before we can determine the exact cause of your issue. A few medical tests will also be done to determine the looseness of your ligaments. Once we get the results of these tests, we will be able to recommend a treatment course for your shoulder instability.
The goal is to be able to effectively treat every patient without having to use surgery. The first step of the non-surgical treatment is typically to make a few changes to your normal lifestyle. You will need to avoid any activities that may cause your shoulder to dislocate. You could also regularly perform physical therapy exercises during this time to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder. Learning how to strengthen and control the shoulder should add a lot of stability to the joint.
If you are not happy with the results provided by the physical therapy exercises, then you can opt to have surgery or some other type of procedure to treat your shoulder instability. There are several different options, but they will all attempt to tighten and strengthen the ligaments in the shoulder joint.
If you are suffering from shoulder instability and you’re seeking treatment, contact us today at Olsen Orthopedics in Oklahoma City, OK to book an appointment and learn more!
