The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body and has a wide range of motion; it is more likely that it gets dislocated. Dislocation is one of the most common traumatic injuries to the shoulder. Dislocation means the separation of any two bones at their joining. Athletes, children and adults can dislocate their shoulders. Dislocations can occur in contact sports and daily accidents such as falls. 

The first time a shoulder dislocates is usually due to an impact to the arm or fall on outstretched hand. This is generally very painful, and you will need a trained professional to reposition your shoulders.

Once a shoulder gets dislocated, it can easily get dislocated again. But what is the success rate of shoulder dislocation treatment? Let us see this article provided by Dr Chandra Sekhar. B from Hyderabad shoulder clinic.

Shoulder dislocation:

The shoulder joint has the flexibility to rotate in multiple directions. However, this benefit can be a significant disadvantage, making the shoulder prone to dislocation. That is very painful and incapacitating. 

Shoulders can get dislocated when moved forward, backward or downward. Anterior instability is the most common type of shoulder dislocation. This happens when the shoulder slips forward. This usually occurs when the hand is put into the throwing motion. Shoulder dislocation can be partial or complete.

• A partial dislocation (subluxation): The head of the upper arm is partly outside the socket of the shoulder.
• Complete Dislocation: As the term implies, when the arm is completely dislocated, the arm comes out of the nest.

Partial and complete dislocation of the shoulder causes shoulder pain and instability due to tear in the protective layer called labrum.. If the dislocation is severe, the tendons in the shoulder can tear. The nerves in the shoulder area can also be damaged.

The success rate for treating a dislocated shoulder:

Arthroscopic surgery involves three small incisions which allow the surgeon to repair the ligaments that stabilize the shoulder. This procedure has a 90 per cent success rate for preventing any more dislocations in shoulders.

However, there is luck for the elderly who may experience a dislocated shoulder for the first time. Statistics show that the older you are during your first dislocation, the less likely it is to pop out again for those over 40yrs age, Dr Chandar Sekhar. B offers non-surgical treatment, including rehabilitation, to restore strength and movement to the shoulder. This can help the patient return to normal in a month to six weeks.

Remember for success during recovery, the arm is held in a sling for three weeks. After that, the patient can return to daily activities. It is then suggested that you wait three months before returning to the exercise or gym room. After three months, athletes can return to all sporting activities except contact and martial arts. It is recommended that sportspersons wait up to six months.

Dr Chandra Sekhar. B says that surgery is the only truly effective treatment for athletes with recurrent shoulder dislocations. For contact sports, there are straps that athletes can wear that protect the hands from the riskiest positions, but limit what you can do with them and are not 100 per cent effective at preventing dislocations.

Although rehabilitation is an option, it only strengthens the muscles around the shoulders. Since the injury is in the tendon, unlike a muscle, strengthening the muscle will not prevent the dislocations from happening again.

Success depends on finding an experienced Shoulder surgeon:

Surgeons who can perform simple arthroscopic procedures are readily available. Complex reconstructive operations on the shoulder (e.g. arthroscopic stabilization procedures, rotator cuff arthroscopic repair) require very specialized training. The most skilled surgeons mean they should complete fellowships (one or two additional years of training), particularly in the fields of arthroscopy, shoulder surgery and sports medicine.

Dr Chandra Sekhar. B is a qualified shoulder surgeon who is good with open techniques and arthroscopy and adapts treatment according to the problem of the hand. 

Conclusion:

There is no non surgical treatment for recurrent dislocations of shoulder. The success rate for surgical reconstruction is reliably over 90%. Success is defined as a lack of additional episodes of instability while performing an intense activity.

For more information about the surgical procedure and success rate, contact Dr Chandra Sekhar. B at 9959588389.