Shoulder · Dr. Jason Jones
A dislocated shoulder pops out of place and has to be put back, and the ligaments torn on the way out rarely heal by themselves. Repairing the labrum and ligaments restores stability so the shoulder stops slipping.
At a glance
Most dislocations happen when the arm is rotated above and away from the body, tearing the ligaments that hold the ball and socket together. After the shoulder is back in place much of the pain improves immediately. Sometimes the diagnosis is less obvious: the shoulder can slip part of the way out without fully dislocating, called subluxation.
The labrum is a ring around the socket, like the washer on the end of a hose. It deepens the socket and anchors the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint together. Instability happens when those ligaments are stretched or torn, or the labrum is detached from the socket.
The repair is usually done arthroscopically, through small incisions (portals) with a camera. Suture anchors are placed in the bone of the socket, and sutures through the labrum reattach it to the bone. Tears in the surrounding capsule are repaired at the same time.
Whether it is done arthroscopically or through a small open incision depends on the severity of the tear and your activities.
Football players and other contact athletes usually have an open repair. The labrum and the capsule are repaired through a small incision instead of through portals.
Tears of the top part of the labrum are called SLAP lesions (superior labrum, anterior and posterior). They are reattached to the socket arthroscopically with suture anchors, in the same way as a Bankart repair.
Dislocation surgery is an outpatient procedure, and recovery runs in stages over four to six months.
Gentle movement prevents scar tissue from forming while early healing occurs, so during the first month in the sling you do simple motion exercises at home.
Generally between 60 and 90 minutes.
Not necessarily. Many patients have a nerve block with light twilight sedation instead, which markedly reduces the risks of surgery.
No. Dislocation surgery is an outpatient procedure.
The bandage comes off 48 hours after surgery, and then you may shower. You'll be in a sling for a month, doing simple motion exercises at home to prevent scar tissue.
Regular therapy for two to four months, starting one month after surgery.
At least two weeks, and several months if your work involves heavy lifting.
Most normal activities at about six weeks, apart from heavy lifting and sport. Sport generally takes four to six months. Throwing usually starts at four to six months, with full-speed throwing several weeks later.
Your surgeon
MD
Dr. Jones is a fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon specializing in the knee and shoulder. He has performed several thousand knee and shoulder procedures, focused on joint preservation and minimally invasive surgery.
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