Dislocated Shoulder

Overview

Dislocated Shoulder

A shoulder dislocation occurs when the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) pops out of the shallow shoulder socket of the scapula (shoulder blade). This can happen when a strong force pulls the shoulder outward or from an extreme rotation of the shoulder joint.

There are two types of dislocation:

partial dislocation
The head of the humerus slips out of the socket momentarily and then snaps back into place (also called subluxation).
full dislocation
The head of the humerus comes completely out of the socket.

Shoulder dislocation can be caused by:

falling on an outstretched arm
a direct blow to the shoulder area
forceful throwing, lifting, or hitting
force applied to an outstretched arm as in a football tackle

Risk factors that increase your chances of dislocating your shoulder include:

previous shoulder dislocation or subluxation
participating in contact sports
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition involving loose joints
poor muscle tone

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