Dr. Emma Wedgeworth

Among the various joint dislocations, the shoulder dislocation is the most common, accounting for about 50% of all joint dislocations throughout the body. The reason for this, as just mentioned, is that the shoulder's condyle is large and the fossa is small and shallow, making it inherently unstable.

How exactly does a shoulder dislocation occur? Imagine this process:

Normally, the fixation provided by the surrounding muscles and tendons of the shoulder allows free movement. However, this fixation is very limited. When external forces are particularly strong, they can tear the protective cushion of tendons and ligaments, and the condyle rolls out of the shallow groove anyway.

This is a "joint dislocation." Because tendons and ligaments are injured, the dislocation process is often associated with severe pain.

If a shoulder dislocation occurs, it should never be self-treated; instead, it should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible. During this process, shoulder movement should be reduced as much as possible. Upon arrival at the hospital, the doctor will use traction to relax the spasmed muscles and ultimately return the dislocated joint to its original position.

Of course, the traction process is very painful, so painkillers are essential. In fact, doctors also treat dislocations of other joints, such as the elbow, wrist, and finger joints, as well as dislocations of the hip joint (our pelvic bones), in the same way.

It's particularly important to note that with a dislocation, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the joint are severely damaged, so permanent fixation is necessary after reduction.

Generally, movement should be restricted for at least 6 weeks to achieve complete healing. If recovery time is insufficient, a habitual dislocation may develop. At this point, treatment is much more difficult.