What are the main procedures to fix a shoulder that dislocates regulally?

Question

What are the main procedures to fix a shoulder that dislocates regulally?

Answer 1

Angie I guess it depends on what "regularly" means

I dislocated my right shoulder 3x and the left 1x over a 10 year playing career. If thats what you mean by regularly then mate take the hit and the pain because thats not what i would call regularly. If however its happening 2 or more x in a season then you have a serious decision to make

1 You either keep playing with the problem until you decide to finish and drastically change your tackling technique.

2 Have an operation to tighten the tendons around the AC joint

If you go for the playing on then you need to strap the shoulder before you play, really well and wear shoulder pads.

If you go for the operation then you need to take into consideration that this operation is NOT going to get your shoulder 100%  

So unless you are getting paid really well to play then have the operation and take up a different sport. This is because recovery from the op is tough work and if you have to have it done again because of redamage, then the result will not be as good 2nd time around. If you are getting paid well to play then understand you will pay a price later.

A tremendous post operation or career treatment for any soft tissue injury is called A.R.T. ( active release therapy). It is in my opinion better than physiotherapy. However I have to say that most therapists take a dim view of non professional sports people getting a sporting injury repaired and then going out and doing it all over again.

Google search for an ART practioner in your area

Anyway what ever you decide GOOD LUCK

Answer 2

Put it back in place, scream a lot, and make everyone else look the other way.

You can have an operation which shortens the tendon that holds the ball in it's socket.  This tendon has become stretched, and so needs shortening to ensure that the ball and socket join cannot be easily dislodged.

I'm not sure if this is available on the NHS or not.  The NHS might just say stop playing rugby.

Answer 3

I have this too - on both shoulders, and play rugby myself.

surgery can shorten the tendon in your ac joint, but it is not the most successful op in the world...

I strap both shoulders up before i play each week. Use three strips of zinc oxide tape front and back of the shoulder to create an anchor, then use longer strips of zinc oxide to hold the ac joint down in place. Then use stretchy adhesive bandage from the top of the shoulder, down the arm and under the elbow and back up to the shoulder again. Use stretchy bandage to tie this off at the bicep, and cut off the bandage from the elbow

THis will keep your ac in its place.

Answer 4

Surgically shortening the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint together is the first option. The last option is fixing the shoulder in place with screws. I had a friend who had to have screws inserted. He was told to stop playing rugby. He did. He played Aussie Rules football instead!

Answer 5

I had the same problem,and had the operation...shoulder encapsulation it is called.very very painful,took 3 months to get back to work after the op.good as new now...The op tightens the socket around the ball joint using anchors that are screwed into the bone....Good now but at the time....oooouuuch.

good luck

Answer 6

Go to a surgeon

Answer 7

There's 2 main ways; either physio and a weights programme to strengthen the muscles which protect the joint (deltoids, traps) or have a surgical procedure to shorten the ligaments at the front of the joint; the latter i'd approach with a lot of caution as it's a farily major op with a lot of rehab work to be undertaken afterwards.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

define regularally? like pejon60 said, if it happens more than once a season, you've got a problem.

That and if it comes out and goes back in regularlly, that's not dislocating, it's considered sublaxating, where the joint isn't stable and can slip out and in regularlly.

The only "solution" really is to have the surgery because your ligaments and tendons have been stretched so the only thing that can help is if that tendon is shortened. If you are just playing rugby for fun, I would NOT reccommend the surgery. It is very painful and sometimes it doesn't always work.

You can try going to a sports medicine doctor or a physiotherapist and strengthen the muscles around the shoulder joint like the chest & neck muscles to try and stabalize the area.

Or you could also try changing your playing position. If you are in the front row, get out, it can be rough on your shoulders so if you are a flank you can be on the side of your stronger shoulder or even go to the backs if you are fast enough. Make sure you buy a shoulder vest/protector or even find out if you can get a brace

Answer 10

Wow! If this is a problem that occurs regularly, it sounds like something that a surgeon would have to fix.  Have you been having this problem BEFORE you started playing rugby or just since you've played it (I'm guessing you play rugby since you placed the question under this heading)?