Shoulder instability

What is shoulder instability?

The shoulder is one of the most commonly dislocated joints in the body. It can lead to pain, apprehension and reduced function. The cause of shoulder instability can vary, however in most cases, regardless of the cause, physiotherapy can provide a greater understanding of your problem as well as active strategies to improve your condition.

Shoulder instability occurs when the shoulder dislocates (be pulled out of joint) or subluxes (moves more than it should do) during day-to-day activities. Both dislocation and subluxation can happen for a variety of reasons. How it happens affects the type of treatment you will receive.

The two main causes of shoulder instability are:

• Traumatic dislocation – where the shoulder undergoes an injury with enough force to pull the shoulder out of joint (eg. a violent tackle in rugby, or a fall onto an outstretched hand)
• Non-traumatic dislocation (or atraumatic) – is the abnormal motion or position of the shoulder joint that happens without any history of injury. 

Symptoms may include:

• A feeling of shoulder insecurity or distrust which can occur during movement but may also occur in various positions or postures at rest or during sleep.
• The region of pain can vary but it’s most commonly felt around the shoulder. In some cases pain can be more diffuse and radiate down the arm.
• You may feel apprehensive about or struggle to perform certain tasks, particularly those which involve lifting your arm overhead.
• Your shoulder repeatedly subluxes/ dislocates. Some people may even be able to displace their shoulder often termed a ‘party trick’. Or this may have been something they did as a child.