In this article, we will provide you with an overview of a shoulder dislocation and how this injury can occur. In general, a shoulder dislocation is a very painful injury that will most likely require surgery — especially if it is complete tear.

Let’s start with the muscles in the shoulder

Shoulder dislocations involve muscles, tendons and ligaments in the shoulder area. The deltoid muscle is the large shoulder muscle. There are also very deep connective tissues in the shoulder girdle. Along with these muscles and tissues, we also have ligaments that attach to the shoulder across the shoulder joint. In other words, there is a whole group of ligaments that attaches from one side of the joint to the other side. This set of ligaments keeps debris out of the joint while also keeping the fluid secure. It allows for movement in your shoulder — and most importantly — it helps restrict the shoulder from dislocating or hyperextending one way or the other.

The biggest problem with a shoulder dislocation

The problem with a shoulder dislocation is that the ball portion of the shoulder is pulled out and away from the joint portion of the shoulder. The ball is located at the top of the arm bone. When you pull the shoulder away, you are separating the ball away from the shoulder.

The two levels of dislocation

There are two levels of a shoulder dislocation: a full dislocation and a separation. Separation is not a true dislocation because it is pulled away only a little bit. It’s still enough of an injury that it will do some soft tissue damage and cause pain and swelling. Keep in mind: there are layers of connective tissue layers in the shoulder area. When the ball portion is pulled away from the socket, it stresses those connective tissue layers. This is why even a slight separation can cause pain and swelling.

A separation is painful, but it tends to get better in a relatively short period of time. Generally speaking, it does not cause full tears of the connective tissue. It is usually just a symptomatic aggravation that can be healed with proper medication and physical therapy.

As we mentioned earlier, when you have a full dislocation, the ball portion is completely pulled away and out from the socket. The tissue is either stretched well out of proportion, or it’s torn partially or totally. This leaves the shoulder joint to be loose, requiring you to have surgery.

Life after a full dislocation

Unfortunately, once you have a full dislocation of your shoulder, you are bound to have additional dislocations after you have surgery to tighten the shoulder joint back up. While you will get mobility back to your shoulder after you have healed from the surgery, the risk of re-injury is fairly high.

If you have a shoulder dislocation or separation, or any other type of injury due to a fall or an accident, contact us today at Dwyer Williams Cherkoss Accident Injury Attorneys for a free case evaluation. You can also reach us directly at: 1-800-285-8678. With over 100 years of combined experience, our team of highly skilled personal injury attorneys will work hard to ensure that you receive the justice that you deserve!