Let’s talk about your shoulder dislocation and what to expect during your recovery.

 

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It works like a ball-and-cup joint, allowing movement in many directions. But that flexibility comes at a cost – the shoulder is also the most commonly dislocated major joint.

 

A dislocation happens when the ball-shaped head of your upper arm bone – called the humerus – comes out of the socket in your shoulder blade. In most cases, this happens in a forward direction, which we call an anterior dislocation.

 

The first step in treating this injury is to put the joint back in place. This is usually done in the Emergency Department. Some patients, however, may need a general anaesthetic in theatre to allow the orthopaedic team to safely relocate the joint.

 

Once the shoulder is back in place, we usually support your arm in a sling for comfort. The sling is typically worn for one to two weeks. It helps reduce pain and allows the soft tissues around the joint to begin healing. Long-term stability, though, will depend on the strength and coordination of the muscles, tendons and ligaments around your shoulder.

 

You’ll be seen in the fracture clinic about one to two weeks after the injury. At this appointment, we’ll check the stability of your shoulder, assess the surrounding muscles, and make sure there are no nerve injuries. If everything looks stable and there are no concerning findings, we’ll refer you to the physiotherapy team to start your rehab.

 

Surgery is not normally needed after a first-time dislocation, unless other injuries are present. Most people recover well, as long as they engage with rehab exercises. These exercises help restore your movement, strengthen the shoulder, and retrain the muscles that help keep the joint in place.

 

The most common long-term issue after a shoulder dislocation is the risk of it happening again. This is more likely if you’re younger, especially if your first dislocation happened at a young age or you do high-demand physical activities. Even if the ligaments heal well, they can remain slightly stretched – so doing your physio consistently is crucial to give the shoulder the best chance of staying stable.

 

In rare cases, some patients experience nerve symptoms even after the shoulder has been put back in place. This is usually caused by bruising or stretching of the nerve. Most of these cases recover fully within a few weeks.

 

During the first week, you’ll likely find the shoulder painful and prefer to keep the arm supported in the sling. Some early rest is important – but keeping the arm still for too long can lead to stiffness and muscle weakness.

 

By around three to four weeks, most people have started physiotherapy and regained a useful range of movement. Light activity often becomes possible by four to six weeks. But contact sports, heavy lifting, or high-impact work should usually be avoided for at least ten to twelve weeks. These can be gradually reintroduced later, based on advice from your physio.