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COLUMBIA ORTHOPEDICS SERVICES

Diagnosis & Treatment

Shoulder Instability

Find a shoulder instability specialist

Shoulder instability may result from a previous injury or an underlying condition. Ensuring that each patient receives the correct diagnosis and initial treatment for shoulder instability from the start can stop this condition from recurring and becoming chronic.

How is Shoulder Instability Diagnosed?

Diagnosis

To diagnose shoulder instability, the orthopedist will take your medical history and perform a physical exam to evaluate range of motion, looseness in the shoulder joint, apprehension of shoulder instability, and any areas of discomfort.

Imaging tests for shoulder instability may include:

  • An X-ray, to check for dislocated bones
  • An MRI, which provides additional information on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support the shoulder
  • A CT scan to evaluate the shoulder joint bones and ensure they are not being worn away

How is Shoulder Instability Treated?

Treatment

Shoulder instability treatment varies depending on the severity of the condition. For mild to moderate shoulder instability, treatments may include:

  • Use of anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen and aspirin for pain and swelling  
  • Applying ice to the injured shoulder
  • Rest
  • Supportive use of a sling or brace during sports activities
  • Activity modification
  • Physical therapy for shoulder instability to strengthen the shoulder muscles (shoulder instability exercises will not tighten loosened ligaments, but can provide more dynamic stability to the joint)

Patients with more severe shoulder instability may be advised to consider shoulder instability surgery, which can include:

  • Repair of torn or stretched ligaments
  • Repair of a torn labrum
  • Repair or replacement of worn away bone from recurrent dislocations

In some cases, surgery for shoulder instability may be performed arthroscopically. Using this approach, the surgeon makes minor incisions and, guided by images obtained with a tiny camera, completes the repair using miniaturized instruments.

When open surgery is required, the surgeon makes a larger incision to reach the area of the injury. Following shoulder instability surgery, the patient wears a sling until the joint heals enough to begin physical rehabilitation.

FAQs

FAQs

With proper care, mild to moderate cases of shoulder instability should improve over time (weeks to months).

Physical therapy begins one to four weeks after surgery, with gradual improvement and the ability to fully participate in activities of daily living occurring at regular intervals. After six to eight weeks, most patients have recovered the full range of motion in the shoulder.

Patients with shoulder instability may have a range of symptoms that affect their comfort and ability to perform daily activities and participate in athletics. Depending on the underlying cause of the condition, symptoms can begin suddenly or develop over time.

Get Care

Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Shoulder Instability Treatments

If you are experiencing the symptoms of shoulder instability, the expert orthopedic specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian can help. Working closely with primary care sports medicine physicians and rehabilitation specialists at Columbia Orthopedics, our highly experienced orthopedic surgeons offer the full range of treatment options for shoulder instability and other conditions that affect the bones and joints.