Get your shoulder stable, strong and trusted again

A dislocation means the ball has come fully out of the socket and usually needs to be put back by a health professional. A subluxation means it slid partly out and returned on its own, often in a second or two. Subluxations can feel minor, but they damage the same stabilising structures and carry the same risk of it happening again, so both are worth assessing.

No. Relocating a shoulder without assessment risks damaging the nerves, blood vessels and cartilage around the joint, and a fracture can be present without being obvious. Go to an emergency department or call an ambulance. Support the arm in the position that hurts least, avoid eating or drinking in case sedation is needed, and let a doctor confirm the joint is back in place.

Yes. Anterior dislocations, where the ball moves forward, make up the large majority, and rehabilitation initially limits the arm going out to the side and rotating back. Posterior dislocations, which are far less common and often follow a seizure, electric shock or a knock to the front of the arm, need the opposite positions limited early. Your physiotherapist adapts the plan accordingly.

Age at first dislocation is the strongest predictor of another one. Teenagers and people in their twenties have more elastic tissue, more damage to the labrum at the time of injury, and usually return to sports involving contact and overhead loading. Recurrence rates in this group are high without structured strengthening, which is one reason a surgical opinion is discussed more often.

It can. The axillary nerve runs close to the joint and is the most commonly affected, which may cause numbness over the outer shoulder or weakness lifting the arm out to the side. Most nerve symptoms settle over weeks as the stretch injury recovers. Persistent numbness, weakness or a cold, pale hand needs urgent medical review rather than physiotherapy alone.

Yes. Some people have naturally lax connective tissue, so their joints move beyond the usual range. If that describes you, your shoulder may sublux with little or no force, and it can happen on both sides. Rehabilitation focuses heavily on muscle control rather than stretching, because your movement is already generous and the joint needs active stability instead.