Shoulder dislocation

Have I dislocated my shoulder?

In most cases of dislocated shoulder, the ball part of the joint pops out in front of the shoulder socket.

This is usually obvious because:

you won't be able to move your arm and it will be very painful
your shoulder will suddenly look square rather than round
you may be able to see a lump or bulge (the top of the arm bone) under the skin in front of your shoulder

It's much more unusual for the bone to pop out of the back of the shoulder joint.This can usually happen after an epileptic fit or an electrocution injury, and is less easy to spot.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for shoulder dislocation

Introduction

Find out about dislocated shoulder, including how a dislocation occurs, how to tell if your shoulder is dislocated, what to do, plus treatment and recovery.

How a dislocated shoulder occurs

You can dislocate your shoulder if you fall on to your armheavily. Most people dislocate their shoulder while playing a contact sport, such as rugby, or in a sports-related accident. In older people,

Have I dislocated my shoulder?

In most cases of dislocated shoulder, the ball part of the joint pops out in front of the shoulder socket. This is usually obvious because: you won't be able to move your arm and it will be very pa

What to do with a dislocated shoulder

Go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department immediately if you think you've dislocated your shoulder. Don't try to pop your arm back in yourself you could damage the tissues, nerv

How a dislocated shoulder is treated

You'll be assessed and examined when you get to A&E. You'll usually have an X-ray to check whether you've broken any bones and confirm the dislocation. If you have a fracture, you may have furthe

Recovering from a dislocated shoulder

You can usually go home soon after your shoulder is put back in place, but you'll need to rest your arm in a sling for a few days while the pain settles. You'll need to return to hospital for follow-

Dislocating your shoulder again

The chances of dislocating your shoulder again will depend on your age and how well the tissues surrounding the joint healed the first time. It can help if the torn tissues were surgically repaired a

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