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-up care, and may also be referred for physiotherapy to rehabilitate and strengthen your shoulder.

Arm and shoulder exercises

Some gentle arm and shoulder exercises may be recommended for you to do at home with your arm out of its sling.

These will help:

• reduce stiffness
• relieve some of the pain
• build up strength in your shoulder muscles

It's likely you'll feel some aching, discomfort or stretching when doing these exercises. However, if you experience intense pain for more than 30 minutes, do the exerciseless forcefully and less often.

Pain relief

Your shoulder may bevery painful during the first few days at home and you may need to take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen . Always follow the dosage instructions on the packet.

Ifthis doesn't control the pain, your GP can prescribe a stronger painkiller,such as codeine. The pain should settle fairly quickly once the sling is removed and you start to move your shoulder.

Recovery time

You can stop wearing the sling after a few days, but it takes about 12 to 16 weeks to completely recover from a dislocated shoulder.

You'll usually be able to resume most activities within two weeks, but should avoid heavy lifting and sports involving shoulder movements for between six weeksand three months. Yourcare teamwill advise you.

You'll probably be off work for two to four weeks, or longer, if you have a physical job. Discuss this with your care team.

If you've also broken your arm or shoulder joint, you may need to wear your sling for up to six weeks and recovery will take longer.