Can You ‘Pop’ A Dislocated Shoulder Back Into Place By Yourself?

You may have seen your favorite athletes bravely, like modern gladiators, grimace then brace as they or someone ‘pops’ back a dislocated joint. However, it brings up the question of whether dislocated joints are serious injuries. Can they be treated the same way you would a loose chair leg? Let’s take a look at one of the most common dislocations to answer our question: A dislocated shoulder.

What Causes A Shoulder Dislocation? 

Usually, a dislocated shoulder is caused by an external force acting on the shoulder joint causing the ball part of the joint to disengage from the shoulder socket. Because the ball is no longer in the socket, your shoulder will suddenly look rather square than round.

Are Dislocated Shoulders Serious Injuries? 

They can be! There are different gradations of shoulder dislocations, with the worst requiring surgery. Even the mildest of shoulder dislocations have recommended recovery times of a few weeks. When the ball part of the joint pops out from the socket, micro-injuries in the surrounding tissues and nerves can happen.

Can You Treat A Dislocated Shoulder Yourself? 

Please don’t. You can cause further damage and extend your recovery time indefinitely. Leave it to a professional! We trained for this.

It is also important to note that shoulder dislocations can lead to more dislocations down the line if they aren’t treated properly. It’s best to give your shoulder the best chance at proper and true recovery by letting a doctor handle the entire process.

How Do Doctors Treat A Shoulder Dislocation? 

Doctors have a variety of techniques and interventions they can apply depending on their assessment of the severity of the shoulder dislocation. Typically, once they’ve guided the bone back into the joint, you can expect to have your shoulder immobilized to let your shoulder heal from any tissue damage. The next course of action would be to administer rehabilitation to strengthen and restore shoulder mobility.

Worried You May Have A Dislocated Shoulder? 

Then ‘pop’ into the offices of Summit Orthopaedics. We’ve got two locations and if you’ve just been injured stop reading this article and walk in to our urgent care! Give us a call to see how we can help at 503-850-9940.