Initial Advice

Acute Anterior Shoulder Dislocation

Frequently asked questions and answers

For the first 6 weeks, we advise the following precautions while you are regaining control of your shoulder, to avoid further potential dislocations:

Avoid positions which put your shoulder in a vulnerable position to dislocation, such as the ‘high five’ position, putting your hand behind your head, overhead throwing and reaching into the back of a car. When you can see your hands in your peripheral vision when looking straight forwards, you arm is in a safe zone of movement.

How long should I wear my sling?

A sling will have been provided by the Emergency Department. This is for comfort and may be removed and discarded as soon as you feel comfortable to do so. We encourage you to wean from the sling within the first week, with two weeks use expected at maximum.

Should I move my arm?

Yes. It is important to regularly exercise your hand, wrist and elbow regularly to prevent stiffness, particularly in the early days whilst using the sling. Early movement of the shoulder is safe and should be performed regularly. Staying in the sling for a longer duration does not reduce your risk of dislocating the shoulder again. Using the arm for light day to day tasks is useful to begin rehabilitating your shoulder.

Should I start exercises for my shoulder straight away?

Yes. It is safe to perform exercises within the constraints of the precautions stated above from day one following your shoulder dislocation. Exercise can help to reduce pain, swelling and stiffness of the shoulder in the early days and aims to improve the stability of the shoulder through sensorimotor training.  Exercises should be introduced gradually, increasing both the number of repetitions and the number of times you do the exercises each day.

Pain management

Some discomfort is to be expected on starting exercises for your shoulder, however if this is impacting on your sleep and failing to settle, consider reducing the intensity of the exercises performed. If you experience shoulder pain, the use of ice packs (e.g. a bag of frozen peas) placed on the shoulder can be helpful to reduce pain. Remember not to put the ice pack directly on your skin, but wrap it up in a towel and place it on the shoulder for approximately 20 minutes at a time.

Use of over-the-counter pain relief such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen can also help you in the early days. It is best to talk to your pharmacist to get advice on how much and how often to take these if you are unsure.

Work

You can return to work when you feel comfortable to do so. However, if your job is very physically demanding you may need to discuss alternative duties or wait to return until after six weeks. 

Driving

You can get back to driving when you no longer need to wear the sling, and you feel you can drive safely without putting yourself or others at risk. You must be able to manoeuvre the vehicle to take evasive action in the event of an emergency, and be able to take the hand break on and off.