Shoulder Dislocation
What is Shoulder Dislocation?
Boxers sometimes dislocate their shoulders due to improper form or an over-exaggerated movement. A shoulder dislocation occurs when the humerus bone separates from the Scapula bone at the shoulder joint. A dislocated shoulder can be extremely painful. This injury is usually visible due to the boxer’s dangling arm and inability to move the arm from its current position.
It is characterised by pain in the shoulder, loss of moment in the shoulder, a change in the usual rounded appearance of the shoulder often replaced by a squared off look, and the sufferer protectively cradling their arm across their chest.
There are three variations of shoulder dislocation:
- Anterior is the most common with more than 95 per cent of dislocations categorised by forward separation of the humerus.
- Posterial dislocation is when the humerus is forced backwards. This form of dislocation can result from contact sports but is more common from seizures, electric shock or weakness in the rotator cuff muscle.
How to prevent Shoulder Dislocation
As a boxer using the correct form is important. Over doing a movement or blocking incorrectly can lead to injury. Shoulder dislocation is however a risk with boxing and other contact sports because of the nature of these games. The best preventative measures are regular exercise with stretching at the beginning and end of workouts and conditioning.
How to treat a Shoulder Dislocation
Anterior dislocation is most common with boxers and is the easiest type of dislocation to recognise. This means they can be dealt with fast.
As with all dislocations a sufferer should never attempt to set the joint back in place themself. This should only be done by a trained doctor.
After the shoulder has been set right rest is the next step on the road to recovery.
Wearing a shoulder support or placing the arm in a sling for about two to three weeks will help to immobilise and protect the joint allowing it time to heal. Pain should be noticeably reduced when the joint is repositioned but any prolonged discomfort can be dealt with by applying an ice bag or cold compress to the affected area as needed.
After this period of rest rehabilitation exercising with a physio will help to restore movement and strength in the shoulder. Gradually building up strength in the arm and shoulder with resistance bands is a recommended treatment.
