Our Services / Shoulder Instability

Shoulder Instability services offered in Columbus, GA

Shoulder instability can be crippling, making even simple activities like brushing your teeth or washing your hair painful. At St. Francis Orthopaedic Institute in Columbus, Georgia, board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Jake Dunn, DO, regularly diagnoses and treats shoulder instability. His minimally invasive treatment approach relieves pain, promotes healing, and restores mobility. Call the St. Francis Orthopaedic Institute office today to make an appointment, or book your visit online.

Shoulder Instability Q & A

What is shoulder instability?

Shoulder instability happens when the top of your upper arm bone (the humerus) is forced out of the shoulder socket (the glenoid). This often happens in a car accident or fall.

Once your shoulder is dislocated, it doesn’t fit in the socket as snugly as before. This causes mobility problems and increases your risk of repeat injury.

What are the symptoms of shoulder instability?

Shoulder instability symptoms include:

Pain after a shoulder injury
Feeling that your shoulder joint is loose or slipping out
Repeated instances of your shoulder giving out
Repeated shoulder dislocations

As your shoulder instability gets worse, you might have difficulty lifting your arm above your head or doing the simplest activities, like buttoning your shirt.

How is shoulder instability diagnosed?

Dr. Dunn reviews your medical records and asks about your shoulder joint, including when you first started noticing problems, how severe the pain is, and if you have difficulty doing things like combing your hair and brushing your teeth.

Dr. Dunn examines your shoulder joint and upper back, looking for redness, bruising, and swelling. He gently presses on your shoulder to identify sensitive spots and assesses your shoulder joint’s strength and range of motion.

Shoulder instability is easy to diagnose, but Dr. Dunn orders X-rays to look at your shoulder joint. X-rays allow him to assess the joint damage and determine the best treatment.

How is shoulder instability treated?

At St. Francis Orthopaedic Institute, Dr. Dunn takes an integrative, minimally invasive approach to treating shoulder instability. He could suggest:

Taking over-the-counter pain medication
Activity changes to reduce pressure on your shoulder joint
Physical therapy to strengthen your shoulder joint muscles
Platelet-rich plasma injections

Dr. Dunn recommends orthopedic surgery if your shoulder pain continues and/or your symptoms get worse. Depending on how severe your injury is, he’ll recommend either open or minimally invasive shoulder repair.

During shoulder surgery, Dr. Dunn repairs the soft tissues inside your shoulder, ensuring that your upper arm bone stays inside its socket.

What is recovery like after shoulder surgery?

After shoulder surgery, you’ll wear a sling for several weeks to immobilize the joint. During that time, it’s normal to have mild bruising, swelling, and pain. Take medication as prescribed and avoid strenuous activity. Once your joint begins to heal, enroll in physical therapy.

Call the St. Francis Orthopaedic Institute office today to schedule shoulder instability treatment, or book your visit online.