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  • Sports Medicine Injuries and Specialty Care of the Elite Level Athlete

    The physicians at OSMCKC are Sports Medicine Fellowship Trained Orthopaedic Surgeons with years of experience caring for the elite level athlete of all ages.


  • Cartilage Restoration and Repair

    Our physicians are experts in the care of cartilage lesions of the knee, elbow, shoulder and hip. Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI), Osteochondral Autograft Transfer (OATs), microfracture, primary cartilage repair, and cartilage regeneration are techniques individually selected with each patient.


  • Ligament Reconstruction of the Knee

    Procedures perform include:
    Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is surgery to reconstruct the torn ligament of your knee with a tissue graft.


  • Total Knee Replacement

    Total knee replacement (TKR) is a surgical procedure in which the worn out or damaged surfaces of the knee joint are removed and replaced with new artificial parts.


  • Shoulder Surgery including Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair & Reconstruction

    Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and shoulder instability surgery can restore function and stability to the active patient and overhead athlete.

  • Total Shoulder Replacement

    Shoulder joint replacement is a surgical procedure performed to replace the damaged shoulder joint with the artificial implants. Shoulder joint replacement is usually performed when the joint

  • Elbow injuries

    Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (Tommy John Surgery) restores function and stability to the overhead athlete with a ligament injury


  • Treatment of Sports Foot/Ankle Injuries, Ankle Arthroscopy and Cartilage Restoration

    Sports injuries occur when playing indoor or outdoor sports or while exercising. Sports injuries can result from accidents, inadequate training, improper use of protective devices, or insufficient stretching or warm-up exercises.

  • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapeutic Treatments

    Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is platelet rich concentrated portion of blood plasma. Blood plasma contains vital growth factors that help in repairing the injured tissue and platelets

  • Ankle Arthritis

    Arthritis is inflammation resulting from the degeneration of cartilage in the joint causing pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints resulting in restricted movements.

Home » Shoulder Instability

Shoulder Instability

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Shoulder instability is a chronic condition that causes frequent dislocations of the shoulder joint. A dislocation occurs when the end of the humerus (the ball portion) partially or completely dislocates from the glenoid (the socket portion) of the shoulder. A partial dislocation is referred to as a subluxation whereas a complete separation is referred to as a dislocation. The common symptoms of shoulder instability include pain with certain movements of the shoulder; popping or grinding sound may be heard or felt, swelling and bruising of the shoulder may be seen immediately following subluxation or dislocation. Visible deformity and loss of function of the shoulder occurs after subluxation or sensation changes such as numbness or even partial paralysis can occur below the dislocation as a result of pressure on nerves and blood vessels.

The risk factors that increase the chances of developing shoulder instability include:

  • Injury or trauma to the shoulder
  • Falling on an outstretched hand
  • Repetitive overhead sports such as baseball, swimming, volleyball, or weightlifting
  • Loose shoulder ligaments or an enlarged capsule

Treatment

The goal of conservative treatment for shoulder instability is to restore stability, strength, and full range of motion. Conservative treatment measures may include the following:

When these conservative treatment options fail to relieve shoulder instability, your surgeon may recommend shoulder stabilization surgery. Shoulder stabilization surgery is done to improve stability and function to the shoulder joint and prevent recurrent dislocations. It can be performed arthroscopically, depending on your particular situation, with much smaller incisions. Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure in which an arthroscope, a small flexible tube with a light and video camera at the end, is inserted into a joint to evaluate and treat of the condition. The benefits of arthroscopy compared to the alternative, open shoulder surgery are smaller incisions, minimal soft tissue trauma, less pain leading to faster recovery.