Shoulder Instability Treatment in Illinois

Seek Relief from Your Shoulder Condition

Shoulder joints facilitate a wide range of motion, enabling various flexible movements. In a healthy shoulder, the ball of the upper arm bone (humerus) moves freely against the shoulder blade (scapula), relying on the rotator cuff to hold it in proper alignment. Functioning as it should, the shoulder rotates, turns in multiple directions, and helps control arm movements – particularly overhead.

Through athletic injury, repetitive stress, or degeneration, shoulder tissue can lose the ability to keep the humerus properly positioned. Recurrent shoulder instability is a chronic condition characterized by frequent bouts of shoulder unsteadiness.

Cause & Symptoms of Shoulder Instability

Shoulder dislocation takes place when the upper arm bone is disrupted from its socket (glenoid), at the shoulder blade. When the shoulder dislocates, surrounding tissue is susceptible to damage, including tendon tears and muscle or ligament injuries. Depending on the extent of the shoulder damage, the joint can become loose and unstable. Under these circumstances, the shoulder is at risk for recurring dislocation and chronic instability.

It is also possible to develop recurrent shoulder instability without sustaining dislocation. Repetitive stress on the shoulder, for instance, may result in ligaments loosening without the joint leaving the socket. These ligaments may become stretched due to prolonged athletic activity, or the loosening may result from stressful, repetitive duties conducted on the job. Once the weakened ligaments lose their effectiveness, recurrent shoulder instability can occur.

Recurrent shoulder instability may lead to one or more of the following symptoms:

• Pain caused by shoulder injury
• Repeated shoulder dislocations
• Repeated instances of shoulder giving out
• Persistent sensation of shoulder feeling loose, slipping in and out of the joint, or just “hanging there”

If you are suffering from shoulder instability in Fox Valley, seek treatment from our orthopedic specialists by calling Fox Valley Orthopedics at 630-584-1400.