I dislocated my shoulder yesterday whilst doing dumbbell presses. Its the 2nd time I've done this shoulder. I realise now that I straightened my arm too much, but even so ít shouldn't have been enough pressure to dislocate a good shoulder. I'm currently a beginner in Muay Thai. For those that have had multiple dislocations of a shoulder: - What did you do for recovery? - Have any of you had shoulder sugery? If so, was it a success? Also, realistically, how long before I'll be training again (assuming no surgery). By memory it will be a few months.
I have gotten my shoulder out of place a few times, usually after the sifu puts it back in place I go home and ice it for about a month trying to put as little stress as possible in the joint, I apply jow to it but im not sure if this is recommended. After about a month im usually ready to go back.
If your shoulder was truly dislocated, with the head all of the way out of the socket, it wouldn't "pop" back in. Most people can't put a dislocated shoulder back in place by themselves (or with help from another person) and it's difficult for even a physician to get it back in place. What might have occured is that the exertion placed against the shoulder caused the head to slip momentarily out of the socket, that is, become partially dislocated, or subluxated. When the shoulder head slides partially out and then snaps back in, it stretches the rotator cuff muscles, and you have the same problem as an overuse injury. When the rotator cuff muscles are now overstretched, the next time the shoulder takes the brunt of another exertion, the head is likely to slide out again. Each time the rotator cuff gets looser and looser until finally your shoulder is in danger of really dislocating. A fellow student was prone to this happening during sparring. The standard treatment for this is rest. Resting your shoulder may not hurt, but the rotator cuff muscles are not getting any stronger. If the muscles stay loose, the shoulder joint can still slip again and again. You need a strengthening program for the rotator cuff muscles to prevent future slipping. Rotator cuff muscles are slow healers. A good strengthening program will take 6 to 12 weeks, and the shoulder may not be back to full strength for six months or more. I read that it takes two shoulder dislocations (fully dislocated is when the head comes all the way out of the socket) means surgery.... but even with multiple dislocations, a good rehab strengthening program can often tighten the shoulder muscles so that no surgery is necessary. You really should seek the advice of a physician to determine whether or not this is a full or partial dislocation or whether even it is a separation of the AC joint.
Chronic dislocations of the shoulder are usually treated by a surgery that shortens the ligaments that hold the head of the humerus in place. Its not a big deal for most people, but make sure your MD knows your a martial artist and you put a great deal of strain on your shoulders. Go for the muscle strengthening exercises first before surgery.
Thanks for your help. It relocated after about 3 minutes so I guess it was a partial dislocation. Last time it was about 10 minutes. After I did it the 1st time, my physio said if I do it again I should consider surgery. I'll see how it recovers with rehab
