UpPlus Physiotherapy Logo

Shoulder Instability

The shoulder trades stability for range — it moves further than any other joint, and is correspondingly easier to dislocate. Instability runs from a shoulder that has fully dislocated to one that merely feels like it might in certain positions. Rehabilitation is the mainstay, and for many people it is enough; the deciding factors are age, sport and how many times it has happened.

Related reading: injury to the joint on top of the shoulder and cuff pain.

What causes it

  • A dislocation, usually a fall on an outstretched arm or a tackle
  • Repeated overhead sport — throwing, swimming, racquet sports
  • Naturally increased joint laxity, which some people simply have
  • Weakness through the cuff and shoulder blade muscles
  • A previous dislocation, which considerably raises the odds of another

What you might notice

  • A feeling that the shoulder will slip out in certain positions
  • Apprehension with the arm out to the side and rotated back
  • Clunking or a sensation of the joint moving where it should not
  • Aching after activity rather than sharp pain during it
  • Pins and needles down the arm after an episode

How we treat it

  • Rotator cuff and shoulder blade strengthening, the foundation of the whole program
  • Position-specific control work, so the shoulder is stable where it actually fails
  • Progressive return to overhead and contact load in stages
  • Technique changes for the sport involved
  • Taping or bracing during the return phase where useful
  • Referral for a surgical opinion after repeated dislocations, particularly in younger people

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Symptoms overlap between conditions, so the right treatment depends on an assessment. If your pain followed a significant injury, is getting worse, or comes with numbness, weakness or unexplained weight loss, please see your GP.

A shoulder that has gone out once is likely to again

The strongest protection against a repeat is strength and control in the positions where it fails. That is a structured program, not a set of generic exercises.

Book a shoulder assessment Ask a question first

Or call us on (08) 7008 7566 — we see patients across Seaton, Modbury and Stepney.

Other shoulder conditions we treat

Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy Shoulder Impingement Frozen Shoulder AC Joint Injury Shoulder Bursitis

Back to all shoulder conditions