Experienced Shoulder Orthopedic Specialists Near Chicago, IL

Shoulder Instability

Your shoulders are unique among your joints for their range of motion. This allows you to perform many overhead motions that other joints couldn’t handle, such as reaching up to get something off a high shelf or throwing a ball. But this increased mobility comes at a cost, our shoulders are prone to becoming unstable, which can lead to pain and disability.

At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, we are experts in diagnosing and treating shoulder instability. Our team has experience in utilizing the most conservative and effective treatments available, from physical therapy to cutting-edge surgical techniques. We will work with you to develop a treatment plan that relieves your pain and helps you regain full function of your shoulders.

If you're ready to find relief from shoulder instability, schedule your first appointment online with Barrington Orthopedic Specialists. We look forward to helping you get back to your normal activities pain-free!

  Schedule an Appointment

Expert Treatment for Dislocated Shoulder, SLAP Tears & More

Treating & Diagnosing Shoulder Instability

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, which means that the round head of the upper arm bone (humerus) fits into a shallow socket in the shoulder blade (scapula). The socket is called the glenoid, and a rim of cartilage called the labrum surrounds it and helps to deepen the socket. Ligaments and tendons connect the bones and muscles around the shoulder joint, providing stability.

When these structures are damaged or weakened, the shoulder can become unstable. Shoulder instability means that the humerus is not held securely in the glenoid socket and can slip out of place (dislocate) or move too far backward or forward. This can cause pain, weakness, and loss of range of motion in the affected shoulder.

At BOS, we have experience treating all causes of shoulder instability, including:

• Shoulder dislocation: This occurs when the head of the humerus pops out of the glenoid socket. Recurrent shoulder dislocation means that the shoulder has been dislocated multiple times and is at risk for future dislocations.
• Labral tears: The labrum is a rim of cartilage that surrounds the glenoid socket and helps to deepen it. A tear in the labrum can cause shoulder instability and can occur after a shoulder dislocation.
• SLAP tears: SLAP stands for “superior labrum from anterior to posterior.” A SLAP tear is a type of labral tear that occurs in the upper part of the labrum.
• Bankart lesions: This is damage to the ligaments that attach the labrum to the front of the shoulder joint. A Bankart lesion can cause recurrent shoulder dislocation.

If you have shoulder instability, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Pain in the shoulder, especially with certain motions such as reaching overhead or throwing a ball
• A feeling of the shoulder “giving way” or “popping out”

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible so that the cause can be diagnosed and treated.