Dislocated shoulder
Also called: shoulder dislocation, subluxed shoulder, shoulder subluxation, anterior shoulder dislocation, popped shoulder. Clinical name: Glenohumeral (shoulder joint) dislocation, most often anterior (forwards); a partial dislocation is called a subluxation.
Recovery from a dislocated shoulder usually takes 6–12 weeks, and up to 16 weeks or longer before some sports (NHS). It first needs A&E, an X-ray and a clinician to put it back in; never try it yourself.
What it actually is
A dislocated shoulder is when the ball at the top of the upper arm comes out of the shoulder socket, usually forwards. It tends to happen in a fall, a collision or a tackle with the arm out to the side, which is why it’s a familiar injury in rugby, GAA, hockey and horse riding. The first rule is simple: it needs A&E, an X-ray and a clinician. Don’t try to put it back in yourself, and don’t let anyone at the side of the pitch try. Support the arm in a sling or a towel, hold ice to it, and get someone else to drive you, or call 999 if you can’t get there.
In hospital, the X-ray confirms the dislocation and checks for a break, then a doctor moves the joint back under a sedative or local anaesthetic. What follows is quicker than most people expect at the start and slower at the end. The sling is usually only needed for a week or two, movement comes back over the first six weeks, and the NHS puts overall recovery at 6 to 12 weeks, with up to 16 weeks or longer before some sports. Those are typical ranges rather than a promise, and your own timeline depends on your age, your sport and how the joint heals.
The part that deserves the most respect is the risk of it happening again. A shoulder that has dislocated once is more likely to come out again, and younger patients carry a higher risk, which is why a first dislocation is followed up in clinic and some people are referred to a shoulder specialist to talk about surgery. The best protection is finishing the physio: rebuilding strength and control around the shoulder and shoulder blade before tackling, throwing or lifting overhead. Tracked day by day, you can see the difference between a shoulder that feels fine and one that’s genuinely ready, and that decision is made with your physio, surgeon or club medic.
How bad is it?
A dislocated shoulder isn't graded 1–2–3. It's described by how far the joint came out and whether it has happened before. In a full dislocation the ball at the top of the upper arm comes right out of the socket; in a subluxation (a partial dislocation) it only partly comes out and may slip back in by itself, sometimes leaving little more than pain (AAOS). Most go forwards, an anterior dislocation. After a first-time dislocation, the NHS says recovery usually takes 6 to 12 weeks, and up to 16 weeks or longer before some sports. Once a shoulder has come out it's more likely to come out again, and younger patients have a higher risk of recurrent dislocation (Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS). That's why a first dislocation is followed up in clinic, and why surgery is sometimes discussed, especially for young athletes or a shoulder that keeps dislocating (AAOS; NHS Borders).
How long will it take?
Recovery moves in phases. This is the typical shape of it. Yours may run faster or slower, and the numbers below are general ranges, not a forecast for your specific injury.
When to get it looked at
Most cases settle with time and sensible loading. Get it assessed by a professional if any of these apply, as they can point to something that needs hands-on care:
- Your shoulder looks out of place or has changed shape, or you can't move your arm after an injury: go to A&E, or call 999 if you can't get there. Don't drive yourself, and don't try to put it back in
- A cold, pale, white or purple-looking hand on the injured side, which can mean the blood supply is affected: call 999 or go straight to A&E
- Loss of feeling, numbness, weakness or loss of movement in the arm or hand: contact the fracture clinic or orthopaedic team the same day, or the emergency department out of hours
- Pain that keeps getting worse despite painkillers, or swelling or discolouration of the hand that isn't settling: contact the fracture clinic or orthopaedic team the same day
- The shoulder comes out again, or feels unstable or like it's giving way: go to A&E if it's stuck out of place, otherwise tell your fracture clinic or physio, as a repeat dislocation needs specialist review
- No follow-up call, clinic or physio appointment within about a week or two of your A&E visit: ring the fracture clinic, because a first dislocation should be checked for re-dislocation risk
This is a list of warning signs, not a diagnosis. If you are worried, or the pain is severe, see a GP, physiotherapist or urgent care.
What to track while you recover
After a dislocation, the shoulder usually feels better well before it's stable. A short daily record of pain, movement and any moment it felt loose shows whether you're genuinely ready for the next step, or just having a good day.
- Pain score, 0 to 10, at rest, at night, and on the hardest movement you did today
- How far the arm moves without sharp pain: below shoulder height, overhead, hand behind your head
- Any moment the shoulder felt loose, slipped, clunked or gave way, and exactly what you were doing
- Rehab exercises done, with the band or weight used, so strength gains are real rather than remembered
- Sleep and the sling: hours in it, nights woken by the shoulder, and any numbness or tingling in the arm or hand
This is exactly what InjuryLog does.
Log each of these in seconds, watch the trend build day by day, and keep every scan and receipt tied to this one injury. Free on iOS, Android soon.
What to tell your physio
The biggest question after a dislocation is whether it will happen again, and your physio or shoulder specialist weighs that largely from your story. Bring the details while they're fresh.
- Exactly how it happened: the arm position (out to the side, turned back, a fall on an outstretched hand) and the sport or activity
- Whether it went back in by itself or was put back in A&E, and what the X-ray showed
- Whether this is the first time, or how many times it has dislocated or partly slipped out before
- Any numbness, weakness or odd sensation in the arm since, and positions where the shoulder feels like it might slip
- Your sport, position and level, the date you're aiming for, and whether surgery has been mentioned
Walk in with the whole picture.
InjuryLog turns your daily logs into a clean Physio Visit Pack, a one-page summary your physio can actually read, so the first appointment starts with facts, not guesswork.
The questions people actually ask
How long does a dislocated shoulder take to heal?
The NHS says recovery usually takes 6 to 12 weeks, and it can take up to 16 weeks, or longer for some people, to fully return to some sports. Hospital leaflets give a similar shape: the soft tissues take about six weeks to heal and most normal activities are back by around then (Hull), while contact sport may need several months of rehab (Northern Lincolnshire and Goole). A shoulder that has dislocated before, or that needs surgery, follows a different timeline. Treat all of these as typical ranges, not a promise for your shoulder.
What are the symptoms of a dislocated shoulder?
Usually severe pain straight after a fall or a hit, an arm you can't move, and a shoulder that looks out of place or has changed shape, often with swelling and bruising (NHS). AAOS also lists numbness and weakness in the arm. A partial dislocation, or subluxation, can be harder to spot: the joint may slip back in by itself and leave mainly pain, with the shoulder still moving fairly well. Any shoulder that looks deformed, or that you can't move after an injury, needs A&E and an X-ray.
Can you put a dislocated shoulder back in yourself?
No. The NHS is clear: don't try to put the arm back in place yourself, and don't let a teammate or coach try either. The shoulder needs an X-ray first, partly to confirm it's dislocated and which way, and partly because a severe dislocation can come with a broken bone, torn ligaments or damage to nerves and blood vessels (AAOS). In hospital a doctor moves it back gently under a sedative or local anaesthetic, then checks the arm. Until then, support the arm in a sling or towel, use ice, and get to A&E.
What is the difference between a subluxed and a dislocated shoulder?
It's about how far the joint comes out. In a full dislocation, the ball at the top of the upper arm comes completely out of the socket. In a subluxation, a partial dislocation, the joint surfaces only partly separate, and the bones may slip back into place by themselves (AAOS). That can make a subluxation easy to shrug off, but it's still a dislocation injury, and AAOS notes that repeated episodes can lead to chronic instability, a shoulder that keeps slipping or giving way. A shoulder that keeps subluxing deserves a physio or orthopaedic assessment.
When can I play rugby again after a dislocated shoulder?
Later than most players hope. The NHS says it can take up to 16 weeks to fully return to some sports, and longer for some people, and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole notes that contact sport may need several months of rehabilitation. The usual marker is full strength and full range of movement, not just an absence of pain (Hull). Tackling puts the shoulder in the arm-out position that most dislocations happen in (AAOS), so it comes back last. The decision is made with your physio, surgeon or club medic, and any date is an estimate.
Will my shoulder dislocate again?
It might. The NHS says that once a shoulder has dislocated it's at increased risk of doing so again, and that the risk depends on your age and how well the joint heals. Younger patients are at higher risk of recurrent dislocation (Northern Lincolnshire and Goole), which is why first-time dislocations are followed up in clinic and some are referred to a shoulder specialist. Keeping up the physio matters: AAOS says strength and control of the shoulder and shoulder blade muscles reduce the risk of a repeat. A shoulder that comes out again needs specialist review.
Do you need surgery for a dislocated shoulder?
Most first-time dislocations are managed without surgery: the joint is put back, rested briefly in a sling, then rehabilitated with physio. AAOS says surgery is considered when the joint can't be put back, when it keeps dislocating, or when the muscles or bones around it are injured, and it may involve repairing the ligaments or the labrum. NHS Borders notes surgery is more common in younger patients and recurrent dislocations, and AAOS says some young athletes choose it after a first dislocation to lower the chance of a repeat. It's a decision made with a shoulder surgeon.
Sources
- Dislocated shoulder, NHS
- Shoulder Dislocation, AAOS OrthoInfo
- Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: Advice regarding healing and recovery, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Anterior Shoulder Dislocation (patients under 40 years old and no fracture), Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust
- Shoulder Dislocation, NHS Borders