Dislocating your shoulder after falling is common. But regaining strength isn’t so easy

Q. I am a 40-year-old recreational athlete who last week was skiing. I fell and dislocated my left shoulder. The shoulder was put back in place at the emergency room. I left the hospital with my arm in a sling and I was told to see an orthopedic surgeon when I got back to Miami. The pain is almost gone in my shoulder, but my arm is so weak I can’t lift it. How long before my arm strength recovers and since the pain is less, should I still see a doctor?

A. Shoulder dislocations where the ball part of the shoulder pops out of the socket are common in skiing, wrestling and football. For the shoulder to dislocate in athletes under 35, the labrum usually has to tear. The labrum is a cartilage and soft tissue bumper that keeps the ball part of the shoulder stable and centered in the socket.

When the labrum is torn, the shoulder is prone to recurrent instability. As patients who sustained shoulder dislocations get older, the source of instability may be a large rotator cuff tendon tear instead of a labrum tear. The rotator cuff tendon is formed by four muscles that let you elevate and rotate the shoulder. They converge to form a tendon that attaches to the ball part of the shoulder.

If a large tear occurs acutely from a fall, the shoulder can not only be unstable but have significant weakness due to the rotator cuff tendon tear. I recommend you see an orthopedic surgeon for an exam and likely an MRI scan to help determine an accurate diagnosis and assist in establishing the best treatment options.

Dr. Harlan Selesnick is team physician of the Miami Heat and director of Miami Sports Medicine Fellowship, Doctors Hospital. Send your questions to HarlanS@baptisthealth.net