A dislocated shoulder blade is one of the most common dislocated joint injuries to the body. Symptoms of a dislocation include acute, severe pain, numbness, tingling and limited range of motion. The arm may visually look out of proper alignment. When a shoulder becomes dislocated, the arm pops out of the cup-shaped socket in the shoulder blade, explains MayoClinic.com. The shoulder may dislocate forward, backward or downward. Common reasons for a dislocated shoulder include sports injuries and traumatic blows to the shoulder—commonly during a vehicular accident or falls.
Step 1
Take medications to decrease pain prior to the shoulder blade being relocated. Muscle relaxants or sedatives are commonly prescribed for this condition. In rare occasions, a general sedative is prescribed, according to MayoClinic.com.
Step 2
Receive medical treatment to relieve pain and relocate the shoulder. Once the shoulder is treated, the severe pain associated with the injury should subside, reports MayoClinic.com.
Step 3
Have a medical professional perform closed reduction on the dislocated shoulder. The shoulder is manually maneuvered by placing the humerus back into the ball joint. Wear a sling or shoulder immobilizer after the closed reduction procedure to immobilize the shoulder.
Step 4
Undergo open reduction surgery if the medical professional is unable to correctly maneuver the arm and shoulder back into position. Surgery is rarely required to correct a dislocation. Still, surgery may be necessary to strengthen tendons and ligaments, and correct any blood vessel or nerve damage.
Tips and Warnings
- Apply ice packs to the site to decrease pain and swelling for several days after the relocation. Switch to heat therapy after a few days. Do not apply heating pads to skin for more than 20 minutes at a time. Participate in physical therapy to restrengthen the shoulder blade after the injury. Most shoulder dislocations take a few weeks to heal. If surgery occurred, healing may take several months. Once your shoulder has been dislocated, you are at a higher risk for the injury to occur again. MayoClinic.com recommends slowly resuming physical activity to avoid reinjury. Continue strength and range of motion exercises to avoid future injuries.
- Don’t participate in strenuous activity or lift heavy objects until the shoulder heals.
Things You'll Need
- Medications
- Sling
- Shoulder immobilizer
