Learn something new every day More Info... by email A dislocated
shoulder is a joint dislocation involving the shoulder joint.
This joint is among the most mobile in the body, allowing the
arm a wide range of motion, but this trait also makes it prone
to dislocations, because it is not as stable as joints with more
limited movement. In a dislocated shoulder, the ball of the
humerus pops out of the socket of the shoulder blade. Sports
injuries are a common cause for a shoulder dislocation. This
joint can also be dislocated as the result of a hard blow, a
fall, or a seizure. In most cases, people experience an anterior
shoulder dislocation, in which the ball of the humerus is pushed
in front of the shoulder blade. It is also possible for it to
wind up behind the shoulder blade, or even slightly below it. In
a variation on a dislocation known as subluxation, the shoulder
joint is only partially dislocated. People usually notice that
they have a dislocated shoulder right away. The joint is
extremely painful, and