The Shoulder

instability

"Minor shoulder instability".

Repetitive microtraumata may repeatedly stress and stretch soft tissues in and around the shoulder. In the end they may lead to weakening and dammage of these structures and eventually to subluxation of the humeral head.
This is certainly the case in some sports (swimming, throwing and racket sports) where large and repetitive forces act on the inert and contractile structures of the shoulder.

A chronic instability with recurrent subluxations may then be difficult to differentiate from a pure "impingement syndrome".

It is very wel probable that minor shoulder instability and impingement syndrome have a combined presentation: Recurrent tendinitis or bursitis may be provoked by a minor instability of the shoulder. Conversely, insufficiency of one or more contractile structures (weakness or partial rupture) may lead to an instability.

Stabilising factors

Diagnosis

Treatment