Your shoulders are unique among your joints for their range of motion. This allows you to perform many overhead motions that other joints couldn’t handle, such as reaching up to get something off a high shelf or throwing a ball. But this increased mobility comes at a cost, our shoulders are prone to becoming unstable, which can lead to pain and disability.
At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, we are experts in diagnosing and treating shoulder instability. Our team has experience in utilizing the most conservative and effective treatments available, from physical therapy to cutting-edge surgical techniques. We will work with you to develop a treatment plan that relieves your pain and helps you regain full function of your shoulders.
If you're ready to find relief from shoulder instability, schedule your first appointment online with Barrington Orthopedic Specialists. We look forward to helping you get back to your normal activities pain-free!
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, which means that the round head of the upper arm bone (humerus) fits into a shallow socket in the shoulder blade (scapula). The socket is called the glenoid, and a rim of cartilage called the labrum surrounds it and helps to deepen the socket. Ligaments and tendons connect the bones and muscles around the shoulder joint, providing stability.
When these structures are damaged or weakened, the shoulder can become unstable. Shoulder instability means that the humerus is not held securely in the glenoid socket and can slip out of place (dislocate) or move too far backward or forward. This can cause pain, weakness, and loss of range of motion in the affected shoulder.
At BOS, we have experience treating all causes of shoulder instability, including:
If you have shoulder instability, you may experience symptoms such as:
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible so that the cause can be diagnosed and treated.
Shoulder instability can be caused by a traumatic event, such as a fall, physical activity, sports, or car accident, that damages the labrum, ligaments or tendons around the shoulder joint. However, shoulder instability can also develop gradually over time due to overuse injuries or degenerative changes in the joint.
Barrington Orthopedic Specialists has multiple conveniently accessible locations across the greater Chicago area. Our offices can be found in:
At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, we make it easy to get started with the top orthopedic specialists in Illinois. Just use our online tool to select a time that works for you, and we’ll be in contact shortly.