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What are the Best Tips for Dislocated Shoulder Rehab?
A dislocated shoulder can be an extremely painful injury, especially considering the pain will linger for several weeks after the injury occurs. Dislocated shoulder rehab will be necessary to restore mobility and strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding the joint. One of the best tips for dislocated shoulder rehab is to start slow to prevent re-injury. The injured person will have to learn to push himself past his comfort zone over the course of weeks, but to begin dislocated shoulder rehab, only slight movements for brief periods of time should be attempted. Plenty of rest should be allowed for healing, and the arm should remain immobilized as much as possible.
After a shoulder dislocation occurs, the injured person will suffer from a loss of mobility in the arm. Dislocated shoulder rehab will include range of motion exercises that do not use resistance to restore some of that mobility. Again, the injured person should start with small movements several weeks after the injury occurs. The rest period in which the arm is immobilized is important to allow torn ligaments and muscles to repair themselves, and doing too much too soon can re-injure those ligaments and muscles. It is best to start slowly by testing the limits of the shoulder's range of motion. If pain occurs, stop the exercise immediately and rest.
After several weeks or even a month, dislocated shoulder rehab exercises using resistance may begin. These exercises are designed to strengthen and tone the damaged muscles and ligaments that were stretched and damaged during the injury. A doctor may recommend a physical therapist for the patient to visit; this professional will design an exercise program for the patient that will strengthen the muscles incrementally over the course of several weeks or months. Intense physical activity should be avoided until the exercise plan has been completed.
Other dislocated shoulder rehab exercises and stretches may be done at home to speed the recovery period, but again, the patient should be careful not to re-injure the shoulder. Soreness and aches are normal during rehabilitation, but sharp pains or limited mobility may be indicators of larger problems. After the injury and throughout the rehabilitation process, the patient can expect lasting muscle aches as well as headaches or aches in other parts of the body. Over the counter pain relievers can be taken to alleviate some of this pain; if the pain becomes more intense, a doctor may prescribe a stronger painkiller.
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![An extremely painful shoulder joint may indicate a dislocated shoulder.]()
By: sunabesyouAn extremely painful shoulder joint may indicate a dislocated shoulder. -
![Applying an ice pack to a dislocated shoulder can help relieve pain during rehab.]()
By: JPC-PRODApplying an ice pack to a dislocated shoulder can help relieve pain during rehab. -
![People with a dislocated shoulder may find temporary relief by taking a warm bath.]()
By: Andres RodriguezPeople with a dislocated shoulder may find temporary relief by taking a warm bath. -
![Dislocated shoulder rehab is necessary to strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding the shoulder joint.]()
By: joshyaDislocated shoulder rehab is necessary to strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding the shoulder joint.
Discussion Comments
When you are doing dislocated shoulder rehab you should start out very slowly and with as little stress as possible. This way you will not injure the shoulder further and you can slowly strengthen the muscles in that area around the shoulder.
I know someone whose shoulder pops out of socket regularly and he simply pops it back in place. It's painful for him when this happens, but he has gotten used to it happening and has learned to deal with the pain.
One of the ladies I work with dislocated her shoulder a few months ago and she is still having shoulder pain, and she can't use her arm like she could before the injury. Since I work out and try to stay in shape, she has asked me about the best ways to rehab her shoulder.
I am definitely not an expert in this area, but I do know that shoulder rehab is different for different people. Some people seem to recover quickly and others never get back to normal.
When I was in high school, I had a friend and we were both on the school basketball team. In addition to playing in school games, we played a lot of pick-up games during the off season.
One day we were playing a pick-up game at the local recreation center where we played a lot, especially during the summer. My friend was chasing a loose ball and he dove onto the floor to get to the ball before it rolled out of bounds. When he landed on the floor, he landed with all of his weight on his shoulder.
When my friend stood up, his shoulder was just hanging there like a rag doll. The sight was really scary, and he was in a lot of pain. The problem turned out to be a dislocated shoulder. He went to the doctor and he had his arm in a sling for a while, but he was back to normal in a couple of weeks or so.
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