| The shoulder is the most
mobile joint in the human body. It is a ball-and-socket
joint much like the hip joint. The difference is that
in the shoulder joint the socket is very shallow to allow
for greater movement. This therefore compromises its
stability.
Relying more heavily on the
cartilage and ligaments than bone for stability, the
shoulder joint is at much greater risk of dislocation than
any other joint.
Shoulder
Instability
If the shoulder is injured, and
the ball is pushed out of its socket recurrent
"instability" or dislocations may occur. This is more
likely if the cartilage around the shoulder joint has been torn (Bankart
Lesion) of the ligaments have been stretched or torn.
The injury usually occurs when
the arm is forcefully pushed, but can occur as a result of
repetitive trauma, such as in the throwing athlete.
If the shoulder comes
completely out of its joint it is called a dislocation, if
the joint does not come completely out it is called a subluxation
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