Young men, elderly women at highest risk of shoulder dislocation
March 3rd, 2010 by Jennifer Walker-Journey
Shoulder dislocations most often occur during sports activities and young men are at the greatest risk of having them, one of the main reasons young athletes see orthopaedic surgeons, according to a study published in the March 2010 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS). The study also puts elderly women at high risk of shoulder dislocation. Researchers add that despite the prevalence of shoulder dislocations, the injuries are relatively under-reported.
A team of researchers and orthopaedic surgeons at Keller Army Hospital in West Point, New York, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences reviewed 8,940 shoulder dislocations in patients at 100 emergency rooms across the country between 2002 and 2006. Of all dislocations, 71.8 percent were in men; 46.8 percent were in patients between 15-29 years of age; and 48.3 percent occurred during sports or recreation activities. Of the injuries that occurred during sports-related injuries, 37 percent were specifically from football or basketball activities. Among women, those ages 80 to 90 were at greatest risk of shoulder dislocation, most often due to falls at home.
“We were not too surprised to find the high number of young males dislocating their shoulders during athletic activity,” wrote Brett Owens, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Keller Army Hospital. “However, the rate of shoulder dislocations among elderly women was higher than we had previously assumed.”
Shoulder dislocation is a potentially painful and disabling condition, and treatment can vary depending on severity of symptoms. Most patients will improve with bracing and physical therapy, however some will require arthroscopic surgery.