r/ShoulderInjuries

I feel like I’m faced with a difficult decision. Three weeks ago I dislocated my shoulder from a fall and had it reduced at the hospital. It’s the first time it’s ever dislocated and not gone back in on its own, but I’ve had it either partially dislocated or have had subluxations that have always gone back in on their own Im just not sure how many over like 15 years. I am about to turn 26.

The MRI showed a bankart tear and a hill sachs lesion- my orthopedist said it was a pretty nasty dislocation and recommended I get anthroscopic bankart repair surgery and a remplissage but is okay with me starting physical therapy first for four weeks to see if that helps.

I’m struggling because currently I’m not in a lot of pain, my range of motion is basically back to normal other than the far end of certain motions. But I also think in the last 3 weeks I had two subluxations or small moments of instability. But otherwise I’ve been able to go on with normal activities without it feeling constantly unstable I’m just coming to learn that that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.

So I’m unsure of what to do. Should I get the surgery? I’m afraid of dislocating it again and having even more damage. But I’m also not an athlete so I’m unsure of what to do.

Please give me advice!

(m22) i have had 14 dislocations since june of ‘23. most have been anterior, but there’s a good chance some of them have been posterior with 1 i believe inferior.
i have only gotten 1 mri after my 4th one. it came back with the results of

1. Poorly delineated anterior inferior labrum with fluid signal in the posterior labrum likely representing near circumferential labral tear.
2. Subacute Hill-Sachs fracture.
3. Possible biceps tendinosis.

since the 4th once and the mri, i’ve reduced my shoulder by myself all 10 times it’s happened after. they have ranged from falling while skiing, loosing balance while on ice, and even lifting 100lbs overhead ( i know bad idea… work)

i did do physical therapy for about 4 months to no avail really.
i’m terrified to get the surgery done for a few reasons.

1. the insurance i have only covers me at a hospital network that’s 2 hours away. no out of network coverage.
2. that’s a very long recovery… i’m broke just like everyone else and can’t afford to take work off for that long
3. will greatly affect my day to day life with major inconvenience.
4. gas costs alone to get to appointments would be large.

my shoulder comes out on on average every 102 days with the shortest gap being 0 days and the longest being 260.

what do you think my options are? lots of thinking on my mind and i’ve been pretty much spiraling. i’ve had very minimal appointments about this subject, especially after the MRI. i guess i got scared.

Appreciate anyone who makes it to the end, and whoever replies. So I had a subluxation/dislocation while snowboarding about 15 years ago on my right shoulder. Not sure if it fully came out and got knocked back in during the time I taco’d the quad kink I was on or if it was just partial. When I got up I could hardly move it, but it moved. Spent the next few months taking it easy and seemed like it was ok. Few random movements with heavy force would make it feel like it would pop out, but never any long lasting pain.

Fast forward to two weeks ago I was sleeping on my side and had that random, full body jolt and it happened again. Certain movements away from my body and backward actually make me wince in pain, which I have a fairly high pain tolerance. It’s popped no less than 6 times, which I equate to cracking your knuckles, which relieves the pain for about 10 mins and then it’s back to what it was previously.

For context, I am 40 and pretty active (as a dad with 3 kids would be). Definitely not a spring chicken, but also not so old that sitting around is an option. I have a message in with an orthopedic clinic to set up an MRI, but for those of you who have similar situations, what is the likelihood of surgery? I have a pretty physical job (automated machine assembly and electrical), so I find myself in awkward positions running wires or drilling holes for tie bases. Secondly, I have a 6yo, 4yo, and 3 month old at home. Which brings me to my last thought, I live in MN and winter is approaching sooner than later. IF surgery is in the cards, that puts me out of clearing snow all winter.

Really just trying to brace my mentality for the worse, while hoping it’s PT that can bring it back. Yes, if the doc recommends surgery I will get it. I’m not really scared or nervous, but I’m a planner and if I’m on short term at work, needing help with snow, kids, etc I want to be prepared for it.

I had an ACJ separation 2.5 years ago. The doctor said no surgery needed. I stuck with the physical therapy program for a month. I had one kid before and now two kids in that time and busy with work so continued pt was difficult to maintain and just exhausted. Without doing much extreme activity it felt fine. Sometimes would wake up sore from sleeping on it or if I picked one of the kids up in a weird way.

Got back into the gym recently and I realized it’s definitely not 100% and is still very weak compared to my other arm and for certain exercises it still hurts. I have good range of motion though. I’m still young and want to be able to use it without catering to it. I’ve read some stories here that go back to activities that I would be scared to try with the way it feels (bjj, lifting heavy, etc.)

I guess wondering how yall knew if surgery was necessary, and what steps to take ahead of that…go back to pt exercises and rehabbing it? A combo with weights and pt? I know I should probably go see a specialist. Anyway looking for experience from anyone who didn’t have surgery, or did not have it right away and ended up getting it down the road. Thanks.

Edited: did it > didn’t **