I've noticed that a lot of people have looked at this, but there have been no replies. Obviously a lot of people have the same question that I did. I thought that I would report that it is now 4 1/2 months since I originally hurt my shoulder and I am feeling a lot better. I'm taking celebrex (and it is a wonderful drug!) and still doing exercises. I know that I did something to my shoulder but the pain has really subsided. It can still be tough to find a position at night, but for the most part, I am starting to think that I will make a complete recovery. And I think it will be in time for the next ski season! :d :d

I dislocated my shoulder six weeks ago and i'm also at the point when I am wondering, "how long?" so am most pleased to find your two posts which give me hope that i'm on a normal recovery track. I, too, have had three weeks of physical therapy, but can't say i've 95% return, more like 75%..... But i'm hopeful that a return to full range of motion is likely. I'm in my early 50s and am quite active. I just read on another website that it takes 3-6 months for full recovery from a shoulder dislocation. So you are almost there. Thanks for posting in may so I could find your message today.

I also dislocated my shoulder at 47 and it was quite severe - my first dislocation. It is exactly three months since the accident and I have about 98% of my range of motion back (touching my left scapula with my right hand isn't happening yet). I exercise the shoulder 1 - 1 1/2 hours a day for both motion and strength (strength only began in earnest about 3 weeks ago as my shoulder wasn't stable enough and some muscles were very weak). It's not entirely painless yet: there is aching in my bicep and bearable pain/discomfort on the front and back of my shoulder. I am just beginning to lay comfortably on my injured side - before that it would have been very uncomfortable. I'd like to encourage others to keep pushing with those range of motion exercises, no matter how slow the progress feels. If I hadn't, I don't believe i'd be where I am in recovery now. Also, my physio, who works with many athletes and is outstanding, suggests icing at least twice a day even when there's no immediate pain.

I also dislocated my shoulder at 47 and it was quite severe - my first dislocation. It is exactly three months since the accident and I have about 98% of my range of motion back (touching my left scapula with my right hand isn't happening yet). I exercise the shoulder 1 - 1 1/2 hours a day for both motion and strength (strength only began in earnest about 3 weeks ago as my shoulder wasn't stable enough and some muscles were very weak). It's not entirely painless yet: there is aching in my bicep and bearable pain/discomfort on the front and back of my shoulder. I am just beginning to lay comfortably on my injured side - before that it would have been very uncomfortable. I'd like to encourage others to keep pushing with those range of motion exercises, no matter how slow the progress feels. If I hadn't, I don't believe i'd be where I am in recovery now. Also, my physio, who works with many athletes and is outstanding, suggests icing at least twice a day even when there's no immediate pain.

I dislocated my right shoulder when I was 17 badly. It was pushed out when playing rugby and sat on my rib cage for abut 3 hours untill they could put it back. It ripped through the cartilage and muscle casing and was pressing on the skin. I then had to have extensive physio for about 3 months to get a all most full range of movement and then could start building the strength back. I am now 21 and I have to admit it is still painful in certain high stress movements and it tends to click and grind a alot. However I am doing everthing I used to and more with little problem.

My main recommendation and advice is firstly in my case the shoulder will never completley return to normal and most of the people I have met with the same injury have found the same. But there is no substitue for good physio therapy and having the will power to stick with the movements and exercises they gave you. As for a specific time it may never get better but you have to give it time. Good luck

I dislocated my shoulder 5 months ago. I decided not to have surgery even though the mri said I have a torn labrum (bankart lesion). I am 27 and am fairly active - surfing, kayaking, etc.

I had my shoulder in a sling for 3 weeks with no movement. Then I had a pretty frozen shoulder and had 3 months of pt. Now I am lifting weights, doing push ups, and my should feels back to normal, although when I flex I notice that it is still somewhat smaller. It makes some weird pops too but isnt really a big deal. I am going to start surfing again this month. I guess that 50% of people redislocate. Hopefully I will not.

I first dislocated my shoulder @ 14 yrs old fighting. I dislocated my right shoulder @ least 9 times over a 4 year span, my left shoulder 2 times. I had surgery on my right shoulder after I graduated and I recommend it to anyone who's shoulder has came out like mine b/c it started to come out to easy and hard headed me would give it no time to heal and did no rehabilitation exercises and I'm sure I'll pay for it in arthritis later in life. In most cases, playing basketball and 2 times fighting (naughty me). After surgery and a few months later, my right shoulder seems about 95%, I lift weights and that's helped alot, and I also play basketball which still scares me but I believe Im good. My left shoulder hasn't had the surgery, and it still clicks when i do certain shoulder exercises and my right shoulder sometimes aches when I bench press heavy weight. I don't know why my shoulders are like this but they are. The pain is of course excruciating to the point where you pray to God but after the first 3 times it seems as if I became somewhat immune to it, when enduring the pain I would only look forward to the good medicine the nurse provides. I wasn't smart enough to follow up on most of my dislocations nor do exercises before returning to basketball and I payed for it. Let my experience be a lesson and follow up, rehabilitate, see a bone doctor, and be safe

Hiya,

I am 34 years old and fully dislocated my right shoulder 6 weeks ago shutting the boot of my car. (Yes I know it sounds rediculous!) The A&E Dept who treated me and my physio cant believe how it happened.

Before injury, my employment was of a very heavy and manual nature which has aided the deterioration of my shoulder joints, thus ending with me enduring a full anterior dislocation, the humerus bone popping out and resting on my rib cage. Having had three children I can honestly say the pain was worse than all 3 of my childbirths combined!

6 weeks on the pain in my shoulder joint and surrounding area is still considerable and on using my affected arm for a short space of time my arm and hand begin to go numb and lose co-ordination. By the evening it is agony. Has anyone out there experienced this? Is it normal? I am doing the exercises from my physio at lease twice daily tho at present my consultant is very dissmissive of my afterpain and symptoms.

I know it is a long road back to recovery, but I feel as if I am getting nowhere fast.

I dislocated my shoulder two months ago and have experienced 100% movement back in my shouolder but with some light pain in specific movements. I opted for an active recovery and did not retain in a sling any time after two weeks. i may regret this with regards to my ligament and tendon tension in the future however at the moment the continuation of blood flow seemed to have aided my recovery period. What i have caused in doing so is developed a new technique for lifting my arm and my wing in my back now pops out noticably. The physio identified it at 7 weeks as this was my first physio consultation unfortunately.
My first dislocation and hopefully my last but iam a very active 22 year old sportsman in contact sport.

I dislocated my left shoulder at the weekend for the 14th time. yes 14th. after 8 times I had an re stabilisation operation which kept it in place for 1year before it happened again, I play football and this is when it comes out, I cant give up football as it means too much to me is there anything I can do?

I am 59 and due to a fall i got my shoulder slipped out partially. it came into normal position on its own very soon. After an hour I got severe pain at the joint. The doctor has now put my arm in a sling for three weeks. i do not have any pain now. I am hoping for a full recovery soon as I am a forestry scientist with lot of field work. Any advice will be welcome.

Hi,
I dislocated my shoulder while playing cricket in Jan'09.After that i had my arm rested in a sling for nearly 20 days.After 3-4 days i started going to a physiotherapy centre.After nearly 1.5 months of exercise i have got nearly 90 % movement of my arm.
There is still pain in my shoulder joints at night and early morning.Even all the movements are still not possible.

So how long will it take me to get back to normalcy?? and what should be my next plan of action??

Sameer,
Ahmedabad.

I'm 31 and i dislocated my right shoulder 3 weeks ago snowboarding first time I'm right handed therefore a major inconvenience. my hubby has to do everything for me. I was going to play tennis this summer. I was rather disappointed to read how long it takes to heal, thought i'd be much better by now. Its still in a sling and it hurts a lot when it moves and the top of my arm is also numb. Hurts sometimes when i sneeze (hayfever), and feels like it's falling out sometimes. not sure if i should go for surgery or just wait and see if it dislocates again?

I'm 42 and dislocated my shoulder about 5 weeks ago while I was snowboarding. It was out for about 6 hours. I was in a sling for the first 3 1/2 weeks and was relatively pain free for about 4 weeks. I went to an orthopedic surgeon around this time and he put me through some movements to test my range of motion. One of the movements was to reach above my head as high as I could. Although not very painful I did this under considerable strain...it was difficult to say the least. Well, now the pain has arrived and you can imagine the frustration as I'd been pain free up until seeing the doctor. Has anybody had this same experience? Have I just reaggravated the injury or done new damage? I'm hoping it's the former. I'm also surprised the doctor did not automatically schedule an MRI prior to any range of motion tests. Is this standard procedure? Seeking any and all advice...thanks. RM

rialto - i've been to see my orthopeadic surgeon twice and didnt have MRI or your extensive range of movement tests. I did mine snowboarding 3 1/2 weeks ago (see earlier post)He did ask me to raise my arm to the left and stopped at about 45 degrees as he could see I was straining. i'm now starting physio twice a week. but unlike you I'm feeling a lot of pain all the time. Maybe get a second opinion? My guy is near Harley Street and specialises in snow sports injuries to the upper limbs.

Dozzybozzy, At 3 1/2 weeks you're still in the very early stages of the injury. If you're still in pain I would think twice about starting physio so soon....at least any resistance-type physio.From what I gather this is an injury that will take a long time to heal so patience is key.I'm not sure why doctors like to wait or sometimes completely skip having an MRI for their patients. Makes no sense to me.Go easy and listen to your body.

I dislocated my shoulder yesteday at wrestling practice. It relocated back immediately but after reading on the net how long it takes too heal I feel very depressed. School's almost done and it seems like I won't be doing much sports. I am going tomorrow to the doctor to see how bad it is. I really hope it's not bad because that would completely ruin my summer plans.

Hi, am beginning to get a bit frustrated with my rehab. I dislocated my right shoulder two and a half months ago.I still cant raise my arm above shoulder height without support and can just about touch my left shoulder.

I'm 50, came off my bike in the snow on london bridge on 2nd Feb. No ambulances, but two police officers got me to hospital in a taxi, me in excruciating pain. They had to put me under to get the arm back in after giving up on gentle and not so gentle manipulation, the strongest doctor using the delicate technique of yanking it in with his foot in my armpit apparently.

Anyway, i had my arm in one of those huge slings for four weeks (I was initially told it should be five but when I expressed some concern about this length of time I was allowed slightly less.) When I went to see the consultant in the fourth week and asked if I was going to be given a scan I was told the NHS couldnt afford this, and that the treatment would be the same anyway.

At a follow up appointment two weeks ago with another consultant I was told that I would be having one after all as my arm wasnt apparently healing fast enough. Still havent heard anything though.

I am seeing the physio at the hospital once a week. Everyone asks if I am 'having' physiotherapy. Does this mean something other than occasionally seeing a physio and doing some exercises? I am a bit shocked by the poster above who says he does an hour and a half of exercises a day. I probably do about 20 minutes - including when sitting in the pub with friends, with my hands behind my head.

If I was doing radically more exercise - or perhaps 'having' physiotherapy every day, could I expect faster progress do you think? I have come a long way - I couldnt even move my elbow when I took my arm out of the sling, but it seems progress is very slow now.

i dislocated my shoulder 2 weeks ago with no tears . how long untill i should be able to play no contact basketball just shooting the ball?