How do you know if you dislocated a shoulder?

[Lohman446]

So, last night we were having team practice and I dove into the snake. I was shooting across body to keep someone in to make the move, and landed hard on my right elbow. There was an audible crack noise and my shoulder hurt severely. I couldn't crawl the snake using my arm at all, and when I did manage to push with my legs to the bunker I needed to be at I could not raise my gun with my right arm. I managed to get it up but it was all I could do to get my fingers to respond and pull the trigger. I actually had someone else carry my equipment off field.

I *had* to play a tournament today, and took a lot of painkillers. I can roll my shoulder fully around but at the top of the roll it hurts enough that I have to steady myself with my other hand. If I move in a natural run it hurts at the forward movement of my arm.

I'm assuming I just pulled muscles, everything feels to be in place and just really sore. I'm hoping AOers that have some knowledge of this type of thing can clue me in. I assume since I'm not rolling around on the ground in pain the worst it could really be is a cracked collarbone or something of that sort, (did that once when I was four or so and didn't bother to tell anyone for a day or two).

[grEnAlEins]

Dude, I would seriously see a doctor. You might have torn muscles or tendons. If your shoulder is dislocated it is a quick, but super painful (or so I'm told), fix at the ER.

EDIT: Here is a link to a page on webMD, there will be more info if you search for "dislocated shoulder" or somthing similar.

[bleachit]

my ex had massive shoulder disloaction issues.. basically, with her, her arm would noticeably not be in the right place, out and hanging down.. ive never witnessed it, but from her descriptions, it was freakishly noticeable. if you heard a crack noise... I would guess its more than just pulled muscles and would consider seeing a Dr.

[neppo1345]

Sounds like what happened when I tore my rotator cuff playing football.

If it was dislocated you would have probably had to pop it back in

[Indignant]

my friend has dislocated his shoulder 5+ times, and all except twice he did it himself on the mountain.

one he didn't do it because the ski patrol wouldn't let him, they wanted to do it so they wouldn't get sued or anything, and the other i did it because he messed up other hand too.


it was wierd.

[magman007]

thats what i was going to say neppo. Lohman go make sure you havnt torn your rotator cuff, it sounds like you did ny your description and the issues with movement.

[logamus]

if you had dislocated your shoulder, you wouldnt have to ask. there is such intense pain that i couldnt even stand up straight a half hour later when i got to the hospital. i seriously doubt you could have continued playing if you had really dislocated it.

[Lohman446]

if you had dislocated your shoulder, you wouldnt have to ask. there is such intense pain that i couldnt even stand up straight a half hour later when i got to the hospital. i seriously doubt you could have continued playing if you had really dislocated it.

That was kind of my opinion, if my body really wanted me to stop all activity I'd pass out or something from pain. I figure if I don't, it must be reasonably ok. Considering going to see the doctor just to see whats going on.

[MicroMiniMe]

Loh,
Your just a bag of bones these days.
Are you accident prone or just hitting some bodily injury groove this past year?

/stay away from the gypsy fortuneteller I say

[Lohman446]

Loh,
Your just a bag of bones these days.
Are you accident prone or just hitting some bodily injury groove this past year?

/stay away from the gypsy fortuneteller I say

Stupid little things tend to happen to me from time to time. I try to ignore most of them but this one is getting to the point where I have a hard time steering, it hurts to turn the steering wheel and I can't break myself of the bad habit of one handed driving. Running last night on the treadmill hurt...

Probably go see the doctor tomorrow if it doesn't improve on its own.

/Don't like visiting doctors
//They always give out a list of "don'ts"
///Then get upset when I ignore it.

[quik]

I did the exact same thing snowboarding. Went for a big trick, came up short, heard a crack in my shoulder and was in the worst pain ever.

Here's a little quick tip. Leave your hurt arm loose, then use your other arm, or have somebody else take your hurt arm and slowly pick it up and up until its vertical, if it causes no real pain, but hurts like no other when you do it yourself, it's more than likely a muscle injury.

[SCpoloRicker]

You will know if you've done something *really* bad.

/3x shoulder surgery
//saw a guy do the "Loaded Weapon" my first college workout

[Lohman446]

I'm leaning towards it can't be that bad. It only hurts when I move it upward and inward, and not enough to really cause me a ton of pain. I can now move my marker with reasonable speed without it really having an impact on my concentration. There are a few things (driving, trying to pull on shoes, any movement across my body) that are very uncomfortable, but...

/It'll heal
//I'm betting at least on that
///Never did like doctors anyways, can figure it will heal without paying someone $85 to tell me to "take it easy"

[quik]

You will know if you've done something *really* bad.

/3x shoulder surgery
//saw a guy do the "Loaded Weapon" my first college workout

SCpoloRicker, wtf DONT you know. Jesus christ.

Douchebag.

[REDRT]

If you have to ask if it may be dislocated or not, then It isn't dislocated. You will know if it is dislocated when it happens. Believe me on this one. You otta see the doc anyway if you have to pop pain killers.