Shoulder Stabilisation
Shoulder stabilisation repairs the lining of a damaged shoulder joint to make it stable again. It’s often used to treat a shoulder that keeps dislocating.
At a glance
- Consultation required
- Paediatric Patients Aged 12-18 Seen
- Health insurance
- Self-Pay Available
What is shoulder stabilisation?
Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint made of the head of your arm bone (humerus) and your shoulder socket (glenoid), which is part of your shoulder blade.
When you dislocate your shoulder, it stretches, tears, and pulls away the ligaments and the ring of cartilage around the shoulder socket. In some people, these ligaments don’t heal well, and the shoulder sits in an “unstable” state, making it easier for it to dislocate again. An unstable shoulder often causes pain and makes it hard to move the joint as normal.
Shoulder stabilisation surgery repairs the damaged ring of cartilage and tightens any affected ligaments, which helps to increase the stability of the joint and lower the risk of future dislocations.
At Welbeck, shoulder stabilisation is carried out by our experienced surgeons in our state-of-the-art Surgery centre.
Paediatrics
We offer appointments to paediatric patients aged 12 to 18. For full information on our paediatrics service, please visit our main Paediatrics page.
More information
At Welbeck, shoulder stabilisation surgery is a keyhole procedure performed under general anaesthetic by our consultant orthopaedic surgeons.
You can expect the following:
Once you’re under anaesthetic, your surgeon will examine your shoulder joint to work out how unstable it is.
Next, they’ll make a small cut (incision) and insert a small telescope and camera into your shoulder to look carefully at the damage to the joint.
Your surgeon will then reattach the torn ring of cartilage and tighten the ligaments in your shoulder using small pellets.
Once this procedure is finished, the cuts will be stitched up, and you’ll be moved to a recovery room for monitoring.
Shoulder stabilisation procedures are very safe, but like all forms of surgery, there’s a small chance of complications, such as:
infection
nerve injury
arthritis
re-dislocation
stiffness
Preparation for shoulder stabilisation surgery varies from person to person. Your consultant will give you all the details you need before your procedure, including how long you need to fast for.
If you’re a smoker, you’ll be asked to stop smoking for some time before your surgery takes place. This is because it delays healing and increases the risk of a chest or wound infection.
After your procedure, you’ll be taken to a recovery room where staff will monitor you as the anaesthetic wears off.
Your arm will be in a sling to help support your shoulder, but it’s likely to be sore for up to 3 weeks after surgery – your consultant will give you painkillers to help manage this.
You’ll need to come back into the clinic for your stitches to be removed around 2 weeks after your procedure, and to meet your consultant for a follow-up appointment.
Please contact our Surgery Centre for pricing information.
At Welbeck, our orthopaedic surgeons are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.
With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.
All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.
To book a shoulder stabilisation, you must be referred by either your GP or an orthopaedic specialist following a consultation with them. Self-referrals are not accepted for this treatment.
If you would like to schedule a consultation with an orthopedist, please get in touch to make an appointment. Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.
Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.
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Frequently asked questions
A shoulder dislocation happens when a strong force pushes the upper arm bone out of the shoulder socket. It’s usually triggered by a fall, a direct blow to the shoulder during contact sports, or extreme twisting of the arm.
You’ll need to wear a sling for the first few weeks after shoulder stabilisation surgery to keep the shoulder joint supported. This can affect how well you sleep at first, but you’ll soon find a position that’s comfortable for you. It’s very important not to sleep on your side for the first 6 weeks after your procedure. Instead, an upright position supported by pillows is best.
It can take 6 to 8 weeks after surgery before you’ll be allowed to drive again, but this can vary from person to person. Your physiotherapist will let you know when they think you have enough movement and a good level of pain control to get behind the wheel again. When you do go back to driving, start with a short journey and build up slowly.
Doing regular physiotherapy after shoulder surgery can help your shoulder joint get stronger and more flexible again. You shouldn’t use your shoulder at all for the first 6 weeks after surgery to allow the joint to start healing. After this time, you’ll be shown a set of exercises by your physiotherapist, which will help stop your joints from getting stiff and improve the range of movement at your shoulder joint.