Episode Summary
Explore the essentials of anterior shoulder instability, from the anatomy that keeps the joint stable to the injuries and bone loss that drive recurrent dislocation. Learn how age, activity level, and lesion patterns shape treatment decisions, from rehabilitation to modern surgical options.
Anterior shoulder instability is presented through its history, epidemiology, anatomy, classification, associated lesions, and treatment options. The explanation begins with how common anterior dislocation is, who is most at risk, and how recurrence differs by age, with younger patients facing the highest recurrence and older patients more likely to have associated injuries such as rotator cuff tears, fractures, and nerve damage.
The anatomy section focuses on why the shoulder is vulnerable: the shallow glenoid, the labrum, static stabilizers such as the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule, and dynamic stabilizers such as the rotator cuff and scapular muscles. Key lesions include Bankart tears, bony Bankart lesions, Hill-Sachs defects, and bipolar bone loss, along with the glenoid track concept used to judge instability risk.
Management is organized around first-time versus recurrent instability, patient risk factors, and the amount of glenoid bone loss. Learners can expect an overview of conservative care, rehabilitation principles, imaging with 3D CT, and the main surgical strategies, including Bankart repair, remplissage, Latarjet, bone graft reconstruction, and dynamic anterior stabilization.
