The Shoulder Instability: An Overview

Instability of the shoulder joint is common but most of the time it is unrecognized by the treating surgeon. The symptoms can vary from subtle pain to shoulder dislocation. In many cases, there is no history of trauma. The shoulder joint is stabilized by both static and dynamic factors, and treatment is complex, with recurrence more common in young athletic individuals. Open and arthroscopic techniques of stabilization are available with specific indications for each of these methods. In this narrative review of shoulder instability, we describe the pathological anatomy, evaluation, natural history, classification, and treatment of shoulder instability.