Effect of Multiple Anterior Dislocations of the Shoulder

Traumatic dislocation of the shoulder recurs in 10-90% of patients. The high rate of recurrent dislocation has been related to multiple factors including the number of prior dislocations and the magnitude of capsular injury. Many patients present to clinicians having had multiple dislocations, and more information is needed for their appropriate treatment. However, the effects of magnitude of capsular injury and its location, on the propensity for recurrence are less well understood.

The overall objective is to determine the contribution of the glenohumeral capsule to the stability and kinematics of the intact shoulder and the shoulder following multiple anterior dislocation. Specifically, we measure the non-recoverable strain of the glenohumeral capsule as magnitude of capsule injury, using a novel robotic system and a custom optical tracking system.