The Sports Injury Dislocations

Dislocations are injuries to a joint where the bones are forced to abnormal positions. The injury deforms and immobilizes the joint and results in sudden severe pain. You can experience dislocations...

Dislocations are injuries to a joint where the bones are forced to abnormal positions. The injury deforms and immobilizes the joint and results in sudden severe pain. You can experience dislocations in the following joints: ankle, elbow, knee, hip or your shoulders. Dislocations are the result of falls, trauma or a hard blow. Contact sports such as football, and hockey as well as other sports such as downhill skiing, volleyball and gymnastics are likely to be where dislocations can occur.

Dislocations require prompt medical attention so that the bones can be returned to their proper position. It usually takes several weeks of rest before the joint will return to normal function. If dislocated once, joints such as the knee and shoulder are prone to repeat dislocation.

Signs and symptoms of a dislocation include visible deformity, swollen or discolored skin around the joint, intense pain and the joint is immovable. Other symptoms may be numbness or tingling sensations near the injury.

You should seek medical attention if you think you may have dislocated a joint. Do not attempt to move the joint. You can apply ice to the joint while you are waiting to be seen. Ice will reduce the pain and swelling.

To make the diagnosis the doctor will examine the affected joint and perhaps take an x-ray to make sure there are no broken bones or other damage to the joint.

Dislocations are treated when the doctor gently maneuvers the bones back into place, which is a process, called reduction. A local anesthetic may be used before the reduction is done, as it is very painful to do. The joint may be immobilized with a splint or sling for several weeks. Medications such as a muscle relaxant or pain reliever may be prescribed.

Dislocations can be simple or they can be complicated with nerve or tissue damage.

You should not return to sports too soon after a dislocation, as the joint can be dislocated again. Surgery may be needed if there is blood vessel or nerve damage or if the doctor is unable to move the bones back into their proper position.

Preventing dislocations is done by wearing protective gear when playing contact sports and by following rules of fair play during sports games and practices.

Other dislocations are traumatic shoulder dislocation, hip dislocation and finger and toe dislocations. You can also have a fracture-dislocation.

Repeat dislocations can lead to conditions such as mallet finger (baseball finger), patellar instability (unstable kneecap), and also shoulder instability (shoulder goes out).

Any type of dislocation is a serious sports injury. Immediate medical attention is needed.

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