A dislocation is an injury to a joint-where two or more bones come together- which forces the ends of the bones out of their normal alignment. Dislocations are most common in shoulders and fingers, but any mobile joint can dislocate.
A subluxation, on the other hand, is when a joint quickly dislocates and then immediately goes back in on its own. This feels like a “slip and slip back” and is also referred to as a partial dislocation or an incomplete dislocation.
Symptoms
Hearing or feeling a “pop”
Visibly deformed or out of place bone
Swollen joint
Intensely painful
Unable to move joint
Bruising/discoloration
Possible numbness or tingling
Reduced strength
Causes
A fall
Sudden traumatic force causing injury
Car accident
Anything causing a hard blow to a joint
Risk factors
Susceptibility to falls (poor balance)
Poor muscular control
Hypermobility or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Older less mobile individuals
High impact or contact sports
Heredity for laxity
Motor vehicle accident
Prevention
Take precautions to avoid falls
Get eyes checked regularly
Do not take medications that make you dizzy
Avoid alcohol
Make sure areas that you walk and move are well lighted to avoid tripping
Use handrails and non-slip mats/rugs
Take things off floor that one might trip on
Play safely and wear protective gear
Strengthen muscles surrounding joints to make the joints more stable
Diagnosis
Examination by physician in which blood and nerve supply are checked (pre and post reduction)
X-ray to check for broken bones (pre and post reduction)
MRI to check for ligamentous or soft tissue damage
Treatment
Closed reduction- putting the bones manually back into place without opening the individual’s joint
Anesthesia may be necessary if the patient cannot relax enough for the physician to reduce the dislocation
Immobilization with a sling and splint
Pain medication will be given to reduce pain
Physical therapy to restore full range of motion and strength of muscles surrounding the joint
Open reduction surgery may be necessary if the physician cannot manually reduce
Rest, ice, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
Full recovery after several weeks but depends largely on joint and severity of injury/if other structures were injured with the dislocation.
After reduction, surgery may be necessary to repair other structures if injured