Fix a Dislocated Shoulder

A joint dislocation can be one of the most painful injuries if not reset in a timely manner. Shoulder dislocations will stretch the shoulder, upper arm, and torso muscles, causing intense pain. If you are in an accident that dislocates your shoulder, try one of these methods to relocate it quickly.

Steps

Relocating Your Shoulder by Stretching Your Arm

1. 1
   Bend your arm. You can sit, stand, or lay down to perform this relocation. Bend your elbow to form a 90 degree angle between your upper arm and your forearm. This may be painful but unless you feel extreme pain, continue with the process.
   

   1. 2
      Rotate your arm. Turn your arm so that it is facing away from you, with your hand sticking out to your side rather than in front of you. Slowly rotate it upwards, so that you are moving your arm from the shoulder joint.
      
   2. 3
      Raise your arm slowly. Move your arm from the shoulder slowly from your side to above your head. By the time you get to a point slightly above your head, your shoulder should slip back into place naturally. If you are having a hard time making this happen, hold a weight in your hand to make the muscles stretch more.[1]
      

   Relocating Your Shoulder Using Gravity

   1. 1
      Find a place to lay down. If you are at home, use a table or bed. If you are outside in the wilderness, use a log or low-hanging tree branch. You will need to be able to lay down and have your arm hang over the edge without touching the ground.
      
   2. 2
      Locate a weight to use. Although you can use this method with no weight, using a heavy object will help accelerate the relocation of your shoulder. If you are able, attach the weight to your hand on the dislocated arm, or simply hold it with a tight grip.
      
   3. 3
      Slowly move your arm down. Don’t use any jerky or sharp motions, but allow your hand and arm to lower towards the ground at a smooth, steady speed. Stop moving your arm when it is perpendicular to the angle of your body and your hand is above the ground.
      
   4. 4
      Wait patiently. By letting your arm rest, you are allowing the muscles to slowly stretch out. When the arm was originally dislocated, the muscles tensed up and caused the pain you feel. Allow the muscles to relax and stretch. After a few minutes, the shoulder should relocate naturally.[2]
      

   Relocating Your Shoulder using Your Knee

   1. 1
      Sit with your knees to your chest. Sitting on the ground or a bed is best, as you will want a lot of room to rock backwards. If it is more comfortable, hold only the knee to your chest that is on the same side as your dislocated shoulder; the other can be stretched out in front of you.
      
   2. 2
      Grab your knee. Hold both your hands out in front of you and lace your fingers together to form a tight grip. Place them over the front of your kneecap with your thumbs pointing up.
      
   3. 3
      Apply pressure. As you sit with your hands over your knee, slowly lean backwards to apply pressure to your arm. You can similarly pull your knee forward to create the tension. Do this very slowly and without any jerky movements to avoid damaging the shoulder further. Continue pulling until the shoulder pops back into place.
      

   Relocating Your Shoulder with Help from a Friend

   1. 1
      Find a place to lay down. If you are outdoors, lay on a log or wide, low-hanging branch. If you are at home, lay down on a table or bed. Adjust your body so that your arm and shoulder are hanging over the edge, while the rest of your body is supported.
      
   2. 2
      Have your friend hold your hand. They need to have a strong grip so that they don’t slip and jerk your arm into place accidentally. You can lace fingers, but make sure that they will be able to pull your arm away from you comfortably.
      
   3. 3
      Pull on the arm. If necessary, your friend can use their foot on the side of your torso to provide leverage as they pull. Use a slow, steady pull without any fast movements, directly away from the body. Providing constant tension on the arm will stretch the shoulder muscles, and after a few minutes the joint should pop into place.
      

   Treating Your Shoulder After Relocating It

   1. 1
      Put it on ice. Although you can do this before relocating your shoulder as well, add ice to the sore joint to reduce swelling. Never apply ice directly, but wrap it in a towel or use a covered compress to place on your arm.
      
   2. 2
      Wear a sling. Although you will feel immediate relief from relocating the shoulder, you may have lingering pain for several days afterwards. To keep from further damaging your elbow, place it on time-out with the use of a sling. Wear this for up to a week or two, until you no longer feel pain in the joint.
      
   3. 3
      Take medication. To relieve your shoulder pain, take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, or naproxen. These will help to reduce the amount of pain you feel, and may help relieve swelling as well.
      
   4. 4
      Visit a doctor. If your shoulder dislocation was unsuccessful or you have worries about the health of the joint, make a visit to your doctor whenever you are able. The sooner your visit, the easier any treatment will be for your shoulder.
      
   5. 5
      Do physical therapy. To regain full use of your shoulder and avoid future problems, see a physical therapist. They will be able to help you with stretches and massages that will reduce pain and give you a full range of motion without increasing the likelihood of dislocating it again.[3]