Traumatic shoulder dislocations are painful. You may have a traumatic shoulder dislocation if you experience an injury to the shoulder and notice:
• That your shoulder is visibly out of place
• Swelling or bruising of the shoulder
• That you are unable to move the shoulder

Anterior shoulder dislocation often results in an injury called a bankart lesion. A bankart lesion is a tear in the inferior (bottom) portion of the glenoid labrum of the shoulder. The glenoid labrum is a ligament inside of the glenoid cavity of the scapula. This ring of cartilage adds depth to the joint, allowing more of the humerus to fit inside the glenoid cavity and giving more stability to the shoulder. If your shoulder dislocates posteriorly (out the back) you may suffer a similar lesion to the back part of the labrum. This is often called a “kim” lesion.
Other complications you may experience from a traumatic shoulder dislocation are:
• Nerve damage
• Tearing of the muscles and/or tendons of the shoulder
• Fractures of the shoulder
• Shoulder instability (recurrent shoulder dislocations or subluxations)
If you’ve experienced a traumatic shoulder dislocation, you are more susceptible to shoulder dislocations in the future. Your chance of developing recurrent shoulder dislocations is related to the age of your first dislocation. For example, if your first shoulder dislocation occurs when you are very young (under 20 years old), you have a high chance of developing recurrent dislocations. However, if your first shoulder dislocation occurs at an older age (over 40 years old), your chances of developing recurrent instability is much lower.