How long after a shoulder dislocation can I lift?

A dislocated shoulder occurs when the bone in the upper arm that connects to the shoulder blade is suddenly forced out of the joint it’s supposed to be in. This condition can occur during a variety of circumstances and be painful to deal with in the following days. Dislocations can be a major setback for physically active people, like weightlifters. If you’ve recently dislocated your shoulder and want to know how it might take for you to get back to lifts, keep reading. We can provide you with more information on symptoms, causes, recovery time and even treatments.

What are the symptoms of a dislocated shoulder?

• An obvious bump under the skin on the top of the shoulder.
• Swelling and inflammation.
• Significant amounts of pain.
• Limited mobility with that shoulder.
• A popping noise when the shoulder is dislocated.

What are the causes of shoulder dislocations?

• Falls — Falls are a common cause of shoulder dislocations. If a person were to fall on their shoulder too hard, the bone could easily move out of its joint. 
• Car accidents — Car accidents are another common cause of shoulder dislocations. They usually involve contact and high speeds, which is how the shoulder bone can pop out of its socket.
• Contact sports — People who are involved in sports, especially contact sports, are at a higher risk of dislocating their shoulders. Injuries during sports like rugby, where players frequently collide with each other at high rates of speed, can easily push a bone out of its socket.
• Weightlifting — If you’re a weightlifter, you can dislocate your shoulder during a lift by moving your shoulder joint beyond its capability while holding a weight.

How long after a shoulder dislocation can I lift?

The average time it takes for a dislocated shoulder to heal is about 16 weeks. You’ll first be required to wear a sling around your arm and shoulder so that the shoulder is immobilized. The sling might be necessary for about a week or so. After around the first two weeks, you can get back into lighter movements, but lifting still is not advised. How long it takes before you can lift after your shoulder dislocation is up to your physician and physical therapist, but in general, it shouldn’t happen before six weeks.

What are some of the treatment options available if I’ve dislocated my shoulder? Can it bring me closer to being able to start lifting again?

• Physical therapy — Physical therapy is a beneficial treatment option that can help manage pain and inflammation after a shoulder dislocation. Physical therapists can help you work toward achieving comfortable shoulder movements without irritating your joint. Not only this, but they can also work with you to build muscle strength to protect the joint in the future. Those who have experienced a dislocation once are likely to go through another of the same kind. If you’re an avid weightlifter, you can probably rely on your physical therapist to let you know when you are safe to start lifts again. They’ll probably encourage you to return to lifting as soon as you can because it promotes building muscle strength, which could protect your joints. However, you should still exercise caution before lifting at full capacity, due to the amount of stress you’ll be placing on your shoulder joint. Make sure to follow your physical therapist’s guidelines.
• Anti-inflammatory medication — Taking anti-inflammatory medicines could aid in lowering inflammation and pain levels after a recent dislocation. This is more of a temporary fix but may curb some unpleasant symptoms temporarily.
• Ice or heat therapy — Regularly using ice packs on the shoulder can help with shoulder pain and can reduce some of the swelling. Heat may also help with some of the pain.
• Immobilize — One of the ways you can promote healing a recently dislocated shoulder is by wearing a sling to keep your shoulder as immobile as possible for a period of time. Moving a recently dislocated shoulder could potentially increase inflammation and cause further pain.

Alliance PTP is ready to help you find top-notch PT for your dislocated shoulder so you can start lifts again

At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need. 

Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help you address your shoulder dislocation so that you can get back to doing regular lifts at the gym. PT can help address the cause of your dislocation and help you prevent the same issue from happening again in the future.  

Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform. 

Come find help for your injury or chronic condition today!