What is a dislocated shoulder?

• A. A fracture of the clavicle
• B. A dislocation of the shoulder without movement
• C. The shoulder joint comes out of place
• D. A torn rotator cuff

Answer: (C)

Dislocation of the shoulder means the head of the upper-arm bone has slipped out of the shoulder socket. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint with a relatively shallow socket, which lets it move freely but can become unstable after impact or a fall. When a dislocation occurs, the joint surfaces are no longer aligned, usually with the humeral head positioned in front of the socket, causing intense pain, swelling, a deformity, and the arm inability to be moved normally. This matches the description that the shoulder joint comes out of place. The other options describe different injuries: a fracture of the clavicle is a broken collarbone; saying the dislocation happens without movement isn’t accurate because a dislocation involves misalignment and loss of normal movement; a torn rotator cuff is a tendon tear around the joint, not the joint itself coming out of place. If this happens, immobilize the arm, apply ice, and seek medical care promptly rather than trying to pop it back in yourself.