Nonoperative rehabilitation for shoulder instability

Injuries to the glenohumeral joint resulting in instability are common in sports. Often instability cases are treated conservatively without surgery. Instability is classified by etiology, frequency, direction, and magnitude of translational movement. These classifications need to be considered by the rehabilitation specialist when developing an appropriate treatment plan for instability patients. Certain principles of rehabilitation should be followed to promote a safe, progressive, and successful outcome. These include: communication with the referring physician, treating each patient as an individual, respecting physiological healing restraints, developing a stable base by scapula strengthening, incorporating exercises high in neuromuscular activation, and progressing the patient by a functional progression.