The ball and socket joint of the shoulder has the most degrees of motion of any joint in the body. Because of this, there is normal translation of the ball against the socket. When that translation becomes excessive, and pain results, the condition is known as symptomatic instability. This can be caused by trauma, overuse, or the condition can be congenital. Proper diagnosis and treatment is essential to appropriately treat these conditions. Treatment can include physical therapy, strengthening, bracing, avoidance of offending activities, and when other treatments fail, consideration of surgery.
