Multidirectional instability in female athletes

Authors

Meghan E. Bishop, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, New York, NY, United States
Heli Patel, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Brandon J. Erickson, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, New York, NY, United States
Christopher C. Dodson, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2022

Comments

This article is the author's final published version in Annals of Joint, Volume 7, January 2022, Article number 10.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.21037/aoj-20-33.

Copyright © 2022 Annals of Joint. All rights reserved.

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits the non-commercial replication and distribution of the article with the strict proviso that no changes or edits are made
and the original work is properly cited (including links to both the formal publication through the relevant DOI and the license). See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4

Abstract

Multidirectional instability (MDI) of the shoulder is characterized by generalized shoulder capsular laxity and symptomatic shoulder instability in more than one direction with one direction of instability as inferior. Generalized ligamentous laxity and specifically shoulder laxity, has been associated with female athletes. While males are at a higher risk of shoulder instability due to a number of extrinsic risk factors including participation in higher risk contact/collision activities, females are particularly susceptible to MDI due to their association with increased joint laxity. Patients with MDI often have a loose patulous capsule and display altered glenohumeral and scapulothoracic mechanics. The mainstay of treatment is physical therapy focusing on strengthening the dynamic stabilizers of the shoulder. In cases of failed rehabilitation, operative management most frequently includes either open or arthroscopic capsular shift with reasonably good outcomes and return to sport. Sex-related differences concerning shoulder instability risk and pathophysiology may influence treatment decisions and outcome measures. An understanding of the factors concerning shoulder instability specific to the female athlete is important in management and prevention of injury.

Recommended Citation

Bishop, Meghan E.; Patel, Heli; Erickson, Brandon J.; and Dodson, Christopher C., "Multidirectional instability in female athletes" (2022). Rothman Institute Faculty Papers. Paper 161.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/rothman_institute/161

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Language

English