• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Howard J. Luks, MD

Howard J. Luks, MD

Orthopedic Surgeon Sports Medicine Specialist

  • Topics
    • Joint Pain
    • Longevity
    • Metabolic Health
    • Sports Medicine
    • Training
    • Top Articles
      • Zone 2 Training
      • Shoulder Pain Lifting Arm
      • Knee Injury Serious?
      • Medial Meniscus Tears
      • Front Of Knee Pain
      • Shoulder Snaps & Pops
    • All Articles
  • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Book
  • About
  • Consultation
Labral Tears

What is a Shoulder Subluxation? : Terminology Tuesday

Avatar photo

Howard J. Luks, MD Updated Sep 22, 2021 Read time: 2 mins

Featured image placeholder

Subluxation is a term that Orthopedic Surgeons commonly utilize. For the purpose of this post we will put it in the context of shoulder injuries.
Our shoulder is a very complex joint. The shoulder has two main bones. Essentially, there is a large ball sitting on a much smaller socket. Think about a golf ball resting on a golf tee.

SLAP lesionHolding the ball in place is a cartilage disc, or a labrum and a series of ligaments that hold the two bones together.
If the ligaments and labrum are working properly the shoulder can move in any direction without the ball trying to fall over the edge of the socket.

When the ball moves close to the edge of the socket we have a problem called shoulder instability. That means that the ball is coming close to falling off the socket, or it in fact does fall completely off the socket.

Shoulder instability comes in many variants.

  •  you were born with loose ligaments,
  • you participate in overhead sports and stretched the ligaments,
  • or you injured yourself and the ligaments are now torn.

Along comes a breeze that blows the ball to the edge of the socket, but the ball falls back into its normal position.  That is a subluxation event.  It implies that the ligaments are incompetent or loose, but not loose enough to allow the ball to completely fall off or dislocate.

If a breeze comes by and the ball falls off the tee… that would be a dislocation event.  That tends to imply that the ligaments are significantly torn, or stretched.

For more information on shoulder instability you can check out these posts. Here, and here.

Thanks for your suggestions for our Terminology Tuesday posts !!

Keep them coming!

Do you have questions regarding an Orthopedic injury or longevity? 

Do you want to talk to an expert who can listen to you for 45-60 minutes and explain the options in detail? 

Dr. Howard Luks offers remote guidance sessions to review your X-ray or MRI images and explain your options. 

Dr. Luks has also received hundreds of requests for educational sessions on the topics discussed in his book, Longevity Simplified.

Schedule Remote Session

 

 

Categories: Labral Tears

Disclaimer:  this information is for your education and should not be considered medical advice regarding diagnosis or treatment recommendations. Some links on this page may be affiliate links. Read the full disclaimer.
Dr. Howard J. Luks

Howard J. Luks, MD is a leading orthopedic surgeon & sports medicine specialist. An expert in shoulder, knee, and other sports injuries, and author of Longevity... Simplified.

About · Contact · Private Consultation

Remote Guidance Sessions
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Like what you're reading?

Join the thousands of followers who rely on Dr. Howard J. Luks, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, with tools, tactics, and techniques for simplifying longevity.

Further Reading:

calcific tendonitis and severe shoulder pain
Why Does My Shoulder Hurt So Much?
Batters shoulder posterior labral tear
Batter’s Shoulder : Posterior Labral Tears
shoulder MRI
Shoulder MRI Findings in People with NO Shoulder Pain: Are Some Tears “Normal”
Why does my shoulder snap, click or pop
My shoulder snaps and pops and I hear clicking … why?

Primary Sidebar

Dr. Howard J. Luks

Howard J. Luks, MD is a leading orthopedic surgeon & sports medicine specialist. An expert in shoulder, knee, and other sports injuries, and author of Longevity... Simplified.

About · Contact · Private Consultation

Remote Guidance Sessions
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Top Articles

The importance of VO2 Max

VO2 Max. It’s not just about your mitochondria

Walking is exercise

Walking IS Exercise: Why All Movement Matters

Zone 2 heart rate training

Zone 2 Heart Rate Training For Longevity and Performance

Do I have a serious knee injury

Is My Knee Injury Serious? 5 Signs to Look For.

Newsletter

Join the thousands of followers who rely on Dr. Howard J. Luks, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, with tools, tactics, and techniques for simplifying longevity.

Read the Book

An easy-to-read guide that tosses out the myths and clears up the truth behind living longer. As you read this book, you will:

  • Understand the science behind the recommendations for living a longer and healthier life.
  • Understand that all our bodies’ systems are interconnected and rely on one another.
  • Connect the dots to poor metabolic health and take steps to reverse this path.
  • Recognize that fear doesn't need to be your reality.
  • Recognizing that most people view “exercise” as unpleasant work.
  • Stop going down “rabbit holes” of false information.
  • Realize you don't have to change as much as you think.
Find Out More
Read Reviews
Longevity... Simplified: Living A Longer, Healthier Life Shouldn’t Be Complicated

Available at:

Bookshop
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Trending Now

  1. Zone 2 heart rate training
    Featured
    Zone 2 Heart Rate Training For Longevity and Performance
  2. The importance of VO2 Max
    Featured
    VO2 Max. It's not just about your mitochondria
  3. Reframe why exercise is important. Not to lose, but to gin.
    Muscle and Strength
    We Exercise To Gain, Not To Lose.
  4. Seasoned Doctors Want to Leave Medicine.
    Sports Medicine
    Seasoned Doctors Want to Leave Medicine.

Howard J. Luks, MD

Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine

128 Ashford Avenue
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

(914)-559-1900
[email protected]
Book Private Consultation

Topics

  • Joint Pain
  • Longevity
  • Metabolic Health
  • Sports Medicine
  • Running
  • Training

Browse All Articles

Joint Pain

  • Ankle
  • Elbow
  • Hip
  • Knee
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Shoulder

More Orthopedic Education

  • Topics
  • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Book
  • About
  • Consultation

© 2025 · Howard J Luks, MD · Disclaimer & Terms · Privacy Policy
The information on this site is not intended or implied to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This site should be used for informational purposes only.