Dislocations

A dislocation refers to the displacement of a bone from its normal position at a joint. It occurs when the bones in a joint are forced out of alignment, often due to trauma or excessive force, such as during a fall, sports injury, or accident.

Key points about dislocations:

• Common joints affected: Shoulders, elbows, fingers, knees, and hips.
• Symptoms: Pain, swelling, inability to move the joint, visible deformity (in some cases), and bruising.
• Treatment: Typically requires medical intervention to realign the bones. This may be done through a procedure called "reduction," where the doctor gently manipulates the bones back into place. In severe cases, surgery might be needed.

Dislocations are different from fractures (broken bones), though they can sometimes occur together. After the bones are put back in place, rehabilitation is often necessary to restore strength and mobility to the joint.

Sometimes, especially while doing something physically strenuous, we can throw a joint out of alignment with the bone. Although nothing breaks, the alignment is off. This is called dislocation.