Joint dislocation

Common card · No. 379136

A joint dislocation, also called luxation, occurs when there is an abnormal separation in a joint where two or more bones meet. A partial dislocation is referred to as a subluxation. Dislocations are commonly caused by sudden trauma to the joint — as during a car-accident or a fall. A joint dislocation can damage the surrounding ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves. Dislocations can occur in any major joint (shoulder, knees, hips) or minor joint (toes, fingers). The most common joint dislocation is a shoulder dislocation. The treatment for joint dislocation usually involves closed reduction, that is, skilled manipulation to return the bones to their normal position. Only trained medical professionals should perform reductions, since the manipulation can cause injury to the surrounding soft tissue, nerves, or vascular structures.

Read on Wikipedia · Image James Heilman, MD, CC BY-SA 3.0