Shoulder instability
Shoulder instability is when the shoulder joint is too loose or slips out of place (a dislocation or subluxation), often after an injury. Read more about shoulder instability →
If symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Where are you up to?
The NHS reports waiting times by specialty, not by individual condition, so this is the orthopaedics wait, updated August 2026. Enter a postcode to see the hospitals near you.
orthopaedics waiting times by hospital
| Trust | Location | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | Reading | 5 weeks |
| Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | Bath and North East Somerset | 12 weeks |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Liverpool | 13 weeks |
| George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust | Nuneaton and Bedworth | 13 weeks |
| South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust | Warwick | 14 weeks |
| University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | Birmingham | 15 weeks |
| South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Middlesbrough | 15 weeks |
| University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Camden | 16 weeks |
About shoulder instability
Shoulder instability is when the shoulder joint is too loose and the ball of the joint slips partly (a subluxation) or fully (a dislocation) out of its socket. It often starts after a first dislocation, usually from a fall or a sports injury, which can stretch or tear the structures that hold the joint in place. After that, the shoulder can feel loose or as if it might give way, and it may keep slipping out with certain movements, such as reaching overhead or behind you.
How it is treated
A first dislocation is usually put back into place in A&E, and the shoulder is rested in a sling for a short time before rehabilitation begins. For many people, a course of physiotherapy to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder and improve control is enough to keep the joint stable. If the shoulder keeps slipping out despite this, especially in younger and active people, an operation to repair or tighten the stretched or torn structures (a stabilisation) may be offered, often with keyhole surgery.
After treatment
After a dislocation, physiotherapy is central to recovery, rebuilding the strength and control that keep the shoulder in its socket, and many people avoid further problems this way. If a stabilisation operation is done, the shoulder is usually protected in a sling for a few weeks, followed by a staged physiotherapy programme, and a return to sport can take several months. Keeping up the strengthening exercises afterwards helps stop the instability coming back.
Sources: NHS: Dislocated shoulder. Last updated October 2026.
General information only, not medical advice. Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. Your GP decides what care, if any, you need.