Anterior dislocation of the shoulder in patients over 50 years of age

Six patients over 50 years of age were treated and followed for traumatic, first-time anterior dislocation of the shoulder. Early post injury examination following the subsidence of acute pain due to the injury demonstrated passive motion that exceeded active motion. Later follow up, however, revealed that active motion was equal to passive motion. The author concludes that these patients injured their rotator cuffs at the time of the shoulder dislocation and that such rotator cuff injuries healed satisfactorily without surgical repair.