Decision Making of the In-season Athlete with Anterior Shoulder Instability

In-season management of anterior shoulder instability in athletes is a complex problem. Athletes often wish to play through their current season, though recurrent instability rates are high, particularly in contact sports. Athletes are generally considered safe to return to play when they are relatively pain-free, and their strength and range of motion match the uninjured extremity. If an athlete is unable to progress toward recovering strength and range of motion, surgical management is an option, though this is often a season-ending decision.