An Improvised Reduction Method for Anterior Shoulder Dislocation in a Waterborne Environment

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Emergency Medicine
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Anterior glenohumeral joint (shoulder) dislocations are frequent orthopedic injuries.
• Effective and timely reduction is crucial to prevent long-term complications.
• Conventional reduction techniques often rely on mechanical advantage available on land.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore a novel, in-water prehospital technique for shoulder dislocation reduction.
• To document the successful application of an improvised maneuver in a challenging aquatic environment.

Main Methods:

• A case study involving a 36-year-old male surfer with an anterior shoulder dislocation.
• Initial reduction attempts using standard techniques were unsuccessful due to the aquatic setting.
• An improvised in-water reduction technique was implemented while the patient was afloat.

Main Results:

• The novel in-water maneuver successfully reduced the anterior shoulder dislocation.
• The technique was effective despite the lack of leverage typically available on land.
• The patient's subsequent clinical course was favorable.

Conclusions:

• This case report highlights a viable in-water technique for prehospital shoulder dislocation reduction.
• The described maneuver offers a potential solution for neutral buoyancy or low-gravity environments.
• This approach may be applicable when traditional methods are limited by the absence of gravity or friction.