Post-traumatic shoulder instability: when your shoulder "no longer feels secure"
After a shoulder dislocation or a serious fall, something often remains that many patients find hard to describe:
"I constantly feel as though my shoulder could pop out again."
That is exactly what post-traumatic shoulder instability is.
After the trauma, the shoulder joint has lost its natural guidance and muscular protection.
Without targeted training, this feeling of insecurity often lasts for years, even when the pain has long since gone.
Why does this instability develop?
Common causes are:
- Shoulder dislocations or ligament tears from an accident or sport
- Overhead sports (padel, tennis, CrossFit, swimming, strength training)
- Incomplete rehabilitation after the injury
- Loss of neuromuscular control (the shoulder no longer "knows" where it is in space)
The structures have often healed, but stability has not returned.
Typical symptoms
- A feeling of "wobbliness" or insecurity
- Pain with fast or unfamiliar movements
- Problems with overhead movements
- Loss of strength in training or everyday life
- Avoiding certain movements for fear of dislocating again
How we treat this at KINEO Physiotherapie
With instability, classic physiotherapy is not enough.
This is not only about mobility or pain reduction, but about active joint protection.
That is why at KINEO we combine:
- Targeted joint mobilisation (so that the shoulder can move freely again)
- Manual therapy to improve joint mechanics
- Neuromuscular training (the most important component!)
- Progressive stabilisation training of the rotator cuff, shoulder blade and trunk muscles
The goal:
Your shoulder feels stable, secure and resilient again.
What you can do yourself: the most important exercises for shoulder instability
These exercises are a central part of therapy at KINEO Physiotherapie and can be done daily.
Focus: control, slowness, quality. Not fatigue.
1. Wall slide with shoulder blade control
- Forearms on the wall
- Slowly slide upwards
- Actively guide the shoulder blades upwards and outwards
- 12 repetitions
Trains the guidance of the shoulder blade, which is essential for stability.
2. External rotation with a resistance band at your side
- Elbow fixed at your side
- Turn your forearm outwards
- Slowly back
- 15 repetitions
Strengthens the rotator cuff, the shoulder's "safety muscles".
3. Quadruped stabilisation (closed chain)
- All-fours position
- Press your hands firmly into the floor
- Actively stabilise your shoulder blades
- Hold for 30 seconds, 3 rounds
Gives the joint security through a closed chain.
4. Side plank
- Side forearm plank
- Actively push your shoulder away from the floor
- Hold for 20–30 seconds
Combines trunk stability with shoulder control.
5. Controlled arm raises with a light weight
- Light dumbbell (1–3 kg)
- Slowly raise your arm forward to shoulder height
- Return very controlled
- 10 repetitions
Trains stability in functional movement.
Why exercises alone are often not enough
If the joint mechanics are disturbed or there is protective tension, the muscles cannot work optimally.
That is why at KINEO Physiotherapie we combine these exercises with manual therapy and targeted guidance, so that your training really works where it should.
Your goal: regaining trust in your shoulder
You should be able to lift your arm again, do sport and move without thinking about it, without fear.
That is exactly what we work on together at KINEO.
