Army studies: High recurrence of shoulder instability, better arthroscopic repair outcomes

Two studies on shoulder instability in a military population were presented today by US Army sports medicine surgeons at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' annual meeting. Findings in one study suggest patients with a self-reported history of shoulder instability are far more likely to experience future instability, while the second study outlined key factors associated with surgical failure and concluded that arthroscopic surgical intervention has better outcomes than an open shoulder repair.