Background: Twenty percent of shoulder dislocations occur in people younger than 20 years old. Management of anterior shoulder instability in young patients remains an evolving and controversial topic. Herein we review the natural history of anterior shoulder dislocation in young patients.
Methods: The English-language literature was searched for studies examining the natural history of pediatric and adolescent shoulder dislocation. Recurrent dislocation was the primary outcome of interest in most studies.
Results: Most studies found that recurrent instability was likely in young patients. Several systematic reviews reported the recurrence rate for young patients to be >70%. Recurrent instability was likely to cause greater damage to the joint and may result in more extensive and costly surgery.
Conclusions: Most studies agree that recurrent anterior shoulder instability is likely in young patients. Some authors advocate for consideration of early surgery in this high-risk population.