We investigated the following points; 1)pathological differences between a posttraumatic recurrent anterior dislocation and subluxation, and 2)the possibility to distinguish these two disorders by “self-reduction”.85 cases(87 joints) of post-traumatic recurrent anterior dislocation or subluxation of the shoulder joint were divided into two groups: group D, which consisted of 59 cases(60joints) diagnosed as recurrent dislocation and group S, which consisted of 26 cases(27 joints)diagnosed as recurrent subluxation. The history of the dislocation(subluxation), joint laxity measured by the Floating method and the arthroscopic findings of these two groups were compared.
The applied force at the initial dislocation(subluxation) and the grade of Hill-Sachs lesion of group D was thought to be more sever than it was in group S on average.
Joint laxity was stronger in group S than in group D. About half of this series changed their mode of recurrence from their past history.
We would like to conclude that the pathologies of these two disorders overlap each other and that it is impossible to distinguish them by “.self-reduction”. alone.
