First-Time Anterior Shoulder Dislocation and Glenohumeral Instability in Adolescents: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis and an Expert Consensus Statement

Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and certified hand therapists who see patients after a shoulder dislocation — in outpatient orthopedics, sports settings, hand and upper extremity clinics, school and collegiate athletics, and post-surgical care.

Licensed physical therapists, physical therapist assistants working under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist, and certified hand therapists who evaluate or treat shoulder instability in adolescents and young adults.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course is based on two peer-reviewed papers, reported as the papers report themselves.

Abdel Khalik H, Dagher D, Lameire DL, Gusnowski E, Kolpka M, LeBel ME, Matache BA, Martin RK, Sommerfeldt M, Wong I, Woodmass J, Khan M. Management of First-Time Anterior Shoulder Dislocation-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Arthroscopy Association of Canada Position Statement. Orthop J Sports Med. 2025;13(2):23259671251316893. doi:10.1177/23259671251316893

Fithian AT, Edmonds EW, Egger AC, Nissen CW, Bomar JD, Veerkamp MW, Gupta R, PRiSM Shoulder Research Interest Group, Parikh SN. Evaluation and Management of Glenohumeral Instability in Adolescent Patients: An Expert Consensus Statement. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024;12(9):23259671241271735. doi:10.1177/23259671241271735

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe what the Arthroscopy Association of Canada position statement reported when early arthroscopic Bankart repair was compared with nonoperative management after a first-time anterior shoulder dislocation, for repeat instability, further stabilization surgery and return to sport.
2. State the scenarios in which the PRiSM expert panel reached consensus for nonoperative management and the scenarios in which it reached consensus for arthroscopic stabilization of glenohumeral instability in adolescents, including the age cutoffs the panel agreed on.
3. Distinguish the points on which the two papers agree from the points on which they diverge, and explain how each paper described the patient factors linked with recurrence when discussing rehabilitation and referral.

1. Start Here: How This Course Works
2. Part One: First-Time Anterior Shoulder Dislocation in Young, Active Patients
3. Who Was Studied: Young Patients After a First Anterior Dislocation
4. How the Review Was Conducted and How the Included Studies Rated
5. Repeat Instability, Further Surgery and Return to Sport
6. Limits of the Evidence and What the Association Recommended
7. Part Two: Glenohumeral Instability in Adolescent Patients
8. Who Answered the Survey and Why Adolescent Shoulders Are Treated Differently
9. How the Consensus Survey Was Built, Distributed and Scored
10. Where the Panel Agreed, and Where It Could Not Agree
11. What the Consensus Statement Means for Evaluation, Imaging and Referral
12. Bringing It Together
13. Where the Two Papers Agree
14. Where They Diverge, and Which Paper Found What
15. Rehabilitation and Referral Decisions at the Treatment Table
16. What Remains Unsettled
17. Key Takeaways
18. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 1.0 contact hour (60 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. Abdel Khalik H, Dagher D, Lameire DL, Gusnowski E, Kolpka M, LeBel ME, Matache BA, Martin RK, Sommerfeldt M, Wong I, Woodmass J, Khan M. Management of First-Time Anterior Shoulder Dislocation-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Arthroscopy Association of Canada Position Statement. Orthop J Sports Med. 2025;13(2):23259671251316893. doi:10.1177/23259671251316893
2. Fithian AT, Edmonds EW, Egger AC, Nissen CW, Bomar JD, Veerkamp MW, Gupta R, PRiSM Shoulder Research Interest Group, Parikh SN. Evaluation and Management of Glenohumeral Instability in Adolescent Patients: An Expert Consensus Statement. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024;12(9):23259671241271735. doi:10.1177/23259671241271735