Epidemiology of Shoulder Dislocations Presenting to Emergency Departments in the United States

The epidemiology of traumatic shoulder dislocations is poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to determine the incidence of shoulder dislocations presenting to hospital emergency departments in the United States and define demographic risk factors for these injuries.

The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a probability sample of all injuries presenting to emergency departments in the United States, was queried for shoulder dislocations from 2002 through 2006. Patient and injury characteristics were analyzed. United States Census data were utilized to calculate incidence rates for the United States population and subgroups. Incidence rate ratios were then calculated with respect to age, sex, and race.