Shoulder Dislocation in Skiing: Choice of Surgical Method Depending on the Degree of Humeral Retrotorsion

Shoulder dislocation is one of the typical upper extremity injuries in skiing, first following a violent accident but quite frequently recurring without new trauma. This article discusses the retrotorsional angle of the humerus as an etiological factor in the occurrence of an initial dislocation and as a triggering element for its recurrence. It focuses on the consequences to be drawn for the surgical treatment of recurrent shoulder dislocation. A technique for exact determination of the humeral angle of retrotorsion by X-ray is presented. In patients with recurrent anterior dislocations of the shoulder joint, the retrotorsional angle of the humerus is pathologically reduced as compared to the control group. The method of surgical therapy is determined by the individual deviance from the average value.