Specialized Toolkit Series: Shoulder Instability-Posterior Shoulder Stabilization

Posterior Shoulder Stabilization – When Can I Run? Bench Press? Grapple?

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Kelly Kilcoyne discusses posterior shoulder instability, highlighting it is more common than previously thought, especially in military, football, rugby, and weightlifting populations. Return to high-impact activities like running, bench pressing, or grappling requires a unique, phased rehabilitation approach focusing on scapular and core stabilization. Typical rehab includes prolonged immobilization, gradual progression from passive to active movements, strengthening, and dynamic testing, with return-to-sport decisions based on specific criteria rather than time alone. Kilcoyne emphasizes personalized therapy, careful progression, and dynamic assessment to safely restore function and optimize outcomes in posterior instability patients.

Asset Caption

Kelly G. Kilcoyne, M.D.

Keywords

posterior shoulder instability

phased rehabilitation

scapular stabilization

core strengthening

return-to-sport criteria