How to treat Hill-Sachs lesion?

Question

Hi doctor,

I hit my shoulder a while back. Since then, my shoulder slightly turns to the side like a dislocation or something whenever I do anything strenuous like work out or swimming or hanging on to something. I can just tilt my hand and it would come back to the original position, so it is not a complete dislocation. I consulted a doctor and he took an MRI scan and it read Hill-Sachs lesion. He asked me to maintain the shoulder in rest for six months and do nothing which is hard for me to accept as I lead a very active life. How would I know whether it is healing or it has healed in the future as he did not make any future appointment?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Hill-Sachs lesion (humeral bone head fracture) on the MRI suggests that you had a shoulder injury and it needs treatment either non-surgically or surgically. It can only get decided after seeing the MRI images as I need to see the amount of bone and soft tissue injury involved. You should at least wait for three months before doing a new MRI scan to see for healing. After that, you will be required to start with strengthening exercises around the shoulder to maintain stability if decided to treat it non-surgically. I suggest the following medicines. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her, and take medicine with consent. Painkiller medication as and when required for pain. Tablet Shelcal CT (Calcium) one in the morning and evening for three months before food and tablet Vitamin D3 60k units once a week for eight weeks. For now, you need to use an arm pouch the entire day for at least three months and wear it even while sleeping. Avoid movements of the shoulder out of the arm pouch.

Thank you.