A Prospective Analysis of Patients With Anterior Versus Posterior Shoulder Instability: A Matched Cohort Examination and Surgical Outcome Analysis of 200 Patients

Abstract

This study outlines clear distinctions between anterior and posterior shoulder instability in terms of presentation and clinical findings. Patients with anterior instability present primarily with an identifiable mechanism of injury and complaints of instability, whereas most patients with classic posterior instability have no identifiable mechanism of injury and their primary symptom is pain. Anterior instability outcomes in this matched cohort were superior in all domains versus posterior instability after arthroscopic stabilization, which further highlights the differences between anterior and posterior instability.