Abstract
PURPOSE: Shoulder dislocations in professional football are severe injuries with an increasing incidence and considerable layoff times. Unlike other football injuries, the mechanisms leading to shoulder dislocations are not well understood, which limits the development of targeted preventive measures. Thus, the aims of this study were: (1) to analyse injury mechanisms of shoulder dislocations in professional football, (2) to evaluate situational and (3) to assess kinematic patterns by performing a systematic video analysis. METHODS: The study included all shoulder dislocations occurring in official matches within Germany's top two professional male football (soccer) leagues (1. and 2. Bundesliga) from the 2012/2013 to the 2022/2023 seasons. A systematic video analysis was performed using the official Bundesliga video database. Two independent reviewers assessed injury-related, situational and kinematic parameters. RESULTS: A total of 37 shoulder dislocations in 36 players (mean age 25 years) were analysed. Two primary injury mechanisms were identified: Type 1 mechanisms, caused by direct contact to the upper extremity (n = 14), and Type 2 mechanisms, caused by catching a fall (n = 22). Only one case did not fit these categories. Median layoff times were 94 days for Type 1 and 56 days for Type 2, but this difference was not statistically significant. Statistically significant differences between the two types were found in player action (p < 0.001) and type of contact (p = 0.005), while factors like player's speed, movement direction, football-specific actions, ball possession and pitch location showed no statistically significant differences. On-field treatment methods varied, but there were no statistically significant differences in repositioning attempts or reduction techniques (n.s.). Trunk position, shoulder joint version, shoulder elevation, and rotation, as well as elbow and wrist joint positions at the moment of dislocation, were similar between the two types (n.s.). CONCLUSION: Shoulder dislocations in professional football typically occur through direct contact or catching a fall, indicating a potential role for specific preventive measures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.