Subluxation vs Dislocation: Key Differences and Recovery Strategies

The difference between a subluxation and a dislocation can be confusing. You hear that “pop,” and suddenly pain and stress take over. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy for the mind to spiral.

That’s when thoughts like “Is my season over?” or even “career end” can hit fast. Recovery actually starts right there. Understanding what happened helps calm fear, the biggest enemy of both body and mind.

Knowing what a subluxation is, what a dislocation is, and their differences can help athletes, coaches, and trainers handle the situation better. It also makes prevention easier.

Both injuries involve the joints, where bones meet and movement happens. They’re most common in the shoulder, elbow, or fingers, but can also happen in the knee, ankle, or spine. If a joint bends, it can shift out of place.

Understanding the difference can prevent further injuries on the field. So let’s break down subluxation versus dislocation, and what recovery is like. Right here, right now.

What is Subluxation?

A subluxation happens when a bone partially slips out of its joint. It’s not a full dislocation, but enough to feel off. Think of it like a door hinge that doesn’t sit right: It’s still functional, but unstable. That’s the simplest subluxation definition.

For example, in a shoulder subluxation the humeral head slides partway out of the socket. Sometimes it realigns on its own, with a subtle pop or looseness. Pain is usually mild, but the instability is very real.

Subluxation in athletes often shows up in high-speed, high-stress sports like basketball or volleyball, where quick cuts or overhead motions push joints to their limits. But it can happen in many other parts of the body: kneecaps, fingers, elbows, ankles, and even ribs.

Take a finger subluxation, as another example. It might seem minor, but it can throw off grip and control. Ignore it, and repeated slips stretch the ligaments and weaken stability.

That’s the real danger with subluxation injuries. Repeated episodes create stretched ligaments, chronic looseness, persistent pain, or even cartilage damage. 

In other words, it’s not just a “close call.” Without proper rehab and strengthening, the joint will keep reminding you later. Or even worse, make you more prone to dislocations.

What is Dislocation?

A dislocation happens when a bone completely separates from its joint. Not just a small shift, it’s a full exit. A dislocation is quite visible, extremely painful, and movement instantly shuts down.

Compared to a subluxation, a dislocation injury is much more severe. It almost always requires medical attention to realign the joint. Remember the door hinge analogy? In this case, a dislocation is the hinge ripped off its frame.

Dislocations are common in contact sports like football, wrestling, and hockey, or in sports with overhead motion like basketball and volleyball. Collisions, awkward landings, or pushing a joint past its natural limits can all cause it.

For instance, take a dislocation of the shoulder, that’s the most common type. In most cases, the humeral head is forced forward out of the socket; that’s what we call an anterior dislocation. Less common are posterior, superior, or inferior dislocations, depending on the force and direction.

But it’s not just shoulders. Athletes can suffer a dislocation of the elbow from a hard fall, a dislocation of knee or dislocation of patella from twisting or landing wrong, or even finger dislocations from catching and jamming.

You’ll usually spot a dislocation right away. You hear that “pop!”, and the joint looks off. The dislocation bone is visibly out of place. The pain is sharp and intense. 

The key is to never try to fix a dislocation on the field. That can make the damage worse. A professional diagnosis is step one—usually confirmed with an X-ray to check alignment and rule out fractures.

Here’s the bigger problem: most dislocations come with collateral damage. Torn ligaments, labral tears, nerve involvement, or fractures like a Bankart lesion. If recovery isn’t done right, you risk chronic pain, stiffness, instability, or even arthritis later on, as research shows.

Subluxation vs Dislocation: Key Differences

Let’s break down the differences clearly.

A subluxation injury is when a joint is only partially out of place. It’s shifted, but not fully separated. That’s why it’s less severe, often less painful, and usually means a shorter recovery.

A dislocation injury is more serious. The joint is completely out of alignment, with bones no longer touching the way they should. It’s visible, very painful, and many times they require surgery.

Both need attention, but dislocations typically bring more structural damage, and longer recovery timelines.

Subluxation vs Dislocation Compared

And now the big question: How do you recover? Well, that depends on which joint was injured, but the steps follow a clear path.

Let’s look at recovery and rehabilitation strategies for athletes next.

Recovery and Rehabilitation Strategies for Athletes

When a shoulder dislocation is severe, it may require surgery to repair torn ligaments or damaged tissue. That means a long recovery, sometimes up to 12 months.

So yes, we get it when some athletes get the “career end” fear thought. But know that it doesn’t have to be like that. You can recover 100% from dislocations, be it shoulder, knee, elbow.

A subluxation injury doesn’t always require surgery. But if it becomes chronic, a specialist may order an MRI to find out what’s causing the repeated slips. Most of the time, though, physiotherapy for subluxation can restore stability without surgery. Mild cases may heal in 2 to 3 months, depending on the joint, the severity, and the sport.

For both subluxation and dislocation injuries, recovery follows a similar path, but the timeline is different. What matters most is getting expert guidance from expert physical therapists and trainers who understand injury recovery with physiotherapy and personal training for injury recovery.

Recovery Phase 1: Regain Range of Motion

Early recovery begins with gentle flexibility work to restore mobility without stressing the joint. For different joints, common exercises include:

• Shoulder external and internal rotations

• Shoulder flexion & extension

• Quadricep contractions

• Straight-leg raises (front and side)

• Calf stretches

Recovery Phase 2: Rebuild Strength

Once mobility returns, the focus shifts to light resistance training. The goal is to restore joint stability, muscular control, and confidence. Examples include:

• Shoulder abduction and wall push-ups

• Lateral step-ups

• Finger stretches, thumb stretch, and foam ball pinch

During  both subluxation and dislocation recovery, it’s important not to push through sharp pain. Mild discomfort can be normal, but forcing a painful movement risks setbacks.

This is really important, so take note: rehab shouldn’t hurt. If your rehab plan consistently causes pain and your PT insists you keep going, it may be time to seek another professional opinion.

Up next, let’s look at how the real pros design recovery strategies for athletes and why expert help makes the difference.

The Best Recovery Strategies From Experts

At Performance One, we’ve spent more than 20 years helping athletes and active individuals recover from subluxations and dislocations. We have one goal: get you back in the game with lasting results.

Your health and play level is our priority. Our coaches, trainers, and physical therapists work together to create a community built on strength, performance, and endurance.

Every one of our physical therapists is certified and highly experienced. They’ve worked with athletes of all ages, across every sport, and with every type of injury. Whether it’s joint dislocation recovery or physiotherapy for subluxation, they’ll design a recovery plan tailored to you. 

The right exercises, at the right pace, so you heal strong and stay strong.

If you’re currently dealing with a dislocation injury or subluxation injury, or if you’ve had one in the past and want to prevent it from happening again, Performance One is here for you.

Our doors are open. Ready to get started? Schedule a session today and let’s build the best version of you yet.