Post#1798 » by fatlever » Yesterday 9:28 pm
chatgpt deep dive
Shoulder Subluxation Recovery in NBA Players
A shoulder subluxation (partial dislocation) typically heals faster than a full dislocation. In general, players immobilize the shoulder briefly (often 1–2 weeks in a sling) and then begin range-of-motion exercises. Orthopedic sources note that regaining full range of motion after a subluxation “may take several weeks,” and complete recovery can take months
verywellhealth.com
verywellhealth.com
. In the NBA literature, non‐operative treatment of subluxations usually leads to a return in roughly 3–4 weeks. For example, Lu et al. (2020) reported that NBA players treated non-surgically for shoulder subluxations returned in an average of 3.6 weeks (about one month)
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
. Experts have echoed this, estimating a “three-to-four week return-to-play timeline” for an isolated shoulder subluxation
abc7news.com
. Media accounts of actual NBA cases align with that: when Stephen Curry subluxated his left shoulder in Dec 2022 (no surgery), the Warriors expected him to miss on the order of one month
cbssports.com
abc7news.com
. In practice, many mild subluxations allow an athlete to resume basketball activity in roughly 2–6 weeks, depending on pain control and rehab intensity.
Non-Operative vs. Operative Recovery
Recovery time varies sharply if surgery is required. Most subluxations are treated without surgery, but if the injury causes a significant labral tear or instability, a surgeon may tighten the joint (e.g. arthroscopic Bankart repair). In NBA studies, players who underwent surgical stabilization missed far longer. Lu et al. found that NBA players having shoulder surgery took about 19 weeks (≈4–5 months) to return
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
. By contrast, non‑surgical cases returned in under a month on average
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
. Similarly, general sports-medicine guidance warns that surgical repair can sideline an athlete for 4–6+ months. For example, Kevin Love’s left shoulder dislocation (2015) required surgery and kept him out ~4–6 months
espn.com
. A recent orthopedic source estimates that after surgery the sling phase is ~2–3 weeks, with full return to high-level sports taking 6+ months
centerforspecialtycare.com
centerforspecialtycare.com
.
In summary, a lone shoulder subluxation (with no significant labral tear) usually means only a few weeks off. But if imaging shows a tear and surgery is done, recovery typically extends several months. In Lu et al.’s series, nonoperative subluxations returned in ~3.6 weeks, whereas operative cases averaged ~19 weeks
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
. (Another series reported an average of ~7–8 weeks for dislocations without surgery
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
.) Thus, expected recovery time ranges roughly from 2–6 weeks (non‐surgical subluxation) up to 4–6+ months (if surgery is needed)
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
espn.com
.
NBA Player Examples (Last 10 Years)
Stephen Curry (GSW, Dec 2022): Suffered a left shoulder subluxation. MRI ruled out a labral tear, so he avoided surgery. The team reported he would miss “about a month,” and he indeed returned after roughly 4 weeks of rehab
cbssports.com
abc7news.com
.
Ja Morant (MEM, Dec 2023): Had a shoulder subluxation (right side) during practice. An MRI revealed a torn labrum, so he underwent season-ending surgery. He missed the rest of the season and was projected to be fully recovered by next year’s training camp
espn.com
. This illustrates that a subluxation with a labral tear can lead to 6+ months out.
Jalen Johnson (ATL, Jan 2025): Tore the labrum in his left shoulder (during game contact). The Hawks announced season-ending surgery, meaning he missed the rest of the year and will be ready for the next season
espn.com
.
Brandon Miller (CHA, Oct 2025): Diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation in a game. He missed subsequent games and was undergoing re-evaluation
cbssports.com
. (His case was still being assessed at the time of report.)
(Others): In past seasons, similar injuries have been reported. For instance, Dwyane Wade missed 23 games with a left shoulder dislocation in 2008 (older, but noted by media
espn.com
). More recently, players like Luka Doncic and Kevin Love have undergone surgery for dislocated/labral injuries (4–6 month recoveries)
espn.com
espn.com
. While those were full dislocations, they underscore how a complex shoulder injury differs from a simple subluxation in recovery time.
Sources: Medical studies and NBA reports show that non-surgical subluxations typically sideline an NBA player only a few weeks
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
cbssports.com
, whereas surgery (for associated labral tears) often means missing the remainder of the season (4–6 months)
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
espn.com
. These conclusions are drawn from peer-reviewed sports-med literature and recent NBA injury news.