How to Use a Shoulder Immobilizer

A shoulder immobilizer is a device that you wear to protect an injured shoulder. You may need to wear a shoulder immobilizer to keep from moving (immobilize) your arm while the injured shoulder heals.

Keeping the injured shoulder still can reduce pain, prevent further injury, and speed up healing. The device supports your arm next to your body as your shoulder heals. Your health care provider may recommend using a shoulder immobilizer if:

• You have a broken bone in your shoulder.
• You have an injury that moved your shoulder out of position (dislocation).
• You had shoulder surgery.

There are different types of shoulder immobilizers. The one that you get depends on your injury.

What are the risks?

In general, wearing a shoulder immobilizer is a safe way to help you heal. However, in some cases, wearing a shoulder immobilizer the wrong way can:

• Let your injured shoulder move around too much. This may delay healing and make your pain and swelling worse.
• Cause stiffness or numbness.
• Affect blood flow (circulation) in your arm and hand. This can cause tingling or numbness in your fingers or hands.

How to use your shoulder immobilizer

Follow your health care provider’s instructions for how and when to wear your shoulder immobilizer. Your health care provider will show you or tell you:

• How to put on the shoulder immobilizer.
• How to adjust the shoulder immobilizer.
• When and how often to wear the shoulder immobilizer.
• How to remove the shoulder immobilizer.

Your health care provider may want you to:

• Regularly loosen your immobilizer to straighten your elbow and move your wrist and fingers. You may have to do this several times a day to help avoid stiffness. Ask your health care provider when you should do this and how often.
• Remove your immobilizer once every day to shower, but limit the movement in your injured shoulder. Before putting the immobilizer back on, use a towel to dry the area under your arm completely.
• Remove your immobilizer to do shoulder exercises at home, as told by your health care provider.
• Wear your immobilizer while you sleep. You may sleep more comfortably if you have your upper body raised on pillows.
• Wear your immobilizer over a shirt to prevent skin irritation. The immobilizer rubbing on your skin may cause a rash.

How to put on your shoulder immobilizer

The way that you put on the shoulder immobilizer may vary depending on the type you have. In general:

• The part of the immobilizer that goes around your neck (sling) should support your upper arm, with your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your lower arm and hand across your chest.
• Make sure that your elbow:
  • Is snug against the back pocket of the sling.
  • Does not move away from your body.
• The strap of the immobilizer should go over your shoulder and support your arm and hand. Your hand should be slightly higher than your elbow. It should not hang loosely over the edge of the sling.
• If the long strap has a pad, place it where it is most comfortable on your neck.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Try to avoid moving your arm.
• Do not twist, raise, or move your arm in a way that could make your injury worse.
• Do not lean on your arm while wearing a sling.
• Do not lift anything with the hand or arm that is in the sling.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your immobilizer is not supporting your arm properly.
• Your immobilizer gets damaged.
• You have worsening pain or swelling in your shoulder, arm, or hand.
• Your shoulder, arm, or hand changes color or temperature.
• You lose feeling in your shoulder, arm, or hand.

Summary

• A shoulder immobilizer is a device that you wear to protect an injured shoulder and to keep it from moving while it heals.
• Keeping the injured shoulder from moving (immobilized) can reduce pain, prevent further injury, and speed up healing.
• Follow your health care provider’s instructions for how and when to wear your shoulder immobilizer.
• Contact your health care provider if you have more pain or swelling, color or temperature changes, or loss of feeling in your shoulder, arm, or hand.