Abstract
Shoulder dislocation is one of the typical upper extremity injuries in skiing, first
following a violent accident but quite frequently recurring without new trauma.
This article discusses the retrotorsional angle of the humerus as an etiological factor
in the occurrence of an initial dislocation and as a triggering element for its recurrence.
It focuses on the consequences to be drawn for the surgical treatment of recurrent
shoulder dislocation. A technique for exact determination of the humeral angle of
retrotorsion by X-ray is presented.
In patients with recurrent anterior dislocations of the shoulder joint, the retrotorsional
angle of the humerus is pathologically reduced as compared to the control group. The
method of surgical therapy is determined by the individual deviance from the average
value.
Key words
skiing injuries - shoulder dislocation - humeral retrotorsion - surgical treatment
