Managing Shoulder Injuries in the Emergency Department: Fracture, Dislocation, and Overuse.

The complex structures of the shoulder can be injured by fracture, dislocation, and overuse, and correctly identifying and classifying injury is essential to avoiding pain, disability, and life- and limb-threatening complications. This issue presents a systematic approach to classifying shoulder injuries based on the mechanism of injury and clinical presentation, choosing appropriate imaging, and determining the best strategies for treatment, including reduction, surgical consultation, or outpatient referral. Newer recommendations on intra-articular versus intravenous analgesia are presented to increase patient comfort and improve reduction outcomes.