What are the advantages of external rotation for the reduction of shoulder dislocation?

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Anantha K Mallia, DO, FACEP MAJ, Medical Corps, United States Army; Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Anantha K Mallia, DO, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Osteopathic Association, Society of Critical Care Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Benjamin T Milligan, MD, FACEP Chief, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance; Instructor in Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Benjamin T Milligan, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Erik D Schraga, MD Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mills-Peninsula Emergency Medical Associates

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Elisa M Aponte, MD Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center/Kings County Hospital Center

Elisa M Aponte, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Curt E Dill, MD Service Chief, Emergency Medicine Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New York Harbor Healthcare Systems-NY; Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine

Curt E Dill, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and American College of Physician Executives

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Luis M Lovato, MD Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine; Director of Critical Care, Department of Emergency Medicine, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center

Luis M Lovato, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Patricia Rivera, MD, MPH  Resident Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center/NYU Langone Medical Center

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Laurie Scudder, DNP, NP Nurse Planner, Medscape; Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, George Washington University, Washington, DC

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Bellevue Hospital Housestaff for graciously participating in this project, especially Drs. Adriana Manikian, Karen Franco, Alice Kwan, Heather Larson, and Chris McStay.

The authors would like to acknowledge CPT Buddy Leckie, CPT Leon Richardson, Physician Assistants of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, and Mr. Harold Vick, Nurse Practitioner, for their assistance demonstrating the techniques described in this article and for their brave, selfless service to the United States of America.