Surgery Or Rehabilitation for Traumatic shouldEr Dislocations
Research type
Research Study
Full title
SORTED – a randomised controlled superiority trial comparing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the addition of surgery to a patient’s treatment pathway versus non-operative rehabilitation alone for young adult patients with a first-time shoulder dislocation
IRAS ID
348387
Contact name
Steve Gwilym
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN17897617
Duration of Study in the UK
6 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Sometimes, after a first-time shoulder dislocation, surgery is offered to help stop the shoulder from slipping out of place again. This is a common injury in young people, especially those who play sport. During surgery, doctors repair the damaged tissues around the shoulder using keyhole (arthroscopic) techniques, followed by rehabilitation to help regain movement and strength. Others are treated with rehabilitation alone to strengthen the shoulder without surgery. At the moment, there is no clear evidence to show which option works best.
Both treatments have advantages and disadvantages. Surgery followed by rehabilitation may give the shoulder better long-term stability and reduce the risk of it dislocating again, but it carries the usual risks of surgery such as infection or nerve injury and costs more initially. rehabilitation alone avoids an operation and its possible complications, and recovery may be quicker at first, but there is a greater chance the shoulder could dislocate again, which may cause ongoing pain, limit daily activities, and sometimes mean surgery is needed later on.
Participants will be randomly allocated to receive either surgery and rehabilitation or rehabilitation alone. Their shoulder function, recovery, quality of life, and any complications will be checked over 15 months. The study will take place in at least 20 hospitals across the UK, and the results will help doctors and physiotherapists decide how best to treat young people after a first-time shoulder dislocation.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/LO/0248
Date of REC Opinion
2 Apr 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion