• Shoulder joint dislocation is the most common joint dislocation seen in the emergency department.

• Traumatic dislocation may cause damage to the soft-tissues surrounding the shoulder joint and sometimes to the bone. The treatment, which aims at restoration of a fully functioning, pain-free and stable shoulder, includes either conservative or surgical management preceded by closed reduction of the acute dislocation.

• Conservative management usually requires a period of rest, generally involving immobilisation of the arm in a sling, even though it is still debated whether to immobilise the shoulder in internal or external rotation.

• Operative management, with no significant differences in term of re-dislocation rates between open and arthroscopic repair, incorporates soft-tissue reconstructions and/or bony procedures and is recommended in young male adults engaged in highly demanding physical activities.

• At our institution, non-operative management is favoured particularly for patients with multi-directional instability or soft-tissue laxity. Conservative measures are often preferred in older patients or younger patients that are not actively engaged in overhead activities. Immediate surgery on all first-time dislocations may subject many patients to surgery who would not have had any future subluxation.

• For these reasons, initially we will always try physical therapy and activity modification for the vast majority of our patients.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2:35-40.DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160018.

• Acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) injuries are common, but their incidence is probably underestimated. As the treatment of some sub-types is still debated, we reviewed the available literature to obtain an overview of current management.

• We analysed the literature using the PubMed search engine.

• There is consensus on the treatment of Rockwood type I and type II lesions and for high-grade injuries of types IV, V and VI. The treatment of type III injuries remains controversial, as none of the studies has proven a significant benefit of one procedure when compared with another.

• Several approaches can be considered in reaching a valid solution for treating ACJ lesions. The final outcome is affected by both vertical and horizontal post-operative ACJ stability. Synthetic devices, positioned using early open or arthroscopic procedures, are the main choice for young people.

• Type III injuries should be managed surgically only in cases with high-demand sporting or working activities.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2:432–437. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160085.