Shoulder injury and dislocations are common reasons for patients to present to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation. As ED physicians we often must determine whether the shoulder is fractured, dislocated, or both. Most of the time this is done through the use of physical examination in addition to the use of a plain film radiograph of the shoulder.

 The use of ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal injuries is becoming more common. While it currently does not supplant the use of radiographs, it can be a useful adjunct to the management of these patients.