Los Angeles Dodgers fans may have let out a big “Uh, oh” when they saw Shohei Ohtani had hurt his left shoulder. This came in the seventh inning of what should have otherwise been an oh-so-great 4-2 victory for the Dodgers over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series.

Ohtani was trying to steal second base when he slid past the bag and started rolling on the ground while holding his left arm, which is not what you want to see your superstar do. Dodgers assistant athletic trainer Yosuke Nakajima came out and helped Ohtani back to the dugout and clubhouse while supporting Ohtani’s arm. After the victory that put the Dodgers ahead in the World Series, two games to none, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani’s injury was a subluxation of his shoulder and that further testing will take place.

What is a subluxation? Well, when it comes to proper shoulder joint function, it’s location, location, location. The ball of your upper arm bone, known as the humerus, should fit into the socket formed by the glenoid. When this head of the humerus is pulled completely out of its socket, it is a dislocation, dislocation, dislocation.

But if the ball only partially comes out of the glenoid socket, it is considered a subluxation of the shoulder. Clearly, a partial dislocation of the humerus is better than a complete dislocation. But the situation is still not very humorous. The symptoms of a subluxed shoulder can be very similar to those of a completely dislocated shoulder: weakness, pain, swelling, numbness, or a tingling sensation in your arm. When it happens, you probably won’t quite say, “Oh, clearly this is a subluxation of my shoulder, a partial dislocation rather than a complete dislocation.” No, instead you’ll probably say “Owwwwwwwwww” and need a doctor to determine the difference.

However, with a subluxation, the shoulder is more likely to spring back into place on its own. If not, do not attempt to push the humerus back into place yourself. Doing so can cause damage to all the material that surrounds and supports your shoulder joint, such as your ligaments and muscles.

Regardless of whether your shoulder goes back into place on its own, it’s a good idea to have it checked by a doctor as soon as possible, because any time the head of the humerus moves out of its socket, even partial damage to the surrounding structures can occur. performance. It’s also a good idea to keep your shoulder supported, such as with a sling or splint, so that your joint doesn’t wobble even more.

Therefore, it is difficult to say what the full situation with Ohtani is until doctors can get more imaging of the shoulder joint. A plain x-ray can show how far out of the socket the humeral head is, which can help determine the initial plan of care. But an MRI may be needed to see what kind of damage has occurred to the other structures.

Presumably, doctors have already moved Ohtani’s humerus head back into place via something called a closed reduction. Now a closed reduction may sound like some kind of secret cooking sauce, but it’s not. It is where the doctor gently maneuvers and rotates your arm until the humeral head slips back into place.

One key word here is ‘doctor’. You don’t want some dude or fella you just met at the local Starbucks to shove your joint out of place and cause even more damage. The other key word to hear is “carefully.” You never want to hear the word “push” when someone is doing a closed reduction.

This whole process can hurt like hell. So you may need to take a painkiller or even undergo general anesthesia before starting the procedure. Getting the joint into place should immediately relieve much of the pain.

It is called a closed reduction because it does not require surgery to open the skin and soft tissue in that area in any way. Surgery is usually not necessary unless the shoulder can somehow be moved out of place or other damage needs to be repaired. Surgery may also be necessary if you experience repeated subluxations and there is evidence that your shoulder has become loose due to damage to the supporting structures.

Once a closed reduction has supposedly successfully moved the humeral head back into place, it is a good idea to take x-rays afterwards to make sure your shoulder looks back in its proper position.

If Ohtani were just your regular Joe, he’d probably keep his shoulder immobilized in a sling for a few weeks after the closed reduction. After all, the average Joe may not really need to use his left shoulder, except perhaps to make dramatic gestures on a date or at the office water cooler. Such immobilization can prevent the humerus from shifting outward again and give the surrounding tissue time to heal. Ice can help reduce swelling in and around the joint. Anti-inflammatory medications can also be used. But be careful about taking too many such medications.

But Ohtani is not your average Joe. He is the crazy Shohei Ohtani, the first Major League baseball player to ever hit more than 50 home runs and steal more than 50 bases in a single season. The Dodgers organization is trying to win their eighth World Series against a Yankees organization that has already won, oh, like 27 of them. They could use an Ohtani game.

The big problem with any type of shoulder dislocation is that once it has happened, it is more likely to happen again. That’s because all that stuff around the shoulder may have been weakened. Therefore, you may want to get physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the joint.

If you can, avoid activities that could redislocate your shoulder, such as lifting or throwing heavy objects. Yes, I know, this means you might want to give up shot put and do something else at dinner parties.

Roberts did say, “I expect him to be there,” when asked if Ohtani will be available for Game 3, which will take place at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York City. But he and everyone else won’t get a better idea of ​​Ohtani’s availability until doctors get a more detailed view of his shoulder. And that probably includes an MRI.