About the study
The SORTED study is trying to find out the best way to treat people who dislocate their shoulder for the first time.
What is the SORTED study
The SORTED study is trying to find out the best way to treat people who dislocate their shoulder for the first time. A shoulder dislocation means the top of your arm bone has come out of the shoulder joint, which can be painful and make your shoulder feel unstable. If the shoulder doesn’t heal properly, it can keep dislocating, which might cause pain and make it harder to do everyday things.
Why are we doing this research?
Treatment after a shoulder dislocation focuses on returning your shoulder to normal function and preventing the shoulder from dislocating again. Current NHS treatments consist of referring patients to physiotherapy, or to offer them a keyhole operation. Both treatment pathways work well, but healthcare professionals are not sure which one works best for the patient and the NHS. Researchers will ask over 270 people from at least 20 hospitals across the UK to join the study. Half will receive physiotherapy and half will receive surgery alongside physiotherapy.
Recruitment chart
Recruitment target: 276
Study information
Participant demographic
276
Number of participants
A multi-method study including qualitative interviews and a prospective cohort study.
Study duration
May 2026 – April 2033
Recruitment duration
May 2026 – January 2028
Funder
National Institute for Health Research Health (NIHR) Technology Assessment Programme (HTA)
Primary objective
To compare shoulder function between treatment groups following first-time shoulder dislocation.