Table 2.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

The patient is anesthetized for ease of manipulation.

Direct visualization of the degree of humeral head translation is possible.

Stability can be assessed before and after surgical repair.

The test can be recorded for clinical documentation and for the patient to view as well.

The technique allows for titration of the repair in cases of bidirectional instability.

Disadvantages

An anterosuperior or lateral portal is required (which is only a disadvantage if not routinely used by the surgeon).

The technique relies on the ability to visualize the entire glenoid in the arthroscopic view.

It may be difficult to perform the maneuver with the patient in the lateral decubitus position because of nonanatomic positioning.

An assistant is required to hold the camera while the surgeon performs the load-shift test.