Griff G.

Shoulder Joint Dislocated and Bankart Injury

Professional wrestler Griff Garrison, also known as Garrett Griffith, was lifting weights when he extended his arms too far and felt his left shoulder pop forward. He was practicing an Olympic-style overhead snatch position, which involved quickly lifting the bar overhead. Immediately, he knew he dislocated his shoulder joint.

Griff left the gym and drove to the ER, where they popped his shoulder back into place. A few days later, he saw Dr. Brian Waterman, chief of orthopaedic sports medicine at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Waterman obtained an MRI of Griff’s shoulder to assess the damage. The MRI revealed a Bankart injury in his shoulder joint, meaning the labrum (a thick piece of cartilage that lines the shoulder socket) was torn and causing instability. He also had a Hill-Sachs lesion, which is an indentation in the ball of the shoulder joint.

Due to Griff’s profession and high activity level, Waterman recommended surgery to stabilize his shoulder and reduce the risk of dislocation. Without surgery, Griff’s risk of another shoulder dislocation was 80%-90%.

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