The presented study investigated the difference of positioning sense of the shoulder before and after surgery (capsular shift or Arthroscopic Bankart repair) for shoulder instability.

For this purpose a sample of patients with recurrent dislocations of the shoulder that underwent surgery and patients with instability before surgery volunteered to participate in a set of experiments. Their results were compared to the results obtained from a matching sample of healthy subjects.

All subjects completed all movement’s conditions that included the performance of hand movements towards memorized visual target in A-horizontal plane condition and B-Three dimensional movement condition.

The mixed design (3 groups x 3 2D levels x 3 3D levels) with repeated measures allowed the comparison among the groups in terms of final accuracy measures (Absolute and Variable Errors) and variability around mean tangential velocities and end-point paths.

The results showed that operative shoulder stabilization improves the ability to accurately position the arm on a target at the end of the movement and in addition the kinematic profile, which is disturbed before stabilization, improves as well.

These measures may be used as an objective tool to asses the success of conservative as well as operative treatment for shoulder instability.