Mr Andrew Wallace of Fortius Clinic operates on Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak

At the end of 2016, Mr Andrew Wallace of the London Shoulder Specialists successfully operated on Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak after he suffered a dislocation of the left shoulder while making a save during a game against Villarreal in December. Surgery to repair the labrum was successful but Oblak, who also plays for his national team of Slovenia, will now spend up to four months recovering.

Oblak suffered a Bankart tear to the shoulder

Twenty-three-year-old Oblak suffered a Bankart tear which is more common in younger patients. It is an injury to the labrum which occurs after a shoulder dislocation; to provide stability to the shoulder, particularly with its wide range of movement, the shoulder is supported by a cuff of cartilage called the labrum.

When the shoulder is dislocated, the shoulder pops out of its joint and the inferior glenohumeral ligament that composes part of the labrum can become torn. Oblak would have felt sensations of instability, catching and aching in the shoulder and would have likely experienced repeated dislocations in the future.

The club made the following statement after the surgery: “Jan Oblak has undergone a successful operation of the injury he suffered last Monday in the game against Villarreal. The player underwent arthroscopic surgery to the left shoulder to repair the labrum — with a positive result and stabilisation of the shoulder joint.”

Treatment was provided by Mr Andrew Wallace of the Fortius Clinic, a leading sports orthopaedic centre in London.