It is an indication for surgery and often accompanied by a Hill–Sachs lesion, damage to the posterior humeral head.

The majority of Bankart lesion patients have primary or recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation.

[1] The diagnosis is usually initially made by a combination of physical exam and medical imaging, where the latter may be projectional radiography (in cases of bony Bankart) and/or MRI of the shoulder.

However, a study has found that nearly one-third of young adult patients require further surgery for continued instability after the initial procedure, with higher re-operation rates in those less than 20 years of age.

[10] Options for repair include an arthroscopic technique or a more invasive open Latarjet procedure,[11] with the open technique tending to have a lower incidence of recurrent dislocation, but also a reduced range of motion following surgery.