It's a condition that all too many people have gone through: After a tough sports game or a work-related accident, joints can become inflamed or bones can be fractured. The pain is often bad enough to merit a visit to the doctor, though the damage is not bad enough to warrant a cast being placed on the joint or bone that has been damaged in a recent accident. In these cases, a shoulder sling immobilizer is the best form of pain control and rehabilitation for most patients.