The glenohumeral joint is the most commonly dislocated joint in the body. The prevalence of this condition and the instability that may result from it has been a focus of diagnosis and treatment since the original description of the Bankart lesion in 1923. Now, with the introduction of MRI, lesions causing anterior shoulder instability can be diagnosed more accurately. This has led to improved understanding of the pathoanatomy that must be addressed and corrected during surgical repair. Initial attempts at arthroscopic treatment, including staple repair, transosseus suture repair, rivets, and thermal capsulorraphy were fraught with complications and unacceptably high recurrence rates. The development of arthroscopic suture anchors have revolutionized the treatment of anterior shoulder instability, such that arthroscopic management is now the standard of care. In the hands of experienced surgeons, outcomes for arthroscopic treatment of shoulder instability now approaches the success of open treatment.