Anyone keep riding DESPITE seperated shoulder?

[DamonBoost]

3 weeks ago I had my first mishap on by KX. I lost my rhythm on a rhythm section and got off like a can of bug spray. (not like I had much to begin with, as I am a really new rider) Anyway I got kicked up and thats all I really remember. I had a bruise on my head (yes I had my helmet on) so I think i might have been knocked coo coo for a minute. I remember being on the ground, hopping up as quick as I could and then trying to pick my bike up. It felt like it gained weight as fast as Anna Nicole lost hers..So after struggling with my 150lb kx100 I rode very slowly over to my truck.. Then the pain started.. It hurt so bad I thought I was going to throw up.

I could barely lift my shoulder, I couldnt really lift it at all for 2 days. I iced it and took ibuprofen for the next 4 days with no activity on it then called my best friend who is an ER doctor. He asked me about 30 questions over the phone and then said that his best assumption given all that information was that it was a Seperation 3. Told me honestly if it was his shoulder he wouldnt do anything with it yet except rest it. Save my money on the x-rays because if I came into the ER they would just send me home and tell me to rest it anyway unless I was in unbearable pain. He told me that if it turns out to be bad then I am more than likely going to pay for it in the long run either way. I will know more of if I can deal with it later on than now. So I am game for that. I can live with some pain, I am still pretty young (25).

So here is the reason for the post. I gave it 3.5 weeks, no activity. The thing that is killing me is that I am a new rider. 3.5 weeks was as long as I could give it without riding. I would say my shoulder was 80% better, or at least felt that way. I saddled up and rode Monday and had no pain really. Just some discomfort but nothing exceptional. I even fell once (nothing serious at all) but enough to make me not want to fall again in the next 15 minutes if ya follow me.. But the next day.. O my.. my shoulder feels worse. I had a little movement before in it. Now it pops so harsh that it vibrates my whole freaking chest. It almost feels like a small hiccup. It grosses me out honestly. But I am determined to ride thru it. I dont want to stop now for however many months and then have to go back to square 1 when I am finally 100% again.

Has anyone just rode thru one of these injuries. Did you injure it again? Was it always pretty sore the next day? How many days ballpark did you take between rides? Am I an idiot (be easy here)... =P

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I did a similar thing to mine at the tender age of 26. It was more than a year before it quit hurting.

I'd call back your friend who is an ER doc and ask him.

 

[tnrider]

I would not call you an idiot (yet) - perhaps youthfull ignorance is more appropriate - hint, you are not immortal and what you do at 25 will come back to haunt you at 40...

I suggest you go see an orthopedic doc. Shoulders are very complicated joints and if you do not treat it properly - you WILL be screwed in the long run -- and that's for life. If you weakened the rotator cuff and continue to mess with that thing, you will tear it eventually and it will require surgery and you do not want that. They cut through muscles in my shoulder 3-months ago to install a rod for a broken humerous - while the bone is healed, my shoulder has not yet recoverd from the surgery damage - as in can't lift more than 130degrees yet and no strength! With injuries like this, rest may not be the answer. You may need physical therapy to strengthen the damaged muscles and only a doctor & physical therapist can make that determination.

 

[DamonBoost]

Well thing is my insurance has a $500 deductable.. I dont really want to pay that.. When I look at $500 in one hand.. and the pain in the other.. or should i say shoulder.. i just dont want to go spending that money right now.. i'd rather just pay later. . or go when i have eclipsed that deductable with another problem.. make sense? i am pathetic i know..

 

[James]

I had a grade 3 separation in July 03 and I was riding with it shortly after it happened (2-4 weeks - hard to remember). Once the swelling went down, I didn't have any pain. Your collarbone will most likely stick up and move independantly of your shoulder forever....you have the lump now right? Mine pops and is uncomfortable sometimes and the lump (separated end of collarbone) is kind of annoying to look at. Doesn't seem to affect my riding any. The surgery to fix it is mostly cosmetic, but they do resect the bone so it doesn't rub the shoulder blade and pop. If your collarbone is very unstable, they also relocate a ligament to help with that, but they don't reattach the collarbone to the shoulder blade.

I can ride two days back to back with mine. I think I even did 3 days not long ago. Doesn't get sore really, just the normal day to day weird feeling when the lump pops up or the two bones rub together.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Let your pain be your guide. If it hurts...don't ride. I have had several shoulder injurys (I have one now!) and they usually take 6 to 12 weeks to heal, but I can usually ride well before that time frame.

As you know, the hardest part of a shoulder injury is trying to find a comfortable way to sleep. If you are sleeping OK, the joint is more than likly good to go.

 

[Moto Squid]

I dislocated mine in october and there is still a lingering ache/pain today...and I'm only 19 so I'm suppose to heal quick. IMHO look into physical therapy. At first I just went to the doc and the outlook was grim...maybe by spring it'd be kinda normal :( BUT he said PT should cut that way down and I'd be less prone to screwing it up again :clue: After the first session I could tell it was helping!!! Eventually I stopped doing the exercises but really shouldn't have. I do ride with an EVS shoulder brace for the added pull that it provides on the shoulder, just added security because shoulder injuries suck!!

 

[DamonBoost]

I had a grade 3 separation in July 03 and I was riding with it shortly after it happened (2-4 weeks - hard to remember). Once the swelling went down, I didn't have any pain. Your collarbone will most likely stick up and move independantly of your shoulder forever....you have the lump now right? Mine pops and is uncomfortable sometimes and the lump (separated end of collarbone) is kind of annoying to look at. Doesn't seem to affect my riding any. The surgery to fix it is mostly cosmetic, but they do resect the bone so it doesn't rub the shoulder blade and pop. If your collarbone is very unstable, they also relocate a ligament to help with that, but they don't reattach the collarbone to the shoulder blade.

I can ride two days back to back with mine. I think I even did 3 days not long ago. Doesn't get sore really, just the normal day to day weird feeling when the lump pops up or the two bones rub together.

Yep, I have both the 'pop' and the 'lump'. The pain is decreasing, just scares me.. or startles me every time it pops. Definately a weird feeling. I assume I am going to try and live with it and if it causes me anymore pain or loss of motion on down the road I will go see a O.S. then.. Hopefully after something else happens that way I will have already had to pay that $500 deductable.. thanks for all the replies

 

[James]

My doc was in no hurry to do anything with it. He said as long as I had complete range of motion and no pain....I should be fine. He said they generally only fix them for pitchers and quarterbacks. My collarbone is about 1-1.5 inches higher than my shoulder blade with my arm relaxed.

He put no limits on activity but my PT from the ACL surgery said that Grade 3 shoulders meant I should stay away from dips and push ups. I think we are real likely to have arthritis in our future though.

I was able to drive home the day I did it and was temtped to not go to the doctor, but my brother broke a scaphoid in his wrist and put it off. The bone wouldn't heal, started dying, and he almost ended up with a fused wrist. So if something is sticking out or hurting after a crash, I go see the doctor.

Good luck with it!!

 

[mxer842]

I raced two days after seperating my shoulder, I borrowed an EVS shoulder brace, popped a couple Aspirin and had someone dress me in my gear while i neared tears, does not hurt much now unless I sleep on it wrong.