firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I tore my rotator cuff in my right shoulder and partially dislocated it 7 years ago while inner tubing down a ski hill. It healed fairly quickly, and despite a bit of scar tissue you can feel around the point of my shoulder, I have never had a problem with it since aside from some clicking noises when reaching behind me (like to scratch my back.)

Until Sunday, that is. After my most ill-fated hare scramble attempt ever, it has been stiff and sore. It feels like it wants to pop but won’t (and I’m not going to force it!) I do not remember landing on it since I crashed too many times to remember any particular one.

Does anyone know anything about shoulder injuries? Should I have surgery :eek: or is it something I can build back up with weights and rubber bands? Is it the type of injury you baby until it feels better or should I really hammer at it to strengthen? I have not had a doctor look at it since I do not have health insurance. (Don’t lecture, it’s in the works!) Just curious if anyone has had a similar injury and what they did.
 

KiwiBird

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 30, 2000
2,386
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Sharla - You probably need to give it some time - more than a week LOL! Try some Alleve and ice packs. I would baby it for a bit and then do gentle stretchs before I thought about the weights.

Mine has been messed up for a while but generally doesn't give me problems so I don't anticipate getting cut.

If you have trouble doing something (e.g. scratching your shoulder blade) think about doing it another way rather than going under the knife. I have a friend who has just had the surgery but his was popping out all the time so he needed it. He will off the bike for almost 6 months.

Kiwi
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
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Hey, Kiwi, thanks. How have you been? Haven’t seen you a whole lot cruzin’ the boards lately—though I was offline for a couple weeks myself.

A good friend of mine has two bad shoulders that would pop out all the time. He had one operated on last winter and now it’s fine but the other goes out a lot. I wonder if the EVS brace thingy works.
 

MikeT

~SPONSOR~
Jan 17, 2001
4,112
11
Man, you really did have a bad time at that hare scramble! Give it some time to heal and I'd see a DR. if it doesn't seem to be getting better in about a week and a half. You might want to put it in a sling, that will be a good reminder to baby it.
 

Hucker

~SPONSOR~
Sep 15, 2000
999
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I had a 2nd degree seperation of my shoulder while playing football back in highschool. Went to the hospital and they said my right arm hangs lower than my left. This is because of one of the tendons in the shoulder being stretched pretty bad. Well, I can pop my shoulder out on request, which isn't a good thing. I never had surgery, or rehab on it. After a day of riding its sore as hell but feels better in 2-3 days. My advice? Go to a specialist and if you have to get surgery, get it done. Nothing worse than picking up your bike only to have your shoulder pop out, and having to pick it up again :)

Good Luck.
 

pokemanyz

Member
Jan 22, 2000
41
0
Hey Firecracker, love your pictures :D
Here's my take on it. Former brother in law had the surgery after an injury from his warehouse job. Now he can't lift his arm much at all. He's actually permanently disabled.

I injured my shoulder many years ago while bench pressing. It caused me a lot of problems until I purchased a book on how to rehab it via some basic exercises. They work great and I do them about once a week. I'm even able to bench again. I'll post the basics a little later today, gotta go ride \\\0-0
 

vetwfo'er

Member
Dec 18, 2000
124
0
Sharla,

I had blown my shoulder out after a very intense Karate workout. We were lifting after our work out preparing for a tournament. This was a couple of years after seperating my shoulder in a fight (I did security).

I worked veryu hard in the gym to build my strength up. I also was very careful NOT to sleep on my side (injured shoulder). This can irritate the shoulder. After a couple of years of strength training it got better but, was never 100%.

For an over the counter remedy, try glucosamine. A GNC store will have it.

What finally worked was two visits to a chinese doctor. SDhe gave me some sort of deep tissue massage and then treated the area with some thing she made.....smelled pretty bad. After two treatments from her, I have been 100%.

This is a very hard area to heal and re-strengthen. Go slow, use ice and glucosamine and be consistant in your training.

Good Luck
vetwfo'er
 

nacob

Member
May 23, 2001
3
0
I am currently two weeks removed from rotator cuff surgery after dislocating my right shoulder at a local track. A rotator cuff is actually four different tendons that connect various muscles to the bones in your shoulder. A tendon does not repair itself. It must be surgically reattached to the bone by drilling holes in the bone and stitching the torn tendon to the bone.

It was not hard to identify the difference between the nagging pain of a shoulder dislocation and a tear in the rotator cuff. Mt pain felt like someone stabbed me in the shoulder with an ice pick when I moved my arm in various positions. If this sounds familiar, then you better get checked out.

There are different types of rotator cuff tears. One type involes complete separation of the tendon from the shoulder. If you have this injury and do not get it repaired, then, by waiting, it may become a permanent condition. After time, the recessed tendon shrinks and can no longer be reattached. From what I have read this should be avoided at all costs.

After surgery I will be in a restricted sling for 3-4 weeks. After that, I begin rehab to strenthen the tendons in my right shoulder. Rehab will be complete in 6-9 months. The good news is that I should be back on my bike in about five weeks (two months after surgery). My doctor explained to me that riding does not require the same tendon strength as other activities like weight lifting. So, although 100% rehabilitation is several months away, I will be able to ride in the near future.

Good luck. I hope you do not have a rotator cuff tear.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Thanks all for your ideas. After 2 1/2 weeks now, it is still slightly sore but not bad. I don't know what I did to it. At the time, the doc said that there was a small tear in the cuff. He said surgery may be required in the future but as it healed within a couple of months, I never went back to have it looked at. I played tennis, studied karate, lifted, did aerobics, and started riding in the years since.

I must have landed on it at some point or strained it picking up the bike at the hare scramble. I don't think it is the rotator cuff this time, I was just wondering if I aggravated a prior injury with the new one. I remember those stabbing pains; I couldn't brush my hair, put my contacts in, eat or do anything that required me to lift my shoulder more than six inches away from my ribcage. This is just a constant irritating ache. I have woken up after sleeping on it wrong a couple times and it was worse for a day or two.

Pokeman, thanks. I'd love to see those exercises.
Nacob, I hope you recover quickly and get back on the bike soon. Tell the doc it's therapy.
VetWFOer, what is glucosamine and what does it do? What form of karate do you practice?
 

vetwfo'er

Member
Dec 18, 2000
124
0
Glocosamine is a joint repair supplement. It is perfectly safe and will work wonders. If it does not, see your doctor. Sometimes, it's the only reason I can lift.

I train in Goju-Ryu (I.O.G.K.F) did this in my 30's and trained in Judo for many years.
 

TexKDX

~SPONSOR~
Aug 8, 1999
747
0
Sharla, I have a shoulder problem too. Exercise and stretching increases the blood flow and strength of the area. I have specific stretches and light weight training I do to keep mine working. I also stretch it out well before and after a ride. Someday it will get surgery, but from what I hear the longer you can put it off the better due to possible complications. They can fix it all once they have to go in. Then guess what - more stretching and exercises to increase bloodflow and strength!
 

pokemanyz

Member
Jan 22, 2000
41
0
The book I was talking about is titled The 7 Minute Rotator Cuff Solution a complete program to prevent and rehabilitate rotator cuff injuries. By the way I’m not associated with the authors or the publishing company.

My original intent was to post a few of the exercises that I do and that have helped me however I now believe that would be selling the program short.
The book is in two main parts. It begins with what the rotator cuff is and the anatomy . Next is what the rotator cuff does and how. Chapter 3 is what goes wrong with the rotator cuff.
Part two is all about the program/exercises. The book is about 140 pages long and very interesting and in depth for anyone who wants to learn more about R.C. injuries and rehabilitation.

Although I purchased my copy many years ago I believe it was about $24.95

Here’s some contact info 1-800-874-5339 Health for Life
Suite 483
8033 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, Ca 90046


I know this a little off the subject but I have also read or purchased several other titles from this company and have found them all to be very well written and helpful. Some of these titles are Total Neck and Traps, Legendary Abs, Maximum Calves, and Secrets of Advanced Bodybuilders
 
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