Thread: Shoulder separation

You didn't do an AC sep if you are bracing it. Did you go to the doc?

Just did my left AC class 2 three days ago.

actually starting to feel pretty good, but some movement hurts like an SOB. I hope for a speedy recovery

if you think you might have a class 1 ac tear, is it even worth it to go see a doc? I caught an edge coming off a groomer onto a cat track last thursday and landed really hard on my right elbow/shoulder. I think its an ac issue based on my internet research, or maybe a really bad muscle bruise of some kind -- it didn't hurt that much initially, but it felt really weird I my whole arm was really shaky. I had reasonable ROM that afternoon, but it tightened up a lot that night and now almost a week later, though, I still can't really lift my arm up at all without a lot of pain.

That said, I don't want to go to a doctor if (1) they are just going to tell me that there's nothing to do but rest, ice and take advil (2) if they are going to tell me I can't ski or (3) it's going to cost a lot or take a lot of time to get either (1) or (2) as advice. It's gotten a little bit better, but not that much better in the last week. If not, any recommendations for shoulder docs in SLC for IHC health insurance?

I recommend the Bayou for lunch.

that may indeed be the best therapy.

thanks for lunch, Isis!

I did mine this summer surfing..well learning how to surf and falling repeatedly on it. Had a bunch of massage, Rolfing was the best. Still in pain in October so I went to a p.t. He was baffled b/c I didn't have one fall, but repeated falls. He didn't think it was seperated although my collar bone was elevated and had point tenderness and swelling. Three weeks of pt , $250 bucks, and it was in more pain. So finally went to see Champa. He wrenches it three different ways...'does that hurt?' Ouch. He giggles at me. Gotta love that man. Grade 2 seperation. Then he gives me a cortisone shot! Hallellujah! Pain gone. $140.00. Then three weeks later at hockey practice, high speed into the boards sliding on my back right on the shoulder. FUCK!! Now it really grinds. Hurts a bit while I'm giving massage. Waiting a bit longer 'til I go back for more cortisone. Advil rocks. 800 mg /4 times a day for ten days helped, too. Don't be afraid to use drugs for this one. Good luck.

Both mine are separated. Both from mountain biking. Did the right one with a degree 5-6 separation, had to get the shoulder rebuilt. The other one was probably a degree 2 or 3 and I didn't even go to the doctor for it since I knew all the moves and exercises from the last time around. Both feel great now, and probably stronger than before. My shoulders are nothing but trouble, but I wonder if I'm better off having them separated because they don't rely on strength from my wussy AC joint.

I separated my shoulder out in northstar at tahoe 3 days before competing in the USASA nationals... Didn't really hurt too bad.. Still have a big ole bump on my shoulder..

pretty sure I did my left shouler yesterday, 1st degree separation I'm thinking, or maybe bad muscle bruise?. My ROM is pretty decent, no shoulder drop, going to teh doc's in a bit... Hope I dn't miss too much of this snow...

Goddam!!

Originally Posted by rugbydave

pretty sure I did my left shouler yesterday, 1st degree separation I'm thinking, or maybe bad muscle bruise?. My ROM is pretty decent, no shoulder drop, going to teh doc's in a bit... Hope I dn't miss too much of this snow...

Goddam!!

One of those days that you should've just stayed in bed... One chair running on the mountain, gale force winds, you smoked a tree, I smoked your truck with my truck. What a shitty day.

After a year or so of shoulder pain (and no insurance) I have finally visited a DR. He recommended a 4 week PT program, he couldn't remember the exact name but it's the "7 levels of .....". He described it as a series of excercises I can do at home with a can of soup and a tennis ball. I have a PT appointment next week but was just wondering if anyone here has ever heard of this series of excercises?

Just got back fron the hospital: 3rd degree AC separation.

I hit up Mission Ridge first thing this morning to enjoy some of the 14+ inches of fluff that hadden fallen over the past day-and-a-half in single-digit temps. Sooooooo deeeeeeeeeeep! 3/4 of the way down and after the all the standard 1st run shots, I charged off the side of a run to drop a quick turn in the untrackrd. As soon as I laid on the heelside edge I could feel the rocks. Ended up pitching over the handlebars and took the brunt on my left shoulder. As soon as I hit I knew I was fucked. Cruised down the mountain and straight to the hospital. They hooked me up with painkillers and muscle relaxers.....aaahhh. 4-6 weeks before much can happen. This is the second time for this shoulder; last time was a 1st degree and it was nothing compared to this!

I got a third degree, two inch AC separation 2 years ago while riding my bike drunk. Smart idea. The ER put me in a sling after waiting for 8 hours unmedicated. The orthopedic surgeon I saw a week later took me out of the sling and told me to try moving and using it if I could. She wouldn't even consider surgery.

Two months later when I went back I had very good ROM, but my shoulder had not gone down at all, and my clavicle is still completely separated from my scapula by about 2 inches. Doc said deal, no PT, nothing.

I look pretty freaky when I take my shirt off (it gets ewwww comments everytime, and it's not just the body hair), it's sometimes uncomfortable to sleep and it gets sore when the weather changes, but it seems to work ok. I do need to support it with something when I sit and hug a pillow in bed.

Do chicks dig AC separations like they dig scars?

I'll post a picture if someone can tell me how/host it for me...

Really though.........the worse thing about it is there's a chick in the gym who bench presses more than me........because it still feels like my shoulder is going to rip.

Yeah yeah I'm biking and skiing and all that.........but doood the bench press........the true measure of all that is manliness.......bested by a chick......

I therefore do not recommend this injury. Try another one instead.

um, so which one of these includes a tear? i have dislocated the shoulder a few times in the last year, but only gone to the doctor for the most recent one, about 2 weeks ago. i got an x-ray, negative. then i got an MRI, which showed a ruptured tendon. the doctor said id need surgery, but when i asked him what more damage i could do, it sounded like almost nothing. is this because he spoke austrian, and i couldnt fully understand him? he told me no more skiing, but i have been out on a pretty regular basis since then. no unbearable pain, but i still have no ROM, and yes, wiping, dressing, brushing of the teeth, and sneezing, and showering and eating all cause pain. throwing snowballs isnt a good idea either. just wondering if my arm is going to fall off if i wait another month or two and keep skiing before the surgery?

A dislocated shoulder is a different beast. Ball out of socket kind of thing with potential damage to any of the tendons that hold it there.

A separation is a tear of the acromioclavicular joint between your collar bone and your acromion bone or scapula (ac joint in the pic)



But much more important than that is the fact that this picture comes up in google when you just do an image search on shoulder.

does that mean that im either gonna make it worse, or look as good as that guy in a few months?

Originally Posted by brannen

does that mean that im either gonna make it worse, or look as good as that guy in a few months?

Considering you didn't specify WHICH tendon, the degree of severity or even which particular falling direction stresses it most.........it is my expert medical opinion that you should be fine.

Sweet! Yeah, guess i just wanted to know worst case... infections or stuff?

Originally Posted by Theodore

Nother injury for the books. Last thursday I was in the Gold King park at Breck and caught an edge after landing a jump. I spun to my right and went down hard onto my right shoulder. If hurt, but not too bad, finished the day (pole-ing sucked!) and went to the bar that night. Next day it was tight and hurt worse, so I went up to Frisco and had a doc check it out. Right AC separation was the diagnosis. Acromioclavicular Separation for the medi-nerds out there. Basically split my collarbone from my scapula. Doc gave me a perscription for vicodin and PT. I'm not getting the vics, but does anyone have any clue what I'm looking at interms of rest and rehab? I'm hopefully getting my PT referral taken care of tomorrow to go see my good friends that helped me with my knee. Anyone gone through this before? Any ideas on what to expect? Thanks for any info!

Ted

Didn't bother reading the whole thread but I figured I would respond to the original question. I have never been the same since separating my shoulder. I had a class 2/3 separation, borderline operable. I did it playing lacrosse and my right side has never been the same since. I got PT and did everything they told me to do, but even 10 years later it still hurts like a b!tch when I do certain things. For example, when I work out if I try to do dips my right arm feels like it is going to fall after 5. Maybe my experience isn't typical, but of all the injuries I have had in my life this has been one that just never went away . . . Good luck with the PT.

Here is a link on the AC issue. The short story is if it continues to hurt or click it should be fixed.

http://sandersclinic.net/shlder_acjoint.html


http://sandersclinic.net/gallery/shoulder_ac3.html

Is there a time limit for the ac3 fix? Mine's been fully separated for a year and a half.

There is no time limit. I have fixed some that are 20 years old with results that are the same as if the injury had been fresh.

So, with my ROM being fine, and only having soreness after activity and with weather changes (it hasn't affected my activities much yet...), but still having a complete separation of the AC joint (my clavicle is completely mobile), what are the implications of having the surgery verus not?

I know, loaded question. It's liveable now, but I'm affraid of what will happen as I get older, with arthritis etc..