 Poster: A snowHead
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
@dan100, well done.
I'm off on Sunday for my 2nd attempt to break it again  |
Not booked yet. Still some common sense trying to intervene
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yesterday's visit to the fracture clinic didn't go as well as expected. My ball fracture is mending nicely, however because I broke the humerous at the cuff (10 years ago), they think the current injury isn't mending as well as it should, therefore I have to have another set of x-rays and a scan. It really floored me as I thought my progress was going well.
To everybody that is able to ski, I'm so pleased for you. Enjoy and stay safe.
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@Mrs NBT, So sorry to hear this! It must be so frustrating thinking everything is going well & then having a set back. Hope the x-rays & scans help to inform your ongoing rehab programme.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Mrs NBT, fingers crossed for you. So frustrating
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@Mrs NBT, bummer! But it sounds like you were feeling like you were making progress so I suppose that’s a positive. Two steps forward then one back..
I’m now nearly 17 weeks post accident. Still struggling to get my arm/hand much further up behind my back. I missed a physio appointment cos of work a week ago.
I think one exercise in particular (which I describe as being like the Chinese cat ornament wave-see image) but with a 1kg weight is supposed to help. I’m not really feeling much progress, though I can feel it’s doing something. The physio advised only to do it about 3x a week as there could be “kick back” which I think I am getting (a bit of pain, but not a big deal).
Other than that I’m using a resistance band rather than a broom handle to try and encourage/stretch my arm range.
I think it’s getting stronger overall. I probably need to up the weights and use the firmer resistance bands.
I’m back in the mountains  . Had a brief ski this morning but winds up high and mush/ski grabbing snow, meant we called it a day by 11am.
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My shoulder has been great skiing, but strangely often hurts when playing pool
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| Mrs NBT wrote: |
Yesterday's visit to the fracture clinic didn't go as well as expected. My ball fracture is mending nicely, however because I broke the humerous at the cuff (10 years ago), they think the current injury isn't mending as well as it should, therefore I have to have another set of x-rays and a scan. It really floored me as I thought my progress was going well.
To everybody that is able to ski, I'm so pleased for you. Enjoy and stay safe. |
Hope the scans are ok.
Rehab is frustrating. Need to make a decision soon on whether I will ski on the 17th April. I’m kind of used to being yanked by a young golden retriever so am hoping it will be ok to ski. Think I could ski now at a push albeit is weak when I lift my arm above shoulder height (not a good idea when skiing anyway). Rehab is more vigorous so arm aches a little more - muscular.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Perty, I remember being given an exercise where I had to walk my fingers up a wall several times a day to increase rom.
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Thanks for all your lovely replies.
I'm finally driving (which is ok as the left arm is the good one and I can change gear and apply the handbrake). Also I was able to peg out washing this morning, another small step for leading a normal life.
No weights yet, but I do have an exercise band.
But the best news of all was going out on the tandem yesterday and gaining confidence that we weren't going to fall off. Being able to do so in glorious weather.
We snowheads are all doing what we're supposed to, many do not do their exercises and can't be bothered.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Gordyjh, thankfully I’m way past that stage!
@dan100, everyday your bones getting stronger, I’d be tempted to take a punt and go skiing. I felt physically “normal” on day one back on skis, though wary of falling over.. and still lacking strength. By then I could easily raise my arm in all directions above my head, and could manage to get quite a heavy carry on bag (complete with laptop, and my 1.25kg exercise weight) into the overhead locker on the plane, though it was a bit more of an effort! Tbh..I’m more aware of my shoulder at the moment, probably because I’m desperately trying to get the internal rotation issue behind my back to improve.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'll have to get my wife to read through this thread to get a feeling for her rehab journey. This happened last Sunday, 2 hours into our holliday. Also damaged her ACL. Due to be back in Hintertux in June, not feeling too confident about that now.
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[quote="JimboS"]I'll have to get my wife to read through this thread to get a feeling for her rehab journey. This happened last Sunday, 2 hours into our holliday. Also damaged her ACL. Due to be back in Hintertux in June, not feeling too confident about that now.
[/rehab is very frustrating. Get it checked out when home pay if you need to. Did they say whether it had displaced which may require intervention. I’m at 12 weeks today and have fairly good range but like Perty struggle to lift my arm behind my back (slightly less of an issue for me I suspect). I was driving at around 6 weeks and comfortably at 7 weeks automatic at first. Do the exercises when allowed. Physical manipulation by a physio definitely helps after 6-7 weeks.
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You know it makes sense.
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@JimboS, Oh no what a shame.
I agree with @dan100, .
We went on the NHS website and followed their guidelines for physiotherapy (when allowed) and I did the easy exercises as soon as I could. I also got physio back home asap.
Here's to a straight forward recovery for your wife.
I pushed for hydrotherapy from our local hospital (not all nhs trusts have a pool). This has really helped in my ability to do certain exercises and get better results.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The accident happened on Sunday morning, we got a direct flight home on Tuesday and went directly to A&E, they set up an appointment for Wednesday morning at the fracture clinic after a bit of an argument. At the fracture clinic they did more x-rays of her shoulder and knee and was examined by a doctor, jnr doc and a physio. They decided that the knee just needed rest then physio and that the shoulder looked to be in alignment. They said that they were reluctant to operated on her knee if it was marginal due to her pacemaker. As for the shoulder, they said to come back in two weeks for another set of x-rays and exam when they would make a final decision on whether to operate or not.
Right now she can hobble about but any movement of the upper arm is impossible due to the pain.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@JimboS, Fwiw the plan for the arm sounds textbook clinical practice. They don’t recommend taking anti inflammatories such as ibuprofen anymore (thought not to help the healing process), but paracetamol is fine. When trussed up in my sling I didn’t have too much pain thankfully-possibly helped by the robust sling/vest combo (pictured earlier in thread). For bathing I took it off and supported my arm with an old tie looped around my neck. I managed to take a daily bath where I could straighten my arm (the latter is one of the early stage physio recommendations). It felt very nice to let it float straight out in the water, even if a shower might have felt the more sensible option. Then put on bra and t shirt, with the sling over the top and slept in that combo and wore it all day till the next bath. Thank goodness Mr P was on hand to help, as dressing was impossible. Glad I didn’t have a leg injury to contend with though. Going for walks after the first couple of weeks helped keep me sane and exercised.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Achy back of shoulder and upper arm today- I blame the dog - Spud the Jack Russell- who sleeps on our bed and occupied my side a bit too much last night ), though maybe I overdid exercises a couple of days ago. As of yesterday I’m back on my touring skis- the ones I was skiing a bit too fast when I crashed. They naturally are a bit speedier and have given me a boost as I don’t feel such a slow coach.
We’ve just had a wonderful morning on the mountain after fresh snow last night. Joyful! If someone had said to me the day after my accident (4th Dec) that I’d be spending the morning skiing off piste, I’d never have believed them!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Perty, Thanks for posting, gives Kim real hope for next season.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Perty, Oh that's wonderful. nbt is in Tignes atm and I'm genuinely pleased (I was the one who said he should go), but I'm missing him, our friends and my skiing fix. I washed up for the first time since the accident, which was interesting. Trying to hold a dish/pan and clean/scrub with the weak arm didn't go as well as planned
@Frosty the Snowman, I'm so pleased your fear is subsiding. It's going to be interesting how I'll cope with 'the fear' next season.
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So have taken the plunge and booked flights and transfers for a week from the 17 th with skiing from the 18 th. It will be 15 weeks after accident. The arm is getting more range and stronger though it wont be back to full strength. Will keep working on rehab.
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@dan100, Great news. 15 weeks will have seen lots of strength in the bone. I was told to really start loading the shoulder at that stage to build bone density. Press-ups onto a table, then press-ups on knees.
Have a ball, well done.
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4 and half months after Mr CvS badly broke the ball and upper arm his range of movement is pretty good. Last time he saw his consultant it was already a better range of movement that a replacement shoulder would likely have given him and its got better again since. He still experiences pain, and can`t complete a golf swing (though he says he could ski normally but has not had the opportunity ) but considering what we were told at the first consultation after his fall he is very pleased with the outcome. He made the right decision not to have surgery, only a choice because we mentioned it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@dan100, good news! I’m sure you’ll have a great time.
I had my first fall today - off piste, soft snow and a gentle splat that I knew was coming as the bump approached. All absolutely fine, but quite nice to get the first fall post accident out of the way.
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thanks - have just invested in some body armour though hoping for no falls and/or soft snow
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| CaravanSkier wrote: |
| 4 and half months after Mr CvS badly broke the ball and upper arm his range of movement is pretty good. Last time he saw his consultant it was already a better range of movement that a replacement shoulder would likely have given him and its got better again since. He still experiences pain, and can`t complete a golf swing (though he says he could ski normally but has not had the opportunity ) but considering what we were told at the first consultation after his fall he is very pleased with the outcome. He made the right decision not to have surgery, only a choice because we mentioned it. |
Hmm hoping for a golf swing in a few weeks as well though there is some pull there when i take a club back starting the swing (have tried swinging a wedge in the garden) -
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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So physio is stepping up exercises to try and increase strength. Now have a red band as well as weight exercises to do. Start skiing on the 18th.
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After 3 different visits to fracture clinic, I still haven't seen the consultant who I'm supposed to. Instead I've had 3 different 'young' specialists. The latest is that I need a scan which will let them know whether my rotor cuff is torn, if this is the case, it may mean surgery. The scan is booked in for 8 weeks, meaning another worrying wait. If surgery (more waiting) is needed then it's more physio, more rehabilitation and more time away from work, hobbies and possibly no skiing next season. This isn't a moan about the NHS, but it would have been better if I could have had a scan sorted from the beginning and not 13 weeks since the accident.
Has anyone had experience of a rotor cuff tear? If so what is the time like for recovery?
Thank you.
@dan100, I have the red band but no weights. No long now before you're on the slopes again.
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You know it makes sense.
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Meant rotator cuff.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Mrs NBT,
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Has anyone had experience of a rotor cuff tear? If so what is the time like for recovery?
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If you mean a tear repaired by surgery, I have no experience. I have two bad tears in my right rotator cuff and although exercise over the last five years (I think it's about that long) has helped freedom of movement enormously, there's a long way to go on regaining full strength. I don't honestly feel it will be completely back to normal, but it's good enough for my purposes and I don't regret not having had surgery.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Kim's got her second visit to the fracture clinic on Thursday, on the first visit, they x-rayed but did no physical exam at all, didn't even have a look at it. She is still in excruciating pain. Any suggestions for questions to ask?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Mrs NBT wrote: |
After 3 different visits to fracture clinic, I still haven't seen the consultant who I'm supposed to. Instead I've had 3 different 'young' specialists. The latest is that I need a scan which will let them know whether my rotor cuff is torn, if this is the case, it may mean surgery. The scan is booked in for 8 weeks, meaning another worrying wait. If surgery (more waiting) is needed then it's more physio, more rehabilitation and more time away from work, hobbies and possibly no skiing next season. This isn't a moan about the NHS, but it would have been better if I could have had a scan sorted from the beginning and not 13 weeks since the accident.
Has anyone had experience of a rotor cuff tear? If so what is the time like for recovery?
Thank you.
@dan100, I have the red band but no weights. No long now before you're on the slopes again. |
Obviously take medical advice but my physio's advice is that with this type of break you will almost inevitably do some injury to the rotator cuff as it attaches to the ball of the humerus. She indicated that modern practice is not to undertake surgery unless its a total tear (I assume this meant off the bone). The way she tested it with me is to put your arm behind your back as high as you feel comfortable with your knuckles in to your back/palm facing out and see whether can you move your arm off your back. If you cant then its likely you have done serious damage to the rotator cuff. If you can then while its likely that you have done some damage, it should heal with time and physio. I am relaying the advice I received.
I don't know your financial situation but looking at the costs on my medical insurance claim the cost of a MRI scan and consultant review looks to have been about £400. Might be worth contacting a Spire hospital if you can afford it. My physio also indicated there was an optimum time for rotator cuff surgery and I would be wary of waiting another 8 weeks.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@JimboS, I didn’t feel too bad 2 weeks in provided I was in my sling (aka the stab proof vest), which held everything together, so I can’t offer any pearls of wisdom re pain. Yes..it bl**dy hurt to get dressed/undressed.
I’m not surprised there was no physical examination on the first visit. I saw a consultant privately after about 4 days, and I also had my x-rays seen by the radiologists at the virtual fracture clinic (NHS), but neither physically examined me. Two weeks in, I think they are likely to do another x-ray to see if anything has moved. If not, they won’t do anything. TBH I think the x-rays and any other scans are the diagnostic tools. A physical examination won’t tell the doc very much early on. Evidence of the bone repairing doesn’t really appear till about weeks 3-4 (so I was told when the consultant looked at my x-rays and pointed out “fluffiness”- aka new bone growth).
@dan100, Interesting info on rotator cuff, thanks. . I can move my arm away from my back but it’s definitely work in progress. I’m totally ignorant about rotator cuff injuries and how they dovetail with the humeral fractures. I shall google them now!
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@dan100, Interesting info on rotator cuff, thanks. . I can move my arm away from my back but it’s definitely work in progress. Ditto and its pretty uncomfortable when I do. Inevitably with breaks we damage muscles more so with major fractures. I suspect that both of us are now trying to get strength and range in to the muscles some of which are weak through lack of use and also because we damaged muscle tissue when we did the initial injury.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| JimboS wrote: |
| Kim's got her second visit to the fracture clinic on Thursday, on the first visit, they x-rayed but did no physical exam at all, didn't even have a look at it. She is still in excruciating pain. Any suggestions for questions to ask? |
I would be asking whether any other scans should be done. I was pretty comfortable and not in any real pain. The orthapedic shoulder specialist I saw was very insistent that you need MRI scans as well as Xrays to properly understand the extent of the damage. Agree with what Perty said. The only time I was physically examined at all was at 6 weeks before he effectively discharged me and referred me to physio.
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On Mr CvS `s first fracture clinic, after looking at x-rays taken then, we were told a shoulder replacement was required. When we asked what would happen if the damage was left to heal on its own because that would be an option we`d like to know about, the consultant organised an immediate scan. It took him some doing and I got the impression the scan would not have happened if we`d just said yes to the surgery. Reading some of the posts here I think we were quite lucky.
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| CaravanSkier wrote: |
| On Mr CvS `s first fracture clinic, after looking at x-rays taken then, we were told a shoulder replacement was required. When we asked what would happen if the damage was left to heal on its own because that would be an option we`d like to know about, the consultant organised an immediate scan. It took him some doing and I got the impression the scan would not have happened if we`d just said yes to the surgery. Reading some of the posts here I think we were quite lucky. |
For reference, I was told as i was being prepped for surgery, that the intent was to repair, but if it was worse than the images indicated, I would awake with a new shoulder.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Frosty the Snowman, We were told that a repair was not possible. Too many fragments so it was an either all or nothing. 5 months ish down the line doing nothing was clearly a good call, but as the surgeon pointed out it was a gamble. All be it one that could probably, but not certainly, have been rectified at a later date if needs be. Every case is going to be different, thankfully the human body is truly remarkable in its ability to heal. I wish everyone a good recovery.
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Sadly as we all know shoulders are complicated body parts.
A doctor friend says scans aren't taken at first because the picture is too grainy and not much information can be gained. My 'small' complaint was, why didn't they book me in for one, knowing it's a 9 week 'ish' wait.
Anyway I've been lucky enough to speak to a private physiotherapist this morning and am going to get a private scan. She asked me lots of questions and feels if I have got a tear it's probably minor.
@dan100, The tip regarding taking your arm up the back is great. I'm able to do this movement with very little pain (only discomfort) now, which is confident inspiring.
@JimboS, At my first fracture clinic the 'stand in' specialist just gave me some easy exercises to do. However I did have to show him my stance (this was wearing a vest type top) to see how my shoulders were aligning, also he asked me how high I could raise my arm, so there was a bit of an examination as such.
As for the pain, I was told it lasts for 6 - 12 months. The pain I have now (13 weeks in) only happens after physio visits and after my exercises. I hope she can feel some respite soon.
Thanks everyone for your input. This thread has been so helpful and we aren't going through this alone.
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