 Poster: A snowHead
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I tore my rotator cuff (shoulder) in Oct and have been having treatment on it, I got cortisone shots into it last week to kill the constant pain and inflammation, and now it feels good.
I intend to do a load of work on it between now and mid Feb as we've big 10 dayer in Ischgl coming up...my questions are this.
Anyone ever ski with this injury before?
Should I get some shoulder protection (rugby pads?) to wear under my jacket?
Any issue with pole planting??
Any help is appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@dazman, tore mine on December 31st 2013 when someone skied into me at great speed. I skied the rest of the season without too many problems to be honest, but would stop when the pain got to be too much.
I tried for 6 months to avoid surgery using physio and focussed training to aid the healing. I am not a fan of cortisone or steroid treatments, nor is my sugeon. In the end the partial tears ruptured completely (while reaching for a damned motorway toll ticket between Verona and Bassano of all places) and the only solution was surgery. My surgeon went in arthroscopically and repaired the tears on August 5th last summer and I finally returned to my office yesterday for the first time since surgery. Luckily I can work from home and have been officially "working" since the beginning of October 2014.
I have to say the recovery was exceptionally painful in the first month - I had to keep the arm and shoulder immobile (more or less tied to my body in a sling) and I was not allowed to sleep lying down in case I rolled over on to the arm! Sleeping sitting up is not a good situation and I was suffering from serious sleep deprivation after a while. In the first month I had physio appointments at my flat - physio came to me as I was not supposed to drive. He worked on reducing the swelling and maintaining passive mobility within reason. Pain was the deciding factor at all times. I started an intensive rehab programme at the beginning of the 5th week which continued for a month - all day every (working day) day in a rehab facility in my local town. I was driving by then but it was painful. I'm still in rehab measures for the shoulder - the pain is gone but I only have about 40% of the use. As it is my left arm/shoulder this is a handicap as I'm 100% left-handed. My surgeon reckons that we will know just how much mobility I have after a year.
I skied again over Christmas and New Year and did not have any problems I am aware of apart from being very tired a lot of the time! I was scared of crowds and chose not to ski on the really busy days. I actually found I preferred to ski only with a couple of friends or on my own, this was interesting on reflection as I have mostly skied with bigger groups of people. I'm skiing again in 2 weeks and then again at the end of March for a week (planned holidays) but I will do some day trips in between as well of course. I don't have shoulder pads (fashionable again?  ) nor do I bother with any "armour". I thought I would have a problem with pole planting but I did not and I think I was actually better at it because I was considering it more precisely.
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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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Great info Sue....my MRI was in October just after the game I got hurt in, my surgeon tested me out last week and reckoned there's significant improvement, he only gave me the shots so I could get some damned sleep, as you'll know this poxy injury seems to amplify ten fold when you go to bed. (THAT dull endless ache).
I'll keep plugging away and if I'm still concerned about it come February I'm gonna have to make a call about what type of holiday awaits....I'm in the rehab clinic every week till then and I see my surgeon on the 17th right before we go, that'll be crunch time.
Good to hear you're bouncing back, good for you.
Oh....and shoulder pads never went out Dahling.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@dazman, sorry to hear about the rotator cuff tear. I tore two of mine when I dislocated my shoulder. It was not too painful before the repair operation, but afterwards it was exceedingly painful for 6 months. Initially I could not even lift my arm but after a couple months I could raise it above head height. I stuck to the physio and tried to use the arm as normally as possible even though it hurt a lot. After 8 months I was able to resume rock climbing to a reasonable standard and after a year it was back to normal. As to skiing the main problem was grabbing hold of the button and T bar tows. Initially I didn't use a pole and kept the injured arm in my jacket.
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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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@johnE, that's good to hear as I'm currently at about 60% handicapped and am getting quite frustrated. I've given up paragliding because I cannot live my arm high enough to control the left brake line in an emergency! I'm 5 months out and can do most things as long as it does not require me to raise my arm above elbow height.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I also dislocated my shoulder after taking a tumble on a boardercross course in Meribel - serves me right for venturing onto it with skis on  !
I had my shoulder popped back in at the medical centre in the Chaudanne and the relief was instant.
After returning to the UK I had an MRI and I also had damaged my rotator cuff. After months of physio and stretching exercises using a band I was back up and running fine. Skiing the following season was no problem and pole plants / poling have not been an issue.
I looked at shoulder protection but pretty much gave up on the idea as everything I looked at made me look like an American Football player !
Stick with the physio and the exercises they give you to do and you will be fine.
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@Samerberg Sue, keep working on the phsio and keep using the arm as normal as much as possible. I would think that 5 months after the operation you are at about the normal satge of rehab. I would spend hours a day just trying to lift my arm, rotate it etc. Sitting watching the TV etc. I would be exercsising. Once I could get it above my head I would try and hang from it (well not actually hanging but it stretching it), but ask your phsio what you should do. My basic concept was to use it as much as possible in normal life.
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@johnE, I'm trying as much as I can but it is difficult during the day as I'm a desk jockey working under pressure to turn translations around and editing documents as fast as possible. When I can I am reaching as much as I can by laying the hand up against the wall and "pushing" it up as far as possible - so passive stretching, nothing open-chained.
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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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@dazman, I've done mine in the past and it took a year or so to completely heal but didn't really stop me doing anything.
A studiously followed regime of stretching helped a lot
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@Samerberg Sue, sorry if it sounds harsh but from my experience outlined above you're not working it hard or often enough.
Some suggestions for you and @dazman:
Get a theraband, tie a knot in one end and shut it in a door between waist and head height. Pull on it in every direction possible until your arm is dead. Use a straight arm if possible which puts the load through the shoulder joint rather than the biceps/triceps forearm. Vary the height. Repeat ad nauseum throughout the day. Undo the knot, stand on one end, hold the other and lift your arm to the side until it's dead again. Try to get your arm out to 90 degrees with your body (think crucifix position). Try it with your arm in it's natural position (palm facing thigh) and with it rotated (palm facing forwards). If you can get to 90 degrees, try to continue till it's above your head.
Once you can get your arm above head height put the theraband at the top of the door and do straight arm pulls forwards/backwards and to both sides by rotating your body 90 degrees at a time against the door (this is the real test of stability - be careful!).
If any of it starts to seem easy, get a thicker theraband. If you can do it with a thicker theraband, get some dumbells and start doing free weights above your head by just lifting them up and down and rotating them at the same time.
You'll get your strength back in no time. Hope that helps - good luck with it.
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@Raceplate, I am working with a professional rehab centre so I will follow their guidence and exercise programme. They have all my imagery, the operation notes and the trust of both my surgeon and myself in the real world thank you. With all surgery every protocol is individual to the patient and the surgeon concerned. Naturally there are some commonalities but my rehab programme is unique to me. What worked for you may not be applicable to anyone else.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Samerberg Sue, no issues, let's hope that works for you. You seem pretty frustrated at your lack of progress.
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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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@Raceplate, bad day in the office and more to come! looking at my options and thinking of chucking the whole job lark in and becoming a ski bum!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Raceplate, Me and the Wifes bedroom looks like a rubber fetish den at the moment!!...there isn't single solid thing that doesn't have a theraband of various resistances tied to it!! I also bought 3 sets of freeweights...one for home, one for the office and one for the back of the jeep when I'm out and about.....hence my 'load of work' comment, I'm giving myself every chance.
As you all know you can't even bastarding run with this injury, so I'm doing loads of walking, mostly uphill for sizeable distances and at home loads and loads squatting holding the weights in my good hand, so my quads and hamstrings will be in decent shape, only my cardio might fall short.
@Samerberg Sue, Hang on in there...we'll get through this together!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Samerberg Sue,
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@Raceplate, bad day in the office and more to come! looking at my options and thinking of chucking the whole job lark in and becoming a ski bum! wink
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Don't we all
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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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| dazman wrote: |
| , only my cardio might fall short. |
I'm starting the rehab process for a dislocated shoulder I did on Dec 21st. Yours and everyones efforts are inspiring, I'm still a bit careful with it, but have started a 4 times a day spreadsheet for all my exercises. Otherwise I know I'll let the intensity slip. For the cardio I have put my bike on a Turbo Trainer in the kitchen!! Seems to stretch the shoulder joint open nicely without putting too much pressure on it. To avoid boredom I've got a laptop in front of the bike watching the final series of Breaking Bad (which seems ironic?!) 
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FAQ
I just think he's never seen anyone dumb enough to not bother seeing a doctor for two years after dislocating their shoulder... 
