 Poster: A snowHead
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I know the answer to this is "it depends", but has anyone experience in how long it may take to recover from a disclocated shoulder? One of the kids slipped on some ice and dislocated her shoulder, was reset within a few hours at A+E, and she'll be braced for the next few weeks. However, we are due to do the annual family ski holiday in Flims around the 22nd of Feb - which will be 5 weeks after she did the injury - too soon?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@coddlesangers, I skied a lot after I dislocated mine when someone skied into me at high speed on New Year's Eve 2013. I probably did about 4 more weeks that season one way or another BUT, I put it back myself because it had happened a few times before and was loose. Perhaps going to a specialist sports physio for an assessment as well as some mobilisation exercises and treatment. I did have physio with a very experienced therapist who knew me and my shoulder as well as my propensity to ignore "good advice". My shoulder specialist is also a keen skier and he just said to do the mobilisation and to let the pain limit me (which it didn't with skiing).
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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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tks - she is starting physio i think next week, and is pushing very hard to be allowed ski.....risky parent (me) thinks "no problem", sensible parent (her mum) thinks "are you nuts". Probably a balance somewhere to be found!! I guess the fear is of a redislocation and the subsequent weaker ligaments...
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@coddlesangers, you don't say what age she is? Is she a kid kid or a teenager? As a general rule, the younger you are when you dislocate a shoulder, the more chance you have of re-dislocating it. This is because the rotator cuff tendons and ligaments stretch and stay stretched thus making it loose. Can take a lot of work to make it strong and tight again. In older people the tendons are more gristly and tend to stay tight so once it's re-located and settled, it's ok. I'm not 100% sure but I think in very young kids everything is still elastic so it's not such an issue.
My gut feeling is that 5 weeks is very high risk but I think you've got to ask the quack. Pretty sure the quack's answer will be 3-6 months recovery time though. If the immobilization sling comes off, she has full movement and it feels tight, it's probably ok but she won't know till the sling comes off. Equally, she might take the sling off and it immediately feels unstable. In both cases, it's highly likely to affect her confidence and balance on the slope because she'll be thinking about it either consciously or subconsciously (unless she's very young, say under 7). If she's already doing physio, she should soon get an idea of whether it feels unstable or not - believe me, you just "know" if it's not right.
I first dislocated my left one at 22. Dislocated it again 3 weeks after first dislocation. Took 15 years and an advance in surgical techniques to make it stable after another 28 full dislocations and 200+ subluxations. It wasn't a fun experience. I've also dislocated my right one twice at an older age several years apart and both times it's healed ok, even though I've completely torn my supraspinatus tendon. That was a lot of work to rehab!
If it's 50/50 and she's a teenager, you could also buy a sully brace which should give good support. Don't think it will come in small enough sizes for a younger child though. Good luck but I reckon it's a definite risk.
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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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tks Raceplate - she's the eldest daughter, and 18 so not sure where that falls in the elastic ligaments scale....i'm definitely thinking now that there will be some sadness and not much skiing!! Cheers for the reply.
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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 would have said 6 weeks, so I'll defer to Raceplate as he's done it a few more times than me (and it fits better with your plans  ).
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@coddlesangers, dislocated and broke my left shoulder at age 13. Never had another dislocation there since. Dislocated the right shoulder skiing when I was 45. That was out for a few hours cos the doctor in Kleinwalsertal couldn't get it back in, so had a journey in a blood wagon, ambulance to KWT doctor, tug, pull, strain, back in the ambulance and off down the valley to Oberstdorf Hospital ( where I suppose the doctors must be burlier ). Was back doing my usual stuff about six weeks later, not skiing cos the season was over, but MTB quite happily. Never had any further problems with either of then, touch wood. I guess it can go either way.
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@coddlesangers, 18 is pretty much the worst age you can do it from what I know. The guy who finally fixed mine told me that if I had visited him as a young adult with a first time dislocated shoulder he would now operate immediately more times than not purely as a preventative measure. He said that the percentage re-injury rate for young adults was so high that it wasn't worth going through all the rehab just to see it then fail and you have to operate anyway. Might as well operate first time, do one lot of rehab and be sure.
I don't want to be a scaremonger but if I had my time again I would stay away from impact sports for at least 6 months at that age and do a load of work in the gym or at home with therabands and dumbbells. Sorry if it's not what she wants to hear!
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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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OK my personal experience of a dislocated shoulder (someone skied into me at speed as well). It was put in in the resort (instant pain releive) and I was told to put it in a sling and see a doctor as soon as I got home as there was something seriously wrong. I didn't ski the next day but with my arm in a sling and the sleeve of the jacket flapping about I skied the next 12 days before getting home. At home I was diagnosed with two torn rotator cuff tendons and these were sown back withing a week of getting home (the NHS is great). It was the most painful operation I have ever had and it took 6 months to get my shoulder back to normal and get rock climbing again. It has given me no trouble since.
I sort of took inspiration from Lee Mossop who dislocated his shoulder during the first half of the 2011 challenge cup final and returned to the field for the second half. It was only recently that I discoverd that he was out of the game for 12 weeks following that.
@coddlesangers, my reccomendation would be to let your daughter decide what she wants to do. And if she does decide to go skiing then take it easy and enjoy the scenery.
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| johnE wrote: |
| I sort of took inspiration from Lee Mossop who dislocated his shoulder during the first half of the 2011 challenge cup final and returned to the field for the second half. It was only recently that I discoverd that he was out of the game for 12 weeks following that. |
Yes - 12 weeks of 8 hours a day physiotherapy and gym work to get the strength back because he's a professional sportsman with a full-time back-up team and nothing else to occupy his time. It'd probably take a 'normal' person 2 years to do the same level of recuperation work that he did in 12 weeks.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'd think the risk of falling on that shoulder would be unacceptably high?
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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 think so too as well now. She can discover the joys of snow shoeing, and minding the dog.....
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@coddlesangers, I was 13 when I first dislocated my shoulder, and following a further three dislocations, had surgery aged 17. Following the first one, I was in a sling for 6 weeks and only allowed to do minimal movements of my arm, from the elbow, up and down my body. When the sling was removed, I remember being quite shocked at the degree of muscle wasting that had occurred around my shoulder & upper arm. I am sure this was why it dislocated so easily subsequently. When my other shoulder dislocated in my 40's, I only kept it in a sling for a couple of weeks & exercised it vigorously as soon as I could. It has been fine. Make sure your daughter sees a physio/trainer to get her shoulder up to full strength as soon as she is able, and I wish her well. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with snow shoeing & dog minding
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You know it makes sense.
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Ouch! I have no idea, but sounds miserable. You'd need to check with insurance, whatever activity she is undertaking. Not worth comprising a lifetime living with a shoulder for the sake of a week's skiing.
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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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I would agree with @pam w best to take the week off and go see the doc for MRI/ Scan to check if an operation is needed. I subluxed my should playing rugby and tried to avoid surgery. (kept playing and doing other sports) not surprisingly it got worse, and took x10 longer to heal afterwards.
Just my 10cents worth 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Get it moving and physio as soon as possible. I can only speak from personal experience and a 5 week old dislocation would not stop me skiing. I may temper my skiing to minimise risk but I'd defo be going.
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