Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I dislocated my shoulder last year skiing in Meribel. I am venturing back to the Alps in January with my shoulder fully recovered. Unfortunately, once dislocated there is always the possibility of a repeat if I take a tumble. I really want to find some shoulder protection that is confortable to wear all day. I'm not talking parks or pipe here merely some form of lightweight protection that will allow me to ski confortably all day without being paranoid about going over on my shoulder.
If anyone has any advice / products they have used I'd be really grateful.
Regards
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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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#
Looks like it'll keep your moobs under control as well
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Griggs, hope I'm not tempting fate here but I dislocated a shoulder about 18 years ago (cross country skiing, 'kin dangerous pursuit if you ask me). I have taken many tumbles (and hit the odd fence ) since and have not had any problem with the shoulder.
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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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I dislocated my shoulder three years ago on the first day of my return to skiing after 20years.
Surgeon told me that the risk of doing it again diminished as you get older so if you are the wrong side of 40 i wouldn't worry too much as long as you have done the physio.
I am sure once you have taken a couple of tumbles and haven't called in the medi vac you will get on with enjoying the skiing rather then worrying.
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Griggs, Along with a few slightly more 'traumatic' injuries . . I did a class 3 disloc of my right shoulder seven years ago and It's left me with a detached clavicle. I did have problems with repeated dislocations over the next three years but I had a good relationship with with my then local physios and their advice was to just continue to exercise and use the joint to its maximum range and that favouring and artificially supporting or limiting its movements would extend the period it would take to recover maximum strength and mobility.
It seems to have worked as I've now got (apart from a very ugly shoulder) normal range of strength and mobility in the joint . . . it's been hard work and it's pretty safe to say that I'm much older than you so you shouldn't really worry too much.
What's probably the best action is to take the money from the brace and spend it on good lessons so that you've less chance of falling in the first place
edit: though I do like that D3o top.
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Griggs, Masque, Yoda and scotkiwi give good advice.
Your risk of redislocation depends on:
Age of first dislocation (the older you are, the less likely)
Degree of trauma required to make the dislocation (if it popped out easily the first time, it's obviously more likely to dislocate again)
Type of dislocation (can disclocate forwards (the most common), back, down etc.)
Rehab done effectively or not.
If you were over 40 and it was an uncomplicated forward (anterior) dislocation and you have done the rehab you would be very unlucky.
(Having said that, my wife did hers skiing aged , erm, "mature", and her first fall next season was watched with great trepidation - - - but actually no probs since.
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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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Hi all
Many many thanks for the replies. Really useful information and also reassuring to know that once a dislocation has occured it is not a forgone that it will happen again every time I take a tumble.
I'll concentrate on getting it as strong as I can between now and mid Jan and hopfully all will be well. I did have a look at the Vulkan supports and might invest if only to keep abit of warmth in the muscles.
Bring on January and the annual trip to Les Menuires. If anyone out there the week of 12th Jan I'll see you in the Ferme De Reberty most days after skiing !!
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Spyderman, how would you rate that thing? Mr L separated his shoulder last season, is contemplating armour of some sort, but most of what's available is serious terminator-style kit designed for mountain bikers, probably a bit OTT.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lizzard, D3O is what goes into the GS Race Suits. D3O works, not as good as rigid armour, but it's easy to wear and doesn't restrict movement. Armour of whatever type is designed to spread the forces of an impact, it doesn't stop injuries through arms and legs being bent in directions they weren't designed for.
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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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Spyderman, ta, we may consider it.
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I have the same problem (age >40), with a really rare dislocated (down/back) left shoulder with remaining joint bone problem . I am just in rehab learning to reapply my left...I hope in the next season I can try again skiing, but this season (2009/2010) disappeared for me. Your protector advisory is nice, but seem to be quite soft for me, and perhaps a bit expansive.... Do you have any experiences with other types, as ice hockey protectors, or even motocycle "body-guarders"????
Thanks
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You know it makes sense.
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agyatti, welcome to Snowheads.
As you will see from the post above, I have some close (though second hand) experience of skiing-related shoulder dislocation.
13 (unlucky for some!) days after the post above, my wife fell in Zermatt and dislocated her shoulder again. Since then she has had stabilization surgery and skied again in Jan/Feb. However, I carried a sling in my back pack for the whole holiday and plan to do so again at Easter.
The problem with the shoulder joint is that it has to have a large range of movement in order to function effectively, and any device which is designed to stop it dislocating will inevitably result in a decrease in its range of movement and ability to function (if the device claims to allow a full range of movement, then it won't stop a dislocation).
In my view, rehabilitation is the beginning, middle and end of prevention of future dislocation, and surgery is the only other useful form of treatment.
(I notice that you are from Hungary; I hope that my English is not too difficult for you)
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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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Fortunately, I understand Your English enough - at least i hope...
Only a question of me what the sling with You is for. Only fix the dislocated arm until a physician can treat it, or You are brave enough to try to "reinstall" the traumatic shoulder, somehow using the sling?
I tend to agree with You...If I anyhow would wear a "hard shell", I cannot move my arms and shoulders to stabilize my movement, so more felling down and more chance to get injury of any kind. Although after at least a year of rehab (i am only halfway), using nothing or even only a very simple soft (warm and pressing /nerve-stimulating joint "hardener") might be better..
For me than the only prevention is and will be the rehabilitation, surgery is now out of question..
Thank You Freddie.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I can confirm that it would be near impossible to ski down with a dislocated shoulder... The one time mine didn't go back in of its own accord (a few months ago) it was so excrutiatingly painful i couldn't even get myself on to the stretcher, and every bump in the road hurt like hell!
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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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beanie1, I think my wife might have used less polite words than "hurt like hell"
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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beanie1 and Freddie, I am sure I cannot ski down with dislocated shoulder.
My dislocation happened at a basketball field/court, and I was not able even to stand up, and afterwards even I knew what would happen I almost had a faint (shocking?) (But my dislocation is/was quite a hard one with some splintery fracture).
So, effective rehab, "never be alone the hill", have insurance and better to have a hospital neraby!
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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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Jump-jockeys who have dislocated a shoulder often where a strap to stop it happening again - it consists of a webbing strap around the chest attached by a short piece of webbing to a similar strap around the upper arm, worn under the colours. I think I noticed water-ski jumpers wearing something similar.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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A friend of mine dislocated his last week, there was no way he could have skied down and as the run we were on turned into a massive bump field he couldn't be taken down by sled. In the end he had to get winched into the heli and flown to the hospital where it took 5 people to relocate it.
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I skied in one of these this year.
Fortunately, I didn't have a fall that needed shoulder protection, but I was really glad of the elbow pad after slipping whilst walking through the village with skis on my shoulder (chipped bone, which would've be a LOT worse)
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Shoulder protection won't help in a fall, it might help stop a weakened shoulder popping out during "normal" movement however.
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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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DaddyLouLou, I originally thought to wear something similar to that you linked in. Were your able to effectively move your arms whilst wearing it? Seeing the plastic add-on on the shoulder...hmmm......
The soft one, I am thinking of is looks like a flexible cap on the shoulder fixed one or two straps to the chest. Naturally itself this "soft nothing" means really nothing if I fell, but might have two advantages: First it keeps the shoulder and its muscles warm, and second through its pressurization (like soft-rubber knee-pads makes the knee) to the nerves makes harder and more stable the shoulder joint. (I think, if one fell and dislocate his shoulder while muscles are warm, it could forerun some muscle-ruption, which means shorter rehab thereafter...)
sorry, my English is just like above....
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