 Poster: A snowHead
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Had a bit of a sucker-punch fall going in between the 'Ralentir' gates/screens coming into the bottom of Aigle in Meribel-Mottaret 12 days ago.
Heel clicked out at low speed and shoulder-planted into hard pack/ice. It hurt quite a lot and I was briefly winded. There was a brief scrunching/grinding sensation or sound at the time?
Still got back to VT on the last lift, however!
After a week or so of taking painkillers/anti-inflammatories (Co-Codamol & Ibuprofen, max dose) I remain distinctly uncomfortable.
I stopped the drugs 2 days ago so that I could provide some useful information:
Raising my extended arm above 90º at the side is tolerable but doing the same with my arm in front is less comfortable. Palm-up is marginally less uncomfortable than palm-down. Able to raise arm to vertical without squeaking!
The pain has now localised to a ?ligament that runs from the ?top of my collar bone to the ?top of my humerus. Horses don't have clavicles.
Palpation in comparison with the other shoulder suggests that it might have been stretched (>index finger width vs just <less!) and front-to-back pressure is better than downward or back-to-front pressure. Collar bone doesn't seem grossly displaced cf other side.
Lifting any loads with my left arm is painful (focussed on the above ?ligament), superficial bruising over the whole of my left pectoral region. Also suspicious that I may have cracked 2nd rib approx 2" medial to top/front point of humerus (focal pain on deep palp, similar pain to when I had my lowest 2 ribs on the same side broken for me 18months ago).
I probably bore you with the details.
Would I be safe/wise to go skiing in 2 weeks' time?
I try not to fall over too regularly, but I have the time book off from work (nothing booked yet).
I look forward to any replies,
Mark
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Had more or less same thing some 5 weeks ago (just that crash was at 90km/h  ), and to give you good news, my shoulder is still far from normal one. I actually went to doctor (and after that had few sessions (more or less only kinesio taping) with one of World cup team's physio), to be sure nothing is broken. My thing was stretched/sprained AC joint and ligaments in it (based on X-ray my left shoulder was 2.5mm wider then non-injured right one), so basically nothing bad. First it went better really really fast, and by the end of first week, I was able to lift my hand more or less normal in almost all directions, on end of second week, I could do everything normal, but I could still feel bit of pain (like it would burn inside of shoulder) with certain moves. In between I had whole bunch of races to work on (including Schladming WCH), so I never really had much of real rest. During Schladming, I was actually be able to ski normally (on day off, and I crashed exactly 2 weeks before start of WCH). When coming home, everything looked fine, so I went to play some icehockey, but after 15mins I knew it was really bad idea. It was like I moved 2 weeks back and my shoulder was hurting pretty bad for next few days. So my suggestion, rest if you can. Unfortunately I couldn't, but I still could skip that icehockey session
And one more thing, what all physios I was talking with told me... You can ski without problem, but if you crash again, every single ligament won't be just stretched but torn and shoulder will be dislocated for sure. So personally, I wouldn't go skiing in 2 weeks, unless you really have to go (like I really had to go to those races... afterall that was job not fun). It's no because you wouldn't be able to ski, but because there's always chance you might crash. And in cases like this, you can be pretty sure you will crash exactly on your injured shoulder.
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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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primoz,
Thank you for your reply.
Not the one I wanted, but pretty much as I anticipated.
Excellent advice - only I have the time booked off work (no holiday booked just yet), so maybe some time with an instructor to improve my technique on gentle runs/few bumps and a "waffer theen" bit of the deeper stuff??
Well aware of the fact that the 'Law of Sod' will make me fall on the most vulnerable point of my shoulder resulting in potentially severe injury, but the snow is so good this year. I don't play ice-hockey or skate at all.
I just don't know what to do - I have just got back into skiing after an 8 year break and this would be my 4th trip this season. I don't do summer holidays - I used to dive, but a prolapsed disc & spinal surgery put an end to that (curiously around 8 years' ago..).
Heck, I'll just go for the Apres!
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