Shoulder and upper arm injury

Tom Linn · Post by **Tom Linn** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:13 pm

I recently injured my shoulder and upper arm area. Not sure how I did, but I think it just happened from paddling very hard on a cold morning at O'side when I wasn't properly warmed up. It has been a week and I have had no improvement to speak of in my arm.

Here are my symptoms- intermittent sharp pains in my upper arm just below the shoulder and above the biceps. It is worse a few hours after surfling. I can surf but my right arm is weak and the shoulder begins to hurt after about an hour in the water. Certain motions hurt badly such as the simple motion of eating with chopsticks at sushi a few nights ago.

This thing is a bummer with the WT's right around the corner. Any ideas for a diagnosis and to aid recovery would be greatly appreciated. I've never had any problems with either of my arms prior to this.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts................Tom

Chris Buscemi · Post by **Chris Buscemi** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:31 pm

See a doctor and have him/her give you a Cortisone shot and pain killers to get through the contest.

frankfqr · Post by **frankfqr** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:54 pm

Excellent rec. by Chris. The cortisone will get you thru the comp. but you have an underlying problem. I just recently went thru shoulder rehab and the symptoms you describe are exactly the same. Mine was accumulated calcium or bone spurs on the rotater cuff, one strange torque on a surf session set it in motion. The problem in the joint will radiate down into the shoulder and bicep muscle. Cortisone and painkillers will get you thru short term, but then rest it and get more detailed and specific probes and insite from doc's, but what they did for me was extensive phisical therapy to build the muscle mass to support the joint and increase motion exercises to possibly decrease the bone spurs. It worked for now but you don't want to increase possible aggrevation short term. Best of luck..frank..

Smokin Rock · Post by **Smokin Rock** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:03 pm

Tom,
you may have a partial or complete tear of the supraspinatus muscle.
http://www.builder-muscles.org/supraspi ... e-tear.htm
or possibly even rotator cuff injury. you should see the doc and get a MRI. put your arm out straight from your body and parallel with the ground. have someone put their hand over yours and now try to push up against their hand....if it's painfull or very weak it's not a good sign.
remember a partial tear can become a complete one much more easily.
i have two friends that recently had suprasinatus muscle injury and they both had surgery. no fun.
aloha

frankfqr · Post by **frankfqr** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:55 pm

Thanks Doc Rock for the definative. I was afraid to chime in cause of the large amount of possibilities, but bottom line is-Rock's Right-no one can tell without the xray or MRI and on short term that might be difficult to get an appointment. But hey just maybe with a bit of patience you can sit it out in some E.R. of your liking and complain of extreme pain and get some timly results on an exam, or plead your urgent case with your G.P. Bottom line is don't risk the further damage without proper consult.. Please get on it Tom so we can see you in the water at the WORLDS....

Headwax. · Post by **Headwax.** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:25 pm

hya tom

sometimes you can catch your arm in the wave wall while doing those big fast bottom turns and not really realise it is happening till you get out of the water and your shoulder hurts - alos get shoulder pain from wearing webs

not really sure if this will help - it won't work if you live in a tent

couple of times in the day find a handy doorway

these pics aren't me BTW

as you can tell I am much darker of tone

To do this stretch correctly:
1. Find a doorway and support an elbow against the door jam.
2. The elbow should be slightly lower than your shoulder.
3. Walk your body away from your elbow so that you feel the stretch through the chest.
4. Hold for 30 seconds.
5. Repeat with the other shoulder.

I do this stretch but concentrate on pushing my shoulder joint backwards rather than my chest - you have to push it at 90 degrees to the front plane of your body

you can do it without the doorway after a while but the doorway acts as a guide at first

pics and quote from http://ehpp.unm.edu/stretch.htm

cheers

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:13 pm

I tore my supraspinatus muscle a few years ago while farming. After rest and exercise its in decent shape.

With your arm hanging at your side, is it difficult to lift arm (keeping arm straight) for the first 15 to 20 degrees but once its over the height of your shoulder it feels fine?

I spent the last semester moving way too much music equipment and have inflammed the area again- keeping me out of the water. Now I have to let it heal and then start with my exercises all over again.

It takes time to heal and then you need to do daily exercises to build the surrounding muscle. But you need to see a physician to see where you stand. I went to the ortho surgeons that the SF 49ers use. When I asked them what I can expect after surgery they told be I could expect at least 80% mobility. That was acceptable so I went the rest/exercise route.

After rest and specific exercises, I have about 95+% use without surgery.

Tom Linn · Post by **Tom Linn** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 4:51 pm

Thanks to everyone for their valuable insight and comments. I'm stoked to be part of a community where I can get immediate feedback. I'll follow everyone's advice and try to get into a doctor over the next few days.

Looks like I will just have to tough it out for the contest. Now I have an excuse if I go down early!!

southpeakbrad · Post by **southpeakbrad** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 7:04 pm

Tom, so sorry for the news!
Great advice from everyone thus far. Your doc will want to know if ibuprofen(Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) has helped any. We are used to taking one dose and having some relief so when the injury is a bit worse and one dose doesn't help we get concerned. So, you may want to try scheduled doses (per instructions) for 1-2 days at least to see if you get some relief.

In the meantime, ride your bike daily to get the legs in better shape and stay in the water to work on the kicks and you should be fine!

Best of luck!

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 7:14 pm

The exercise that I used (and still use) is with a rubber band.

With your upper arm firmly against your body and lower arm at a 90 degree angle, do ten pulls one way then pivot around and do ten pulls the other way: ten reps each way x 3. don't pull hard - just nice resistence.
These will probably be the exercises that your ortho will give you.

You need to heal pretty completely. You won't be able to do a sudden, heavy paddle when you see a set outside; you can tear it more. It just takes time.

james · Post by **james** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 2:59 am

Hi Tom,

I've found some good background reading on specific shoulder problems, rehab & strengthening at:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/

For example, if you go to rotator cuff strengthening, you'll see illustrations of recommended excercises, including the one Surfhorn describes above - I do this rubber band one everyday now since having rotator cuff problems, always after every surf, along with a variation of the chest exercise which headwax recommended, it strengthens & stretches the opposing muscles which greatly aids rehab and doing these excercises regularly will help stop the problem reoccuring.

Hope you are feeling better for the contest.

Best wishes & Happy New Year
James

WayneK · Post by **WayneK** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 12:21 pm

Tom, So many things can be wrong, every shoulder injury is different. Smokin Rock is right; the bottom line is an orho exam, x-rays, and likely an MRI will give a more diffinitive diagnosis. However, the Worids are around the corner. Getting in to see a qualified shoulder orthopod is difficult on a short notice let alone lining up an MRI.
So for the short term start taking 800mg of ibuprophen twice daily and give it a rest for 48 hrs. Do some aerobics and avoid any movements that cause pain. Getting a cortisone injection is OK if: you can see a qualified ortho specialist who can determine on physical exam that you don't have a complete tear of the rotator tendons.
I'm 6 wks post arthroscopic shoulder sugery and just started physical therapy. I had impingement by a bone spur off my shoulder balde(acromium process) fraying my rotator tendons. That was causing chronic pain and some limited range of motion that I had been dealing with for a long time. Most of us older surfers have this syndrome. It causes fraying of the tendon and inflamation of the joint and tendon (bursitis). The cortisone injection can really help this situation. My bigger problem was a torn labrum( a catillage rim around the socket where the "ball" fits in the joint) requiring sutures and 4wks of healing before I could satart rehb. I tore it wiping out in May this year.
Every injury is different the timing of yours SUCKS. I hope it's minor and you'll be good in just 7 short days. Good Luck

red · Post by **red** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:21 pm

Once you're on the mend - build up the surrounding muscles and change your paddle motion. The "lizard" wide arm recovery stroke is a killer for the shoulder muscles. Think "dog paddle" - recovery stroke with your elbow above your wrist, wrist close in to body. It's hard and tiring at first but it's a more efficient stroke, energy and muscle wise. (thanks to the man on this site that recommended it to me 3 years ago!)

It also allows you to introduce "glide" to your style. Glide is a pause between strokes to let the board glide on the energy of the last stroke. It's an energy conservation techniques used by the fastest paddlers I know.

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