I injured my shoulder 2 months ago surfing. I have pain in my upper shoulder and range of motion issues. Greatest pain is when I reach and strech above my head to initiate a paddling motion.
I can still surf but the shoulder hurts worse the next day if I do so I have only been in the water once in the last two months. I have had steady but very slow improvement. I have kept active skiing every weekend and doing spin classes. The skiing might be aggravating the injury as my shoulder will hurt after a day of hard aggressive skiing.
Any ideas as to what I should do? Should I just assume it is something minor like a tendon strain and will get better on its own or do I really need to go to the doctor?
How do I strengthen my shoulder so this doesn't happen again?
Thanks in advance for the feedback.
My injured shoulder
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offroadbob
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i had a bad shoulder, had mri and surgery wasnt an option, went to physical therapy for 6 months and that didnt help much, the doc asked me what my goal was and i told him that i just wanted to be able to stretch both arms over my head ,well monies ran out so therapy stopped, but i reached my goal 6 months later buy grabbing my bad arm and stretching it over my head with my good arm about 10 times a day...later that year i was showing some friends my limited range of motion and lo and behold i was no longer limited,btw by the pain i was having i thought for sure something was torn up inside, hope this helps
bob
bob
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Kauaikneelo
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aloha Tom,
Been there and done that with the shoulder. Not a doc, but it sounds like a separation. Go to the web and search for separation. There is a list of rehab excerises. Start slow, increase daily, keep it up. Pole planting while skiing can really jar the arm = shoulder.
On my end I had a dislocation and ended up with an operation. But when it dislocated nine times in one month and I gave in and went for the knife. (by the way the difference between the two : is the arm is dangling from the socket = dislocation!!) You can rehab a separation, but time to heal and strength training will be the key. Good luck.
Been there and done that with the shoulder. Not a doc, but it sounds like a separation. Go to the web and search for separation. There is a list of rehab excerises. Start slow, increase daily, keep it up. Pole planting while skiing can really jar the arm = shoulder.
On my end I had a dislocation and ended up with an operation. But when it dislocated nine times in one month and I gave in and went for the knife. (by the way the difference between the two : is the arm is dangling from the socket = dislocation!!) You can rehab a separation, but time to heal and strength training will be the key. Good luck.
Aloha from the Kingdom of Atooi
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alfredo zavala
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Hey Tom
Your story sounds very familiar especially to aging kneeboarders. I had shoulder surgery Dec 22 2008.
Fortunately the damage was not really bad so I had A quick recovery.
Basically until you have a professional look at it you don't know how serious it is. What you don't want to do is make it worse.
If you don't have health insurance issues make an appt with a GOOD orthopedic specialist. They have seen it all. My Dr. diagnosed it on the head before the MRI !!
My ac joint was shot basically.
My story sounds exactly like yours . Just tweaked it surfing one day, took about two months off, it got better so that i could surf etc. . . .but the pain wouldn't go away and worse pain after surfing.
I went through physical therapy first ,yada ,yada yada. . . Surgery.
Now its all better.
Hope my story helps.
Fredo
Your story sounds very familiar especially to aging kneeboarders. I had shoulder surgery Dec 22 2008.
Fortunately the damage was not really bad so I had A quick recovery.
Basically until you have a professional look at it you don't know how serious it is. What you don't want to do is make it worse.
If you don't have health insurance issues make an appt with a GOOD orthopedic specialist. They have seen it all. My Dr. diagnosed it on the head before the MRI !!
My ac joint was shot basically.
My story sounds exactly like yours . Just tweaked it surfing one day, took about two months off, it got better so that i could surf etc. . . .but the pain wouldn't go away and worse pain after surfing.
I went through physical therapy first ,yada ,yada yada. . . Surgery.
Now its all better.
Hope my story helps.
Fredo
I took 6 months off for a torn ligament. Surgery was recommended but I chose not to go that route. Only a doc can tell you how bad it actually is.
Osteo gave me this exercise for stimulating/stengthening the rotator muscles. Hold arm straight. Do small circles with the hand. Do this with the arm in all positions - down, up, side, overhead, etc. Move to light weights if no discomfort. I use those wrist weight things.
Most importantly, change your paddling technique. Recovery stroke: Arm bent 90 degrees at elbow. Elbow above wrist. Dont extend too far forward. Pull stroke: straight down length of stringer. Don't push too far back. Rythm: recover, glide one two, pull, recover, glide..
Osteo gave me this exercise for stimulating/stengthening the rotator muscles. Hold arm straight. Do small circles with the hand. Do this with the arm in all positions - down, up, side, overhead, etc. Move to light weights if no discomfort. I use those wrist weight things.
Most importantly, change your paddling technique. Recovery stroke: Arm bent 90 degrees at elbow. Elbow above wrist. Dont extend too far forward. Pull stroke: straight down length of stringer. Don't push too far back. Rythm: recover, glide one two, pull, recover, glide..
Tom,
Had a major recon two years ago. two re-attachments, rotator cuff was fixed and acronioplasty (spelling??)..... go see a shoulder specialist. The fact it is two months post the injury also reduces some options if you need surgery....
Worst case is you at last find out what is wrong...luckily
Had a major recon two years ago. two re-attachments, rotator cuff was fixed and acronioplasty (spelling??)..... go see a shoulder specialist. The fact it is two months post the injury also reduces some options if you need surgery....
Worst case is you at last find out what is wrong...luckily
'Your site has been suspended for suspicious activity or complaints'.
Get an MRI to have your injury accurately diagnosed as soon as possible. I injured a shoulder in a skiing accident and waited through a year of pain and declining range of motion before getting an MRI. Waiting that long reduced the surgery options available. It's fixed, but if I'd had it done right away, I think the repair would have been stronger. If you have decent insurance, it should cover most of the cost of the imaging. Good luck, Steve.
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albert
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I had a problem with my shoulder a few years back. It was at a very bad time since I had just booked in my first trip to G-land. I went to a physiotherapist who after taking one look at me said; "its not your shoulder, its your neck!" 
After a few visits, many cracks, and a few neck massages I was fine. The whole time the doctor didnt have to touch my shoulder once!
Since then I have come to realise that I have some chronic neck problems anyway which need constant maintenance, its one of those things that if I dont keep it in check will probably result in things like spinal fusion surgery and other unpleasant crap like that.
Recently I had another similar experience with some knee pain, turns out it was my lower back and a few cracks and stretches and I was right as rain all over again. Human body is a funny thing...
Hope this helps.
After a few visits, many cracks, and a few neck massages I was fine. The whole time the doctor didnt have to touch my shoulder once!
Since then I have come to realise that I have some chronic neck problems anyway which need constant maintenance, its one of those things that if I dont keep it in check will probably result in things like spinal fusion surgery and other unpleasant crap like that. Recently I had another similar experience with some knee pain, turns out it was my lower back and a few cracks and stretches and I was right as rain all over again. Human body is a funny thing...
Hope this helps.
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feralmick
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G`day Tom, i had a similar experience to Albert.
Chronic back and neck pain for 25 years-saw chiro, physio & specialists without much success.
Saw an osteo 8 years ago, had a misaligned hip which pulled the whole left side of my body.
He loosened the hip which straightened my back-which put strain on the left shoulder. Time is stretching everything and rebuilding muscle on the left side.
I concentrate on walking and sitting straight, as well as strengthening the lower back and stomach.
Chronic back and neck pain for 25 years-saw chiro, physio & specialists without much success.
Saw an osteo 8 years ago, had a misaligned hip which pulled the whole left side of my body.
He loosened the hip which straightened my back-which put strain on the left shoulder. Time is stretching everything and rebuilding muscle on the left side.
I concentrate on walking and sitting straight, as well as strengthening the lower back and stomach.
Tom,
Sorry to hear about your shoulder and not being able to surf.
I treat a lot of shoulders as a PT.
Here is what I do when a patient comes to me. I take a detailed history. Asked a lot of questions about how the shoulder behaves. What makes it sore, in what position, any weakness, any numbness or tingling, etc etc.
Then I do a thorough exam to come up with a working diagnosis.
The cause of the pain and disability can be any number of the possible causes mentioned in other post to you.
An AC separation, a torn rotator cuff, a bone spur, referred pain from the neck would all have different treatment, so it is important to diagnose the problem correctly. The exam would narrow it down.
If it looks like a bone spur, or separation or AC arthritis, then an X-rays would help confirm.
If the exam indicates a torn rotator cuff, then an MRI would help confirm and give details on the extend of the tear.
Some diagnoses best treated conservatively, others may need surgery.
Get it checked out by someone that sees a lot of shoulders. Would be great if they also surfed so they can understand the strain you put on your shoulder and can relate to your "pain" of not being to surf.
Good luck and good healing.
Sorry to hear about your shoulder and not being able to surf.
I treat a lot of shoulders as a PT.
Here is what I do when a patient comes to me. I take a detailed history. Asked a lot of questions about how the shoulder behaves. What makes it sore, in what position, any weakness, any numbness or tingling, etc etc.
Then I do a thorough exam to come up with a working diagnosis.
The cause of the pain and disability can be any number of the possible causes mentioned in other post to you.
An AC separation, a torn rotator cuff, a bone spur, referred pain from the neck would all have different treatment, so it is important to diagnose the problem correctly. The exam would narrow it down.
If it looks like a bone spur, or separation or AC arthritis, then an X-rays would help confirm.
If the exam indicates a torn rotator cuff, then an MRI would help confirm and give details on the extend of the tear.
Some diagnoses best treated conservatively, others may need surgery.
Get it checked out by someone that sees a lot of shoulders. Would be great if they also surfed so they can understand the strain you put on your shoulder and can relate to your "pain" of not being to surf.
Good luck and good healing.
