dislocated shoulder

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Messages 1 - 20 of total 20 in this topic
Bulldog

Trad climber
Yosemite, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 18, 2013 - 02:14pm PT
dislocated shoulder, what's the cure? any info?
matty

Trad climber
under the sea
Jan 18, 2013 - 02:42pm PT
try this






and remember...











YER GUNNA DIE!!!
Inner City

Trad climber
East Bay
Jan 18, 2013 - 02:48pm PT
There have been a number of other threads on this painful topic. I had a recurring dislocation problem years ago. Thing would pop out on climbs, not good.

You can have a surgical procedure done, not sure if they are still doing the "Bankhardt" procedure or not, but really, to my mind, managing your shoulder so the joint does not get open and exposed to dislocation, in conjunction with strengthening the muscles around the joint is the best solution.

I had the surgery and it blew out. Now it's all about joint management, no pun intended.
rmsusa

Trad climber
Boulder
Jan 18, 2013 - 03:49pm PT
No cure but surgery. Strengthen ALL the muscles around the joint. When it starts coming out too often get the surgery. Even with surgery, keep ALL those muscles strong.
Bulldog

Trad climber
Yosemite, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 18, 2013 - 04:19pm PT
thanks for the info
Bruce Morris

Social climber
Belmont, California
Jan 18, 2013 - 04:26pm PT
Four years ago I first tore a rotator cuff and then six months later dislocated my shoulder. Went to the best shoulder guy there is at SOAR, he said that because I dislocated the shoulder so late in life, it wouldn't keep popping out because my shoulder tissue was tougher and less flexible. So, I just kept building up my shoulder muscles with rotator cuff exercises and weights, and the dislocate has never occurred again. It's just that it's taken four years of hard regular weight work plus I haven't been bouldering much above V1 either. I suppose if I'd had a shoulder operation, the pain would have gone away quicker. I'd say it's strictly a question of now or later. A quick fix with surgery or a long, slow fix with work, work, work. Just remember that all invasion procedures carry with them a certain degree of risk. Make your surgeon tell you explicitly what level of risk is associated with the surgery option. It really matters a what age you've done your dislocate though. Younger, more chance of repetitious dislocates; older, less chance of repeats.
darkmagus

Mountain climber
San Diego, CA
Jan 18, 2013 - 04:30pm PT
Anterior dislocation = manual reduction, this is the most common type
Posterior dislocation = surgical reduction followed by rehab, can only be seen/diagnosed by looking at the "scapular y-view" on radiograph

Do not be under the impression that an anterior dislocation necessitates surgery.

The rehab should start off very mellow, using therabands and tubes and stuff like that. Gradually working your way up to more resistance.

I think that controlled climbing (not pushing limits/falling/straining to get to the next hold) can be used as a rehab program. Because one way or another, those rotator cuff muscles are gonna get a workout. It's just important to do that very carefully.
ron gomez

Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
Jan 18, 2013 - 05:41pm PT
Let things HEAL first, don't get anxious to start aggressive exercise. You WANT things to heal and tighten up a bit. getting too aggressive too early will only lead to more laxity and more chance of more dislocations. don't stretch too early, this thing is already loose and you don't want to stretch things out anymore, right now, focus on isometrics of the scapular muscles, depressors, elevators. Keep the neck loose and keep the range of motion to a minimum. These things usually get worse if you start too early. Be patient, did you get it reduced or did it reduce on its own? any lingering tingling or numbness is the arm or hand? hand cold at times? See a doctor if you have any of these symptoms. Prolly gonna hurt like hell for a while. Normal. I suffered with multidirectional dislocations for years before getting it corrected. Posterior was the worse, but now things are good to go. Had the surgery back in 86. Good luck
Peace

Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Jan 18, 2013 - 05:45pm PT
You should get in and see a sports ortho who specializes in shoulder work.

I have had great results with Dr ElAttrache (also does knees) at Kerlan JObe in LA. I went in with a serious right shoulder injury in 2004, they told me I had no reasonable option except surgery ASAP. Rehab to 100% took a year, it's great now. I went in last year to have them check out the left side which was telling me to watch out. They said surgery would be my worst option, set me up with a PT who works with athletes and it got strong and healthy in a few months, with the added benefit that I learned a lot.

The Doc told me that most shoulder injuries under age 35 or so are torn labrums, while most over 40 or so are rotator cuff tears.

edit: what Ron said too^^^
darkmagus

Mountain climber
San Diego, CA
Jan 18, 2013 - 06:00pm PT
Excellent tips, Ron Gomez!

Didn't want to give the impression that the rehab should be done NOW, those were just tips for the future.

MRI will let you know definitively what specific type of lesion exists (if any): SLAP or other labral lesion, Bankart lesion, Hill-Sachs lesion, etc.

I have a lot of success helping people with shoulder injuries/conditions at my clinic (a sports chiropractic clinic). Feel free to ask me anything about conservative management of the shoulder (or any musculoskeletal condition for that matter). Hope you're feeling better and back in the game soon!!
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
Jan 18, 2013 - 06:09pm PT
You're screwed

Ended my rock-climbing career

And no one wants to climb with someone whose shoulder dislocates on a climb.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Jan 18, 2013 - 06:24pm PT
You're screwed

Only for a bit of time in nearly every case if you do the right things.

Ended my rock-climbing career

Rock climbing is a career? I always thought it was much more important than that.

And no one wants to climb with someone whose shoulder dislocates on a climb.

True dat...

ron gomez

Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
Jan 18, 2013 - 06:40pm PT
mine use to routinely dislocate on routes! sometimes just chalking up! Kerwin Klein would ASK me to pop it out on demand! slam it against my knee, wait a couple seconds....lead on. If you take care of a dislocation, unless you REALLY hosed it, it will be capable of a fine recovery, just gotta know yer limits with it.
Peace
weezy

climber
Jan 18, 2013 - 06:45pm PT
i'm not a physical therapist but i had an anterior dislocation in 1997. no surgery or rehab other than the doc popping it back into the socket. popped out again once briefly but popped right back in when i raised my arm up but has never been a problem otherwise and i got better at climbing despite the injury. i sometime have to back off some gaston-type moves or moves where i'm pushing away with my arm extended outward, but that's very rare and usually while bouldering. i think i had the benefit of not damaging or chipping my rotator cuff during the dislocation and not tearing any "soft goods" (that i know of). i didn't really do a whole lot PT other than these "windmill" exercises and try to build up the muscle around the injury slowly and carefully. YMMV.

just be glad you didn't dislocate your femur from your pelvis. that sh#t suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks.
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
Jan 18, 2013 - 06:48pm PT
Rock climbing is a career? I always thought it was much more important than that.

Damn right.
wilbeer

Mountain climber
honeoye falls,ny.greeneck alleghenys
Jan 18, 2013 - 06:51pm PT
slr,6 times in a hockey career that spanned 4 decades.I can pop em back in now,but i agree climbing can hurt,but anymore what doesnt.Lets get on some rock this year.slr,does it bother you paddling?
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
Jan 18, 2013 - 08:27pm PT
...does it bother you paddling?


I had surgery and the ripped out the surgery in Knife's Edge on the Bottom Moose. I still managed a solid eskimo roll with a dislocated shoulder in that rapid, just because I was so concerned about going through the rest of Knife's Edge upside-down.

Now I am primarly a hand paddler. I use fairly small hand paddles to reduce the torque on my shoulders, but lose a lot of power as a result.

I first dislocated my shoulders in falls when I was skiing big "no fall" lines. After a dozen or more subsequent dislocations I had my shoulders surgically repaired. Right shoulder in 1988 and left shoulder in 1994.

I tried everything, including a lot of PT and targeted weight lifting, but couldn't keep from dislocating even on easy 5.6 routes in the rock gym in Rochester.

Now my shoulder dislocates if I laugh or sneeze hard. I'm screwed.
wilbeer

Mountain climber
honeoye falls,ny.greeneck alleghenys
Jan 18, 2013 - 10:11pm PT
slr ,thats a bummer,as with any ,shoulder injuries suck.

knifes edge,an accurate name!

smoking a beer just thinking about it.
Adrian MacNair

Boulder climber
Vancouver
Jan 22, 2013 - 03:05pm PT
I don't know if I dislocated mine but I got my first shoulder injury in 13 years of climbing about two weeks ago at the gym. It still hurts like it happened yesterday so I'm guessing I tore something in there and I'll need an MRI or something.

I've been using Naproxen to manage the pain.
F'ueco

Boulder climber
Sunnyvale, CA
Jan 22, 2013 - 03:18pm PT
I dislocated my right shoulder 20 years ago skiing, before my climbing career (I was skiing on the bunny slope at Badger Pass, talk about embarrassing!).

I re-dislocated it one time a few years later while climbing a chimney at the gym. I've had no problems since.

I think the biggest factor is keeping the joint healthy. Climbing will be good for it in the long run, as long as you let it heal now before getting back on the sharp end.
Messages 1 - 20 of total 20 in this topic
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