[rec]

Hey all, I had a pretty bad accident Friday evening after work. I was bombing a downhill section of a trail that we ride all the time and came around a semi blind corner and there lays a tree. I locked em up and slid into the tree only to be ejected over the bars. Landed on my right shoulder. Rescue Squad came and all my bros had to carry me out of the woods. If you any of you have had this injury, how long did it take to heal. Did you have to do rehab? Im worried about not being able to ride like I normally do.

Any info or advice is appreciated

Thanks

REC

 

[FBTMILF]

I dislocated my shoulder and in about 3 weeks it was fine to ride. Mine doesn't sound as bad as yours. I would check with the doctor on the rehab. Take it easy and just rest up. And if it feels better, don't go and bomb the first run you see, take it slow. No big drops or sharp corners, until it is fully healed. I'd say maybe 5 weeks or so until you can ride some small trails.

Hope it heals well, peace.

 

[rec]

Thanks Im definitly not going to rush things.
Just hope I can ride again before winter hits the east coast.
REC

 

[Wumpus]

I had a grade 1 seperation in December. I never stopped riding, and it felt back to normal in a couple of weeks. Then about two months after it happened it started aching bad, and I finally went to the doctor. That was when I got an x-ray, and he said it was seperated. He told me to take aleve for a few weeks, and that helped a lot. Couldn't lay on the shoulder for months, and it still hurts off and on. Wrecked on it good in March, I think, and it didn't hurt anymore than normal.

I haven't been going to the gym like I should but doing weights for the shoulder seems to really help it.

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110003&highlight=grade

 

[OrthoPT]

Go see a doctor and have him diagnose the severity of the separation. Return to sports depends on the grade of separation. Rehab will only help you in your progression to full strength and stability of your shoulder.
Take it easy with your riding 'til then.
-Danny

 

[rec]

Mine is a grade III which I think is the worst. I could see the bump on top of my shoulder, but that is starting to go away now. Beleive it or not the pain has not been that bad. Im just pissed that I cannot ride. Oh well I guess it could be worse.
Holler
REC

 

[jaydee]

Grade III is the worst; it means that all the ligaments that hold your clavicle down to your scapula are ruptured. They don't repair themselves after being completely torn, so recovery just means that the swelling and pain eventually go away (hopefully). Like OrthoPT said, you will need to strengthen the supporting musculature of the shoulder (rotator cuff, delts, pecs, lats). "Separation" means acromioclavicular joint injury, and is not related to shoulder "dislocation", which is a tear of the actual capsule of the shoulder joint and is much more serious. In fact, you don't really need a clavicle, and one of the treatments for Grade III AC injuries that cause permanent pain is to just saw off the end of the clavicle and throw it in the garbage. The recovery period for your type of sprain is variable, but you can't really cause any more damage now, because the ligaments are gone, if your diagnosis is right. The plan is to go see a good sports physio for treatment and exercises. The guideline is that you can do what you want if it doesn't increase your pain during or after activity. Work on increasing painfree range in a gravity-eliminated position first, then progress from there.

I did a grade II separation of a shoulder and it took over a year to feel close to normal or for me to be able to lie on it. It still clicks, but I can do any activity I want.

 

[bluebug32]

Feel better!

 

[LordOpie]

seperations/dislocations are nothing to take lightly.

Without proper rehab, the risk of futher injury is greater. After a number of dislocations, the joint becomes pretty useless and can dislocate without much effort

 

[jaydee]

seperations/dislocations are nothing to take lightly.

Without proper rehab, the risk of futher injury is greater. After a number of dislocations, the joint becomes pretty useless and can dislocate without much effort

You're right about dislocations, LordOpie, but separations are not associated with shoulder stability, because they don't involve the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint. I just point that out because I don't want to scare the poor guy. Not to downplay the seriousness of his injury, but recurrent shoulder dislocations are incapacitating, whereas recurrent AC joint separations/sprains are just a pain in the shoulder. They are much easier to deal with, though they can be painful and irritating, and they can be prevented by keeping your wheels somewhere south of your butt while riding . This is unlike a sloppy shoulder due to recurrent dislocations, which can pop out if you even try to scratch your butt while riding.

 

[LordOpie]

...whereas recurrent AC joint separations/sprains are just a pain in the shoulder.

I don't really know anything, but I thought my doctor said something when he put my shoulder back together about the injury to my AC joint years before being a factor?

 

[Changleen]

Ouch! I hope your right arm is still good as it sounds like you're going to be laid up and bored for a while...

 

[OrthoPT]

I went surfing and found a couple sites to look at. The second one has a little more detail. Go see your doctor. Good luck!
-Danny

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_shldsep_sma.htm

http://www.dynomed.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/shoulder/Shoulder_Separation_(Acromioclavicular_Joint_Separation).html

 

[caputo1989]

Do PT and dont wory I was able to ride around the block within 5 days.
Also wear a shoulder restricter for any type of DH riding.
Don-Joy makes the one I have.

 

[jaydee]

I don't really know anything, but I thought my doctor said something when he put my shoulder back together about the injury to my AC joint years before being a factor?

Yeah, it could have been. The stabilizing muscles get weak because of disuse and pain following an AC injury, then they don't protect the shoulder joint properly, leaving it open to injury. The shoulder is a very sensitive and injury-prone joint, because it's designed for mobility and flexibility rather than rigidity and stability, and it depends on a finely-tuned interworking of all its supportive structures.

 

[sunny]

Mine was a Class II separation last June (2004). I was in a sling for a week, but was advised against keeping it immobile for very long, lest I limit my mobility.

Ice packs regularly, and Naproxin or Aleve. For a month or more. It will reduce inflammation.

Lie on the floor with your arm out to the side, hand above your head, elbow at 90°. You won't be able to put shoulder and elbow and wrist on the floor at the same time, but this is what you want to work for. Just let the wrist hang at first. When you can, force the wrist to the floor gradually with a weight. This took me months to achieve. It's pretty painful.

Physical therapy - mostly she frictioned out the scar tissue that had built up around the top of the shoulder and in the armpit under the shoulder. It was rather painful.

I resumed weight-lifting as soon as I could hold a weight.

At about the 9 month mark, my right arm was finally as strong as my left again (I'm right handed).

Edit: OH! And I can lay wrist, elbow, and shoulder on the floor at the same time, but I have to force it.

Good luck!
-sunny

 

[hooples3]

No advice besides rest it.. hope you have a speedy recovery

 

[Steen Good Legs]

First and best advice; go see the doc.... right away, then after visiting him / her, don't rush getting back in shape, that'll only do things worse, depending on what kinda grade the seperation you'd suffered!

I talk outta experience here, did one bad one in 99', and one again here in end of July, some 7 weeks ago.... got operated on, and are facing at least 3 months of rehab, before it will be as good as it gets...

I'm facing a minor movement handicap here, due to the fact that i smashed things up pretty good in the right shoulder, you could as well.... not to say that you will get one, but the sooner the better with a checkup.

The more you try to neglect it, the worse it will get over time.... you don't want to end up like this!

Regards- Steen.

 

[robdamanii]

I separated a shoulder skiing freshman year of college. Hurt like hell for weeks, but the worst thing you can do is immobilize it for long periods of time. Get out and start moving it by doing your activities of daily living, but being careful not to overly stress the shoulder.

Gah...I stink this early in the morning.

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

Jaydee knows what he's about. Get to the doc, get your PT on, avoid surgery if at all possible, ie exhaust all the PT options before going under the knife. When you're all better, hit the gym, and stick with it. The best way to avoid injury is strength training and stretching. This is particularly true for the shoulder.

Feel better buddy.

 

[rec]

Thanks everyone, lots of good advice. I am not using my sling at all today and it actuall feels decent as long as I do not try to lift my arm up too high. I go to the Ortho Surgeon on Sept 21st. Wish me luck.

REC

 

[OrthoPT]

Good luck! Did you check those links I posted?

 

[Bad Ronald]

I seperated my shoulder last monday downhilling. I crashed when I overshot a jump and landed shoulder first. I knew right away I was seriously injured. I have a 3rd degree seperation and am getting an operation on it tomorrow to repair all the tendons. My left shoulder (the injured one) is about 2 inches narrower than my right as my entire arm has drooped and my color bone has sprung up (causing the point someone mentioned erlier). I was advised by my doctor that if I wanted to keep riding that surgery was very necessary as I would never feel right again without it. He also said if I was 70 or only like to play video games and eat candy then it wouldn't really be necessary to get it done since the lack of function wouldn't impare my lifestyle at all...Obviously I chose choice A and will be getting work done at 10:15 am tomorrow.

 

[OrthoPT]

Damn, that sucks. Sounds like you're making the smart choice. Good luck on your surgery!

 

[ncrider]

All this shoulder injury talk really hits home for me. I dislocated my shoulder about 3 weeks ago. The pain went away after a week or so and I felt that I would be able to start riding by this weekend. Then I decided to play a little b-ball yesterday. I ended up getting body checked and POP, out goes the shoulder again. Not good. Surgery might be in my future. It's scary to have a dislocated shoulder. I feel like I now have a permenant time bomb on my body that is just waiting for the right nudge or crash to go off.

 

[OrthoPT]

If you dislocated your shoulder, you have made it unstable. By nature, it is the easiest joint to dislocate, because of its mobility. You want to start strengthening your rotator cuff muscles to start. If you get yourself into a Physical Therapy program, you'd be best off. Being followed by a competent PT will not only ensure adequate strengthening of your rotator cuff, but will also maintain (and even increase) the strength, and range of motion of your shoulder and scapular stabilizers. Even if you DO end up needing surgery, which you may or may not, your post op rehab and recovery will be much fasster and easier.

 

[lovebunny]

or not allow you to go to nats

 

[Bad Ronald]

Here is a pic of my shoulder post op. The first 2 days were absolute misery. Now I can at least sit still and not have it hurt. I have 2 visible stitches and a bunch of glue and tape holding the 3+ inch incision closed. Pretty wild.

 

[HOOWAH]

i had a typeII seperation a few years ago riding some rather small dirt jumps, and i feel for you all. That separation hurt more than my broken leg did. I took care of it as best as possible and i think i was back on the xc bike about 3 weeks on. I remember it as being really painful, no mobility, for about a week, and then it started healing and regaining mobility quickly. i only used the sling when my shoulder got tired from holding my arm up in the first week.

I did some drywall about 3 months later, which is about as shoulder intensive as possible (hold a screwgun above your head for half a day hanging ceilings), and man did i ever feel it in my shoulder the next day. Now to this day i still have problems throwing things, like baseballs. i'm not sure if it's because i healed incorrectly or that's just how it is. in any event, proper recovery is key to still being able to do the little things in life. don't do too much too soon.

take care and heal up.