[OB1]

Help me out guys. Everyone here is used to injuries. Jan 08 I tore my left rotator cuff. MRI was looked at by 3 different surgeons. The concensus is it's 60-75% torn. I was booked for surgery and found out the my insurance red tape wouldn't pay for a surgery til Jan 09. So I waited. I'm getting around ok, and riding. So I skipped that surgery in favor of racing the 09 season. Now I'm approaching Oct. I promised myself I would get it done then. But I have 70-80% range of motion. And it doesn't cause me too many real problems in daily life. What do you think.....surgery or forget about it??

 

[chillindrdude]

might be fine to you now, but likely will get worse as you get older. i say get it fixed.

 

[Sshields32]

Getit done. you wont regret it in the future.

 

[b1k3_r1d3r]

get it done. because your getting by with muscle. It'll feel great to ride but a crash could put you out. Thats what happened to me last year after already having it fixed once. a few crashes started making it sore again then one good one wrecked it and retore most stuff (and i think i got the ok to ride a little early. my strength came back quick but i dont think all the cartilage and tendons healed properly since i was riding once i got the ok) I decided to take this year off from dh and just ride road and trail ride, and i still dislocates to its back to the table for me to.

 

[Huck Banzai]

Fix it. You will likely regret it if you dont.

 

[OB1]

uh oh....looks like im the solo "screw it" vote. Damn, I really hate surgeries. My knee put me out for over a year, and still causes me problems. Well....it the votes keep looking like this, I'll just suck it up and do it. Especially since that seems to be the opinion within my family as well. Has anyone here had rotator cuff surgery?

 

[Slater]

Surgeries for shoulders are not as effective as most any other joint.
Its just layer upon layer of muscle.
If you can avoid surgery, and postpone for a later date, do that.
Each surgery creates more scar tissue. You'll need it eventually, might as well not do it before you HAVE to.
Something to think about at least...

 

[Foxbat]

Last December I tore my rotator cuff while skiiing. The sports medicine doctor I saw recommended physical therapy which was painful but allowed me to regain full motion and strength of my arm. I declined the option of surgery and I feel in my case it was the right choice.

I'm not sure if your level of injury would allow you to do the same but it may be an option.

 

[Eastern States Cup]

Take it from and old guy.....GET IT THE F**K DONE !!!!

 

[Covenasty]

fix it bro, I put off cuff and tendon surgery for 2 years, once I did it, I wished I had done it right away!!!!!

 

[djjohnr]

Each case is different. I recommend asking a highly qualified sports medicine doc, not the internet.

 

[William42]

I tore both rotator cuffs. I didn't have surgery, it took about a two years to regain full range of motion. Swimming really really really helped me, and at this point I'm very glad I didn't have surgery for it. Mine weren't super torn though, only about 40% in one arm and 30% in the other. We'll see how I feel about it when I'm not 22, but I think I'm fully healed at this point (or at least according the the physical therapists, who are glad I didn't get surgery).

 

[Steve M]

Each case is different. I recommend asking a highly qualified sports medicine doc, not the internet.

Yeah seriously man... get some professional advice!

 

[ridingsupreme]

if it ain't broke don't fix it! save your money. if $ht hits the fan you can always get the surgery then. whats the rush? plus the more you put it off now the better because once you've had surgery and stuff it will only get worse if you so happen to re-injure it. NOTHING WORSE THAN REPEAT INJURIES

 

[OB1]

Each case is different. I recommend asking a highly qualified sports medicine doc, not the internet.

The internet has it's usefullness. This is one of them. Hearing from guys in my sport who have had the same injury, is a usefull, allbeit bias tool. I went to 2 doctors/surgeons. Then I went to my doctors surgeon. And I was lucky enough to have THE MAN(some super out of state mri reader) review my MRI at the request of the 3rd guy. Everyone agreed that it's more than 60% torn. Thats why no physical therapy was recommended. In fact each doc made me leave the office in a sling.
It's now 19 months into it. There is some snap crackling. And I have to guard against certain directional movements due to pain. But I don't feel handicaped while riding. This poll is tending to concur with the lab coats. I am going to voir dire the docs about possible negative after effects. I heard you guys say things like "dislocates", and "scar tissue." If they quell my fears, I'll have to agree with my "ask the audience" lifeline....and getr done.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Get it done. In the off season of course.

 

[Total Heckler]

Get it done. Just take it easy on it until you can get the insurance to cover it.

I did the same thing this year with my shoulder. Injured it originally in July last year swimming and dislocated it a number of different times throughout this year and finally got it fixed in on July 17th this year. The surgery would have cost me 22k for a capsule tightening (2 anchors) and re-attaching my labrum. Thank you insurance. Cost me $0 (since I met my deductible for the year after being hit by a car on my bike).

 

[- seb]

I wonder if I've done something like this. Crashed hard on my shoulder 3-4 weeks ago, and it still gives me trouble. It's fine during 99% of riding, only hurts if I have to haul the bike up over a jump/gap that I'm not going fast enough for. What hurts it the most? Taking t-shirts off, every frikkin time, however careful I am. Goddammit!

 

[Total Heckler]

I wonder if I've done something like this. Crashed hard on my shoulder 3-4 weeks ago, and it still gives me trouble. It's fine during 99% of riding, only hurts if I have to haul the bike up over a jump/gap that I'm not going fast enough for. What hurts it the most? Taking t-shirts off, every frikkin time, however careful I am. Goddammit!

Thats the worst. Since I have now messed up both of my shoulders, I am really good at favoring one side when putting on a shirt.

 

[rockofullr]

lol! What could be wrong with making important medical decisions via internet poll?

 

[DH Dad]

Like's been said, every case is different but I'll tell you mine. Tore my right rotator 15 years ago, had an MRI and it was maybe 60% torn. I opted to go the therapy route and started a slew of rotator cuff exercises that got me back to full range of motion in a couple of years but was able to ride fairly soon. After the 2 years, I stopped the excercises and my shoulder went downhill so I immediately started them again and have done them ever since, work them into my twice a week workout at the gym and here at 41 it feels great.

If the therapy helps and you feel you can keep it up (I only do 5 of the 12 excercises now and have for the past 10 years) then you could bag the surgery. One other note, I pile drived my shoulder 8 years ago on a jump and got a 3rd degree separation on that same right shoulder, because of all the muscle I had built up around my shoulder I recovered very quickly from the separation. Basically my right should is a mess but my Ortho never suggested surgery for me.

 

[OB1]

I expected to hear a lota shoulder stories. That helps. Some of you have survived on physical therapy alone. That will be the other question for the docs. They never said PT was an option because of the % of tear. But I'll see what they say now that I've put another 12 months of life on it.

 

[intensified]

if it aint broke dont fix it, rm dudes here aint docs though. you got all winter to do rehab stuff why get surg.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Get it done mate If i were you!
You will find it extremely difficult to maneuver around when you get older if you dont get it sorted now!
Best to get it done when your younger!

Good Luck mate!