My shoulders rock the 1970s… Chronic Disco Shoulder
My day was going great, just got my class together, all decent riders for 12 year olds, and off we went. “Hey kids , lay your toeside turns out and drag your hands, surf style” I said. As I made (what I thought) was a particularly good example, I laid my hand down to hand drag and POP! My right shoulder dislocated.
Not a big deal if it’s the first time. Only problem is that was oh… I’d say the 5th time for the right (this was only at March in the season too) shoulder dislocating, while the left was keeping steady pace with a modest 3 dislocations.
As the season went on my shoulders kept popping due to a multitude of different situations. Rope toe while talking to a kid- pop!, Cartwheeling in pow - POP! , Knuckling a jump (POP!) (after which I boucned into the landing , tearing all the tendons on my Sternal Clavicle (this hurt)).
Anyway, case and point , besides simple rubber band excercises, free weight over head lifts and pushups, anyone got any good shouler excercises? I refuse to get surgery but I can barely swim so far this summer… although it hasn’t effected skateboarding (yet..) , I’m not stoked on this chronic injury.
wow, why is your shoulder dislocating so easily?
Rope tow shoulder pop? man, something’s wrong. you’re not eating your wheaties, or some other vitamins…
That sounds crazy.
A rope tow should never dislocate your shoulder.
I cant mention any exercises I’m not a physio-therapist of any sort… but I was talking with a family member that is a physician today (a second cousin-in-law, if there is such a thing) and my wife mentioned a shoulder (possibly rotator cuff) injury she had. He agreed that with shoulders, “working it out” doesnt usually work, like it does for a lot of other injuries… but immobility and not using it - letting it rest, is often the better treatment.
I’d focus also on keeping a good diet, allowing your body access to the resources it needs to heal itself. Also, if you smoke, I’d quit, seriously…
Smoking is so entirely bad for you, your whole body, not just your lungs. It can deprive your body from it’s ability to heal and minimize calcium uptake to you bones, contributing to Osteoarthritis.
Drink some milk too while you’re at it.
Edit:
The next topic I click on after reading this is posted by Becky, a physiotherapist…
hopefully she will chime in on this topic. Send her a PM, or something.
My shoulders blow out due to a history of injuries. When I was 13 I was jibbing a pic nic table and took it in the shoulder realll hard, never healed it properly.
In terms of my health, I don’t smoke cigarettes and eat fairly healthy. I take vitamins and have trained in boxing/kickboxing/karate for my entire life. By all means my shoulders should be muchhhh stronger.
oh and to anyone replying to this with advice - i realise how dumb this sounds but I refuse to tape/brace my shoulder when riding. I’ve used shoulder braces in the past and they ruin riding, you can barely counter rotate to huck a spin..
I hate to say it man, but surgery is probably your best option. I’m sure Becky will pop (excuse the pun (sorry couldn’t help myself)) in here soon to give you good advice. From my understanding of chroninc injuries like this, you are best to bite the bullet, have surgery, take 9 months off, and come back a new man.
Shoulders..my favourite!
Firstly, here’s a basic outline of shoulder anatomy for anyone interested.
The glenohumeral (the shoulder) joint is comprised of the ‘ball’ at the upper end of the arm (the humerus). This articulates with the ‘socket’ of the scapula (the shoulder blade) Ligaments support the shoulder joint as well as the rotator cuff muscles. This group of four muscles attach to various parts of the shoulder blade and to the upper arm.
Shredlife, I need a couple more details to differentiate whether you are a recurrent dislocator or if you are subluxing your shoulder.
A disloaction is when the ‘ball’ of your shoulder completely pops out of the ‘socket’. It usually requires somone to re-locate the shoulder to place it back in the ‘socket’. At the time of dislocation, pain is very intense and movement is very limited. Rehabilitation is around 3 months. Is this the case with you?
A subluxation, on the other hand, does not pop out of the entire socket. It ususally feels as if the shoulder has slipped out of place, then slips/pops back in on it’s own immediately. Is this sounding more like you?
To make things more confusing, do you know which direction it pops out? The front? Back? Or both?
Either way, your shoulder is unstable! And the more oftern you ‘pop out’ the easier it becomes for your joint to dislocate.
Treatment options are obviously conservative or surgical. I would ususally recommend conservative treatment for most dislocations or subluxations. Treatment is aimed at strenthening the rotator cuff muscles (as they reinforce the joint- ie support the ‘unstable’ joint) Strengthening these muscles is the best method of prevention. This is done with theraband (and can be progressed to free weights). Sounds as though you are already doing these. If you need a detailed description of specific theraband exercises, let me know. You can also do exercies to strengthen your ‘scapula stabilisers’ (muscles called lower traps, and serratus anterior). If you are doing push ups, you are strengthening these muscle already.
I would not rule surgery out, based on the number of times you have dislocated/subluxed your shoulder. If you continue to experience symptoms of instability or dislocations, see an orthopaedic surgeon. It may be the last resort to stabilize your shoulder, especially if your have damaged other soft tissue (tendons/ligaments) or the cartilage that surrounds the joint as well. Return to sport post surgery is usually around the 6 month mark.
Last few questions. After your injure your shoulder, do you continue snowboarding with your injury? Or do you take time out until your shoudler is completely rehabilitated? Have you modified your activity where possible?
shred, i did my left shoulder in japan in a similar way, a subluxation. i was doing those two handed wheelie’s down a run and fell/twisted to the left and POP…didnt really know what happened until i came home to oz unable to lift my arm even to shoulder height. i had xray, then ultrasound and finally an MRI to understand what damage had been done. went to see a surgeon who recommended an op, then went to a really great sports physio who after 2 visits returned my shoulder to 95-100% movement. after a few months of taking it very easy at work and doing basic strengthening exercises (admittedly not a frequent as i should have been doing) it seemed very normal and have not had any issues since, although it does get sore from time to time if i sleep on it in certain ways.
Shoulders are the worst.. Becky I love the detail.. I can join this club.. Right 3 times.. Left 2.. or that could be 4.. and 3.. I really have no idea any more..
I’m hoping that Yoga and surfing is going to fix this for me.. Injury free season..
Hearing about all these injuries, makes me thankful that I’ve only ad one shoulder injury, and it was minor.
I had what was described as first degree AC separation.
AC = Acromiom-clavicluar joint
The acromiom process is a part of the scapula that meets with the clavicle, and in part forms the socket, described above.
The clavicle should not move from the scapula where they meet together (sort of on top of your shoulder, maybe a little to the front).
The extent that they separate from one another is the way it is graded, and a first degree is the most simple.
I have a bit of a bump there now from scar tissue or something as it healed.
Never has to wear a cast, or a sling, just rested it.
Becky, thanks alot for your advice.
My left shoulder was blown out at a young age and I did no rehab on it. By blown out I mean i couldnt lift my arm past my shoulder height for almost 3 months. This was at age 13.
My right shoulder was injured severely last season snowboarding when I ‘hung up’ on a landing (the knuckle of the landing caught me right between chest and shoulder ,causing the right shoulder to ‘shoot forward’ out of its socket, I reset it by slamming my fist into the ground while laying on my back.
The left shoulder was reinjured very similar to the first injury on the right. Last year in a mini ramp I slid out, causing the bicep to become paraellel with the chest/body, popping the left shoulder forward. again, like the right, it was reset by slamming my fist into the ground.
—————- untill this point I had let all of these injuries rest for at least 3 weeks before attempting any tough/strenuous movements,and a sling was applied.
———- after this point I adopted the “fuck it” attitude.
Throughout this season I blew the shoulders forward, compleatly out of their sockets, solved by lying flat on my back and slamming my arm into the ground (except this summer when my left one went trying to climb out of alpha lake onto a dock. This required me to set it myself floating int he water.. this was not a fun experience).
Each time this has happend rrecently I’ve gone right back to skateboarding and snowboarding.
I have begun elastic band excercises as you mentioned, and any further advice you would have ywould be appreciated.
thanks
Hearing about all these injuries, makes me thankful that I’ve only ad one shoulder injury, and it was minor.
I had what was described as first degree AC separation.
AC = Acromiom-clavicluar joint
The acromiom process is a part of the scapula that meets with the clavicle, and in part forms the socket, described above.
The clavicle should not move from the scapula where they meet together (sort of on top of your shoulder, maybe a little to the front).
The extent that they separate from one another is the way it is graded, and a first degree is the most simple.
I have a bit of a bump there now from scar tissue or something as it healed.
Never has to wear a cast, or a sling, just rested it.
I separated both my AC joints snowboarding, six months apart. Not fun! The first one was very painful for six weeks, missed many epic pow days. The second time was a grade two, but not as painful as the first time (which is weird because the first time was a grade one).
Becky, thanks alot for your advice.
My left shoulder was blown out at a young age and I did no rehab on it. By blown out I mean i couldnt lift my arm past my shoulder height for almost 3 months. This was at age 13.
My right shoulder was injured severely last season snowboarding when I ‘hung up’ on a landing (the knuckle of the landing caught me right between chest and shoulder ,causing the right shoulder to ‘shoot forward’ out of its socket, I reset it by slamming my fist into the ground while laying on my back.
The left shoulder was reinjured very similar to the first injury on the right. Last year in a mini ramp I slid out, causing the bicep to become paraellel with the chest/body, popping the left shoulder forward. again, like the right, it was reset by slamming my fist into the ground.
—————- untill this point I had let all of these injuries rest for at least 3 weeks before attempting any tough/strenuous movements,and a sling was applied.
———- after this point I adopted the “fuck it” attitude.
Throughout this season I blew the shoulders forward, compleatly out of their sockets, solved by lying flat on my back and slamming my arm into the ground (except this summer when my left one went trying to climb out of alpha lake onto a dock. This required me to set it myself floating int he water.. this was not a fun experience).
Each time this has happend rrecently I’ve gone right back to skateboarding and snowboarding.
I have begun elastic band excercises as you mentioned, and any further advice you would have ywould be appreciated.
thanks
No problems.
I can now diagnose your condition as a ’ recurring anterior dislocation’.
You need to REST your shoulder initially after you dislocate it. It takes time for the inflammation around your shoulder to subside. Given your situation, I would strongly advise against going straight back into skateboarding and snowboarding!
It may also be useful to you to be mindful of the position in which your ‘at risk’ of dislocating your shoudler. That is, when your arm is abducted, externally rotated and sometimes extended (your arm is out to the side, slightly backwards, and your shoudler is rotated outwards- the position your arm would be in if you were throwing an overhand ball)
From here?...
Take your rehabilitation seriously! Make a commitment to do theraband exercises as often as you can manage. Start with an easy resistance (yellow, red) and as you get stronger increase the restistance (green, blue, black) You can tie the theraband to a door knob. I would first start by pulling the band towards your body (with your arm directly out to the side) and internally rotating your shoudler (arm at 90 degrees to the side of your body and pulling the band inwards) Does this make sense? Let me know how you go with these two for a start and next week I’ll describe how you can progress them.
Even if you have made a decision not to get sugery, may be advisable at some time to get an MRI to see the extent of the damage. It common with anterior dislocations to sustain a ‘Bankart Lesion’. This is when the cartilage rim (the labrum) that surrounds the shoulder joint tears, as the shoulder pops out of the joint. This is another reason for shoulder instability.
Pretty sure bankhart lesion is what i did, have to dig out my surgeons report again.
I’ve had 20+ subluxations of my left shoulder, resulting in a bit of damage. I opted for surgery. I was leaning towards it anyway, but this pretty much sold me on it, a quote from my surgeon:
“If you keep doing what you’re doing, I can almost guarantee you’ll have arthritis by 30” (I was 24)
Surgery was much better than I expected it to be. Because I’d done so much damage it was an open surgery (versus arthro). I had it done in the last days of Feb and was riding (cautiously) in mid-August. Managed to get about 15 days in, not bad really.
I always said I’d sacrifice a bit of mobility for stability, and I agree with that now. I still do my theraband exercises 1-3 times a week and it feels pretty good. I’ve ‘tested’ it in a few situations and it seems to have held well.
A few years ago my right subluxated while playing tennis, I suppose that’s next on the agenda…
^^ I wondered how long it would be before you showed up Andy….How did the MRI go on your hand?
Each time I see an update in this topic, I keep thinking “glad that’s not me”
...Sorry guys.
I’m fortunate to basically have been injury free with so much that I have done, maybe I’ve just not rode hard enough?
Each time I see an update in this topic, I keep thinking “glad that’s not me”
...Sorry guys.I’m fortunate to basically have been injury free with so much that I have done, maybe I’ve just not rode hard enough?
Nah it just comes down to luck