# Shoulder Dislocation Recovery Time



## phillyphan (Sep 22, 2016)

She'll be good to go. A month will allow for those ligaments to tighten back up and recover. He probably just said it so she is careful. I'm surprised she is still in a sling. I've never heard of being in one for a dislocated should that long.


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## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

phillyphan said:


> She'll be good to go. A month will allow for those ligaments to tighten back up and recover. He probably just said it so she is careful. I'm surprised she is still in a sling. I've never heard of being in one for a dislocated should that long.


I love my girlfriend a lot but she has the pain tolerance of a small child and I have a hunch that that's why the doc told her to stay in the sling.


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

I was back riding 10 days after my dislocation, physio (cautiously) approved. A month recovery and some body armor with shoulder support and she should be good to go.


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## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

I've dislocated my right shoulder one time (kayaking age 23) and my left shoulder three times in 24 months (tele, tubing behind boat, tele age 38). All of my dislocations reduced themselves and I never had to go to the ER. The tubing dislocation chipped the actual socket as well. 

The first time I did my left shoulder was on Monday at Alpine Meadows. I took Tues-Thurs off and skied Squaw Friday and Saturday in 12" of great pow. 

My opinion is that she will be just fine to go (I would go and ride), but there is no question that she will be more at risk of another dislocation. As a beginner she would have to decide if it is worth the risk given that she presumably falls a fair amount. A dislocation requires a remarkably small amount of pressure if it is applied in the right direction.


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## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

Kenai said:


> My opinion is that she will be just fine to go (I would go and ride), but there is no question that she will be more at risk of another dislocation. As a beginner she would have to decide if it is worth the risk given that she presumably falls a fair amount. A dislocation requires a remarkably small amount of pressure if it is applied in the right direction.


My GF is actually a pretty decent snowboarder and can handle (real) black diamonds w/o just heel side sliding down them.. but she does have a real talent for finding ways to injure herself at low speeds. Her last injury before this was when another girl bumped into her and knocked her over while my gf was strapping in standing next to the benches at the top of the lift, and my gf started falling backwards and caught herself with perfectly straightened arms... her elbow tips knocked together and she suffered an elbow fracture. It was another one of those "one in a million" injuries.

But put her on a double black diamond and she'll bomb it lol.


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## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

dave785 said:


> My GF is actually a pretty decent snowboarder and can handle (real) black diamonds w/o just heel side sliding down them.. but she does have a real talent for finding ways to injure herself at low speeds. Her last injury before this was when another girl bumped into her and knocked her over while my gf was strapping in standing next to the benches at the top of the lift, and my gf started falling backwards and caught herself with perfectly straightened arms... her elbow tips knocked together and she suffered an elbow fracture. It was another one of those "one in a million" injuries.
> 
> But put her on a double black diamond and she'll bomb it lol.


Then I think you have your answer...go! If she is going to hurt herself anyway you can't prevent it. If she is good enough to handle the riding part then a weakened wing won't stop her from riding.


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## rpadc (Mar 10, 2014)

Mind if I post-jack a bit?

Just beginning my 4th season and I finally have my first serious injury. Dislocated my shoulder yesterday for the first time ever. Had to go to ER to get it popped back in. They sedated me for that, but leading up to it I was in the worst pain of my life, and I've had other gnarly sports injuries, surgeries and medical procedures that were plenty painful. I was hollering and blubbering pitifully. My shit was looking deformed like Quasimoto.

Part of my blubbering was because I booked a trip to Mt. Bachelor Feb 10-15. And I'm self-employed doing work that mostly requires functioning limbs. And I'm 41 without the mutant healing ability of young folk. And I got the most basic Obamacare possible which means a high deductible and ERs ain't cheap. And I was pushing myself unnecessarily in the wrong conditions on the wrong board because I was too stoked about my trip. Should have just made it a mellow cruise day, especially because I have a big job tomorrow and I'm Gimpy McCrippled.

Anyway, someone in this thread mentioned a body armor option to protect a compromised shoulder from further injury. Any specifics on that in case my Bachelor trip can be salvaged?


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## joshcowin (Apr 13, 2016)

she should be okay mate just make sure she takes her time with it all. It might be worth getting her some kinseology tape to go over the shoulder aswell (i know its not a muscle tear but it will help movement)


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## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

rpadc said:


> Mind if I post-jack a bit?
> 
> Just beginning my 4th seasons and I finally have my first serious injury. Dislocated my shoulder yesterday for the first time ever. Had to go to ER to get it popped back in. They sedated me for that, but leading up to it I was in the worst pain of my life, and I've had other gnarly sports injuries, surgeries and medical procedures that were plenty painful. I was hollering and blubbering pitifully. My shit was looking deformed like Quasimoto.
> 
> ...


There is a lot of suck in that post. The one slightly good thing as the doc probably told you is that older people (over 23) are less likely to have recurring dislocations and need surgery. I did do mine three times in pretty short order, but it healed up pretty strong in between every time so the doctor never wanted to operate.

How did it actually happen? I'm not sure body armor is the answer to dislocations.


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## rpadc (Mar 10, 2014)

Kenai said:


> How did it actually happen? I'm not sure body armor is the answer to dislocations.


Mid-Atlantic weather is ass juice now, so was eager to get some turns in before two weeks of warm rain destroys everything. Arrived to a slushy but soft hill, head full of stoke based on reports of Mt. Bachelor getting dumped on and I'd just booked the trip. Warmed up with couple of blue runs. Headed to blacks to hit those a couple times before they hardened. Plan was to return to cruising on mellow runs. On the lift up my fourth run, chair partner warns me to be careful because it's Friday the 13th, but I'm not superstitious.

My progression goals this season were ollies and switch. I start hitting some ollies on the rollers on a black run. I was on my rock board because cover was thin. It's a really stiff camber plank, but I got too stoked when I landed a few sweet ones in a row. Caught some air and somehow caught my nose in the slush on the landing. Tomahawked. Left shoulder impacted and my arm bent way behind me while my body went in opposite direction, like separating the drummette from the flat of a chicken wing. Pain so bad I almost puked and blacked out. Laid on the side of the run until I could stand. Eased my way down to the lift and asked for ski patrol help the rest of the way. Once they got me in the first aid area and cut off my shirt, I was advised to go to the ER in an ambulance. I had to agree with the assessment.

More detail than you probably asked for. As for body armor, are there any shoulder options that help keep the joint in place on impact, like wrist and knee braces?



Phedder said:


> I was back riding 10 days after my dislocation, physio (cautiously) approved. A month recovery and some body armor with shoulder support and she should be good to go.


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## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

Right. Ouch. So as you observed it's not really the kind of thing padding helps. When it first happened to me I did some research on braces that would prevent the arm from moving in that motion and unfortunately they don't really exist.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

rpadc said:


> As for body armor, are there any shoulder options that help keep the joint in place on impact, like wrist and knee braces?


The wrist and knee brace effectiveness lies mostly in guarding against lateral movements and, to some small degree, in restriction of full flexion and extension. But there's no such thing with a shoulder joint. Unless you're prepared to severely restrict your arm's range of motion you can't really stabilize your shoulder. You might tape it to give it some marginal degree of stabilization but if you fall on your arm or overextend it in some way no armor or tape would really help. 

The instability is with the internal structure right now but the armor only protects against blunt force impact to the area (which is already well protected by thick layer of muscles). Basically, unless you completely affix your upper arm to your torso you're going to be risking reinjury.


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## rpadc (Mar 10, 2014)

Noreaster said:


> The instability is with the internal structure right now but the armor only protects against blunt force impact to the area (which is already well protected by thick layer of muscles). Basically, unless you completely affix your upper arm to your torso you're going to be risking reinjury.


So as soon as I can move this busted wing around and get over the healing hump, I need to get on a gym program to build strength. Got it.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

rpadc said:


> So as soon as I can move this busted wing around and get over the healing hump, I need to get on a gym program to build strength. Got it.


Hmm. I'd go to a physical therapist. Or at least do a good research online and look up some videos of specific exercises recommended after this particular injury if your bare bones insurance doesn't cover physical therapy. In my (unfortunately) extensive experience with PT their exercises are quite different in scope, intensity and goals from your normal gym routine.


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## amdopt (Jan 10, 2017)

I have had a dislocation in each shoulder in the past. Not from snowboarding but that makes no difference. Each dislocation had different levels of severity and took different amounts of time to heal. One felt fine in 2 weeks the other took 5. I wasn't in a sling for an extended period of time for either but definitely didn't feel good for quite some time. 

No one should be suggesting that she should be "good to go" after X amount of time and, of course the doctor is going to give a conservative opinion. My point is that you should be basing any decision on how she feels. If she feels good then get out there! You certainly don't want her out there being tentative and lacking confidence though. Good luck!


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## Varza (Jan 6, 2013)

rpadc said:


> More detail than you probably asked for. As for body armor, are there any shoulder options that help keep the joint in place on impact, like wrist and knee braces?


This is the closest I'm aware of: X D3O Shoulder Brace

Still seems more designed for impact protection.


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