# Separated my shoulder :(



## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

obain94 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I separated my shoulder 3 days before Xmas of 2016 (so just over a month ago now) whilst snowboarding up at Grouse. They said it was between a Grade 3 and grade 4 separation. I had surgery on Xmas day and had a hook plate put in. So I wanted to ask others who have had a similar injury what they did in regards to returning to riding. I just want to get back to the slopes ASAP!


What did your doctor say?
Are you having full range of motion?
I mean you want it to heal good before you hurt it again.


----------



## obain94 (Jan 24, 2017)

Doctor advised against riding again until the end of march. My range of motion is okay but I can't raise my hand above my head yet. I'm starting physio in about a month. But i feel like I could ride with it like it is but just being extra careful not to fall.


----------



## obain94 (Jan 24, 2017)

I'm confident on a board and can make it through most of the day without falling at all (and that was before I did my shoulder)


----------



## dfitz364 (Jan 10, 2014)

I have a completely torn labrum in my left shoulder and hairline fractured my humerus bone (where bicep and tricep are, broke in the shoulder socket) straight down in my right shoulder. Take my advice with a grain of salt as neither have ever been worked on (Just don't want to pay for the procedure), but I have both shoulder sublex and sometimes come completely out of socket. I have done intense rehab during my track career in college so I could run. Long story short, I have been through the wringer on shoulder injuries. 

Being on the other side of your question (not waiting to get things fixed), it creates a ton of pain on a semi-regular basis. At least once a month one or both of my shoulders will pop out of place. I've actually gotten quite good at putting it back in myself. Always is a very painful time. Funny thing about shoulders is, you never realize how badly they hurt to hurt. You use these damn things in ever facet of just living, sleeping, and just overall life. If I had a second chance on my injuries, I would have gotten the surgery earlier and listened very carefully to my doctor about his opinion on what I can and can't do. Some injuries you can gut it though, but the glory of the shoulder is it is held together by various ligaments. When those ligaments get stretched, i.e. when a shoulder pops out, seperates, etc., it becomes sooooo much easier for it to continually happen (my case). If you don't continue to work it and get range of motion during rehab time, you won't gain it back. Again, trust me.

Really, long story short, I would wait and listen to your doctor. It sounds like a pretty serious injury, and even nascar drivers wreck driving down a road. It only takes once to have somebody cut you off, or hit an unexpected patch of ice, or any of the mass amount of things that can take down a rider. I would error on the side of caution, but that is speaking from someone who didn't. In retrospect, wish I would have!

:2cents:


----------



## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

I've had a similar injury from snowboarding. I was still a beginner and some buddies took me down a blue at Whitefish before I was ready. God that was like 22 years ago, fuck I'm old. :frown:

I caught an edge, flipped right over and pop. Doc popped it back in at hospital. It wasn't as bad as yours, I didn't need surgery, but I was in a sling for a month or 2 and had to a bunch of physio. It took me awhile to fully recover from that, like a year or 2. I wasn't rehabbing it religiously or anything though. It still acts up to this day now and then.

My $0.02 is follow physio instructions exactly, tell them you are an athlete and you want to rehab as quickly as possible. I think sometimes they do physio plans for 80 year ladies and think that's good enough for everyone.

Also you could do what the pros do and higher a personal trainer to help you rehab. Don't just get a juicer at the local Gold's Gym to train you. Find a trainer that specializes in rehabbing athletes, it will cost you some cash but it could shave a month or 2 off your rehab.

Also focus on your diet and supplements. You can eat quality foods that will speed your recovery. Talk to a sports nutritionist, but basically you should eat good foods and avoid McD's and Pizza Hut etc. Fish oil is supposed to help with inflammation so you could try that. Pretty basic but we all have trouble eating well.


----------



## obain94 (Jan 24, 2017)

dfitz364 said:


> I have a completely torn labrum in my left shoulder and hairline fractured my humerus bone (where bicep and tricep are, broke in the shoulder socket) straight down in my right shoulder. Take my advice with a grain of salt as neither have ever been worked on (Just don't want to pay for the procedure), but I have both shoulder sublex and sometimes come completely out of socket. I have done intense rehab during my track career in college so I could run. Long story short, I have been through the wringer on shoulder injuries.
> 
> Being on the other side of your question (not waiting to get things fixed), it creates a ton of pain on a semi-regular basis. At least once a month one or both of my shoulders will pop out of place. I've actually gotten quite good at putting it back in myself. Always is a very painful time. Funny thing about shoulders is, you never realize how badly they hurt to hurt. You use these damn things in ever facet of just living, sleeping, and just overall life. If I had a second chance on my injuries, I would have gotten the surgery earlier and listened very carefully to my doctor about his opinion on what I can and can't do. Some injuries you can gut it though, but the glory of the shoulder is it is held together by various ligaments. When those ligaments get stretched, i.e. when a shoulder pops out, seperates, etc., it becomes sooooo much easier for it to continually happen (my case). If you don't continue to work it and get range of motion during rehab time, you won't gain it back. Again, trust me.
> 
> ...


Wow! all that sounds really shitty  surgeon said it would be about 4 months for a 100% recovery (back to normal) Problem is, I'm from Australia and I came over here to snowboard and i'm absolutely gutted that this has happened, and I just wanna get back to riding, even if it is more uncomfortable


----------



## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

obain94 said:


> Wow! all that sounds really shitty  surgeon said it would be about 4 months for a 100% recovery (back to normal) Problem is, I'm from Australia and I came over here to snowboard and i'm absolutely gutted that this has happened, and I just wanna get back to riding, even if it is more uncomfortable


You could always duct tape your bad arm to your body. Haha Not the most fun of solutions but it would probably hold you together on greens and blues. If you fall wrong, you could be fucked up for alot longer. If you go out too early, you will feel every little bump in your shoulder. Just take it easy if you do go out, live to ride another day.


----------



## obain94 (Jan 24, 2017)

WasabiCanuck said:


> You could always duct tape your bad arm to your body. Haha Not the most fun of solutions but it would probably hold you together on greens and blues. If you fall wrong, you could be fucked up for alot longer. If you go out too early, you will feel every little bump in your shoulder. Just take it easy if you do go out, live to ride another day.


haha yeah I might try that, but yeah i'll see what my physio says and what my movement is like towards end of feb. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

Grade 3 separation for me, no surgery. If you are youngish than i would highly recommend PROLO therapy. I used it almost right away and wasn't sure if it worked until i fell on it again about a year later. I didn't re do it but the area was hurting for a couple of months. 2 prolo sessions and bam, back to normal. Still gives me some pain everynow and then but nothing special and i still have a step defect, but that won't go away unless i get surgery.


----------



## obain94 (Jan 24, 2017)

Justin said:


> Grade 3 separation for me, no surgery. If you are youngish than i would highly recommend PROLO therapy. I used it almost right away and wasn't sure if it worked until i fell on it again about a year later. I didn't re do it but the area was hurting for a couple of months. 2 prolo sessions and bam, back to normal. Still gives me some pain everynow and then but nothing special and i still have a step defect, but that won't go away unless i get surgery.


okay yeah i'll check that out. How long did you wait before returning to riding?


----------



## rcboxer (Nov 23, 2013)

My cousin separated is shoulder mountain biking grade 5 maybe 5 months ago. He had surgery and is snow boarding but taking it easy. Dr. told him he could snowboard though. I'd probably listen to your Dr.
My cousin tripped walking landed kinda hard but caught himself with his hands. And his shoulder he says hasn't been the same since. So you gotta let it heal unless you don't mind damaging it more.


----------



## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

I dunno, but in the movies they just pop it back in and pick up the machine gun and start blasting away.


----------



## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

obain94 said:


> okay yeah i'll check that out. How long did you wait before returning to riding?


8 weeks, but i wasn't ridding hard for a while after that.


----------



## DoubleA (Apr 30, 2014)

obain94 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I separated my shoulder 3 days before Xmas of 2016 (so just over a month ago now) whilst snowboarding up at Grouse. They said it was between a Grade 3 and grade 4 separation. I had surgery on Xmas day and had a hook plate put in. So I wanted to ask others who have had a similar injury what they did in regards to returning to riding. I just want to get back to the slopes ASAP!


Welcome to the club dude!
Post up your X-ray so we can see how gnarly it was.

Speedy recovery and full ROM man!


----------



## muzzyahoy (Nov 19, 2016)

I separated mine in '97 on my very first day of snowboarding. Was trying to get my wallet sorted properly in my pocket and caught my toe edge with my hand in my pocket. No hope of a safe fall!!
20 years later, many tweaks, work related strains to it and years riding, my two cents is do the rehab. 
You will catch yourself losing balance and drag a hand or clip a tree, or lose an edge through chunder, its a general part of riding. Any tweak you do to it just helps create scar tissue and calcification, which, when you get to your late 30's like me, you'll wish you had've taken the time. 
Not to mention, if it gives you any grief going forward, you'll compensate by over using your other arm. I now have just as much grief with my "good" arm, after having labour intensive jobs through my 20's, as my "bad" one.
Wish I had've listened to my doc's and just taken the time to rehab properly. The mountains aren't going anywhere, as much as that isn't what you want to hear right now.
Enjoy your trip. I came to Canada for a winter 16 years ago, and never went back to OZ... Doors close so other ones can open!!


----------



## obain94 (Jan 24, 2017)

DoubleA said:


> Welcome to the club dude!
> Post up your X-ray so we can see how gnarly it was.
> 
> Speedy recovery and full ROM man!


haha cheers bro, unfortunately I haven't been able to get my hands on the xray yet but i'll ask the doc next time I see him. Is that xray you posted yours? looks so gnarly


----------



## obain94 (Jan 24, 2017)

muzzyahoy said:


> I separated mine in '97 on my very first day of snowboarding. Was trying to get my wallet sorted properly in my pocket and caught my toe edge with my hand in my pocket. No hope of a safe fall!!
> 20 years later, many tweaks, work related strains to it and years riding, my two cents is do the rehab.
> You will catch yourself losing balance and drag a hand or clip a tree, or lose an edge through chunder, its a general part of riding. Any tweak you do to it just helps create scar tissue and calcification, which, when you get to your late 30's like me, you'll wish you had've taken the time.
> Not to mention, if it gives you any grief going forward, you'll compensate by over using your other arm. I now have just as much grief with my "good" arm, after having labour intensive jobs through my 20's, as my "bad" one.
> ...


thanks for the good advice mate, i'll have a chat with my physio and see what he recommends with rehab and do my best to follow that


----------



## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

A lot of you are talking about dislocated shoulders. That's not what this guy has - he can't just pop it back in. A separated shoulder is completely different and involves the interaction between the clavicle and the shoulder rather than the humerus and the shoulder. 

OP: my left shoulder is permanently messed up from some hockey shit as a kid. I had a separation but it wasn't a hardcore one like yours. Even still, my left shoulder is permanently higher (and lower at the same time lol. I'm sure you know how that goes...). The separation tilted me ever so slightly to the right to compensate for the difference in actual shoulder height, and now, 15 years later, I'm having to deal with the side effects of that. 

The problem with the shoulders is that they're a crucial joint and pretty centrally located, so if you mess it up or exercise with it only partially healed, another part of your body will adjust to compensate. For me, it was my rotator cuffs and my hips, both of which now have problems due to that imbalance. My back will probably have issues later because of the adjustment.

What I'd say is that when it comes to shoulders, if you can't be symmetrical while you're exercising, don't do it. Also, if you had a fake shoulder put in, let that shit heal. Separations are no joke.


----------



## muzzyahoy (Nov 19, 2016)

dave785 said:


> A lot of you are talking about dislocated shoulders. That's not what this guy has - he can't just pop it back in. A separated shoulder is completely different and involves the interaction between the clavicle and the shoulder rather than the humerus and the shoulder.
> 
> OP: my left shoulder is permanently messed up from some hockey shit as a kid. I had a separation but it wasn't a hardcore one like yours. Even still, my left shoulder is permanently higher (and lower at the same time lol. I'm sure you know how that goes...). The separation tilted me ever so slightly to the right to compensate for the difference in actual shoulder height, and now, 15 years later, I'm having to deal with the side effects of that.
> 
> ...




Very true. My initial injury was a Grade 3 tear of my AC Joint (where your collar bone attaches to your shoulder). It is one single ligament. I was 18 and my doctor, who is a major Australian Rules Football team doctor, told me that at my age it would heal with proper physio. 
Being the little douche I was, I did the minimum physio, got back into high contact sports, competitive swimming and snowboarding, and ever since it has given me nothing but grief.
Everytime I catch an edge at high speed, drag a hand on a sketched out landing or tweak it at work (oilfield related stuff = heavy shit), I think back and wish i'd have done things the right way.
3 months on missing out on doing something you think you can't live without is worth it compared to 20+ years of shitty sleeps, pins and needles and not even being able to throw a ball without looking like a toddler!!


----------



## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

Fuck me that's some gnarly shoulder shit you guys got going on. I nearly lost my breakfast reading @dfitz364's post... I twanged my rotor cuff and cried like a baby.


----------



## dfitz364 (Jan 10, 2014)

Snow Hound said:


> Fuck me that's some gnarly shoulder shit you guys got going on. I nearly lost my breakfast reading @dfitz364's post... I twanged my rotor cuff and cried like a baby.


Funny enough is I have gotten to the point where it pisses me off more than it causes pain. Was riding at Killington last year and was jibbing in the stash. Came off a box early and toe heavy so it was either put my hands down to catch myself, or faceplant straight to the box. Put my hands down, and out went my shoulder. Rode down to the bottom of the stash and stopped, put my mitten in my mouth, and popped it back into socket. Didn't miss a run, but good god did it hurt. I made sure to get as much beer in me afterwards as possible :embarrased1:

Also, agreed with what Dave said up there earlier about separations and dislocations and what not being different. I meerly posted my story because the moral of it stands true. If you don't listen and do the PT and take it easy now, it will cause a ton of pain later in life. Living through that currently :wink:


----------



## Trabi75 (Dec 12, 2014)

Grade 3 for me last March. I'm fine now but it does buff me a little now and then. By 6 months later I could do most things in the gym with fairly decent weight but not bench press or dips. Though those 2 exercises are finally getting much better. I snowboarded 2 weeks after but felt every bump. Was boarding fine by 6 weeks Didn't but then in June I started getting tons of back and chest pain. Finally I went back and did more pt to no avail til the pt said it seemed like rib pain. Turns out I had a rib out the whole time. After a few chiropractic visits its been much better but my shoulder so pops (with zero pain) I have noticed strength coming back after that rib fiasco








Here was mine. Not near as bad as that other dudes. 40 years old when it happened. 

If you had surgery I would definitely follow Dr's advice and be vigilant with pt,you don't want lifelong problems due to rushing it for 1 season. You're so young and week heal fast but I rushed a soccer injury to my ankle when I was 16 and it was never the same. I'm convinced it was because I played too early on it.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk


----------

