# Shoulder Separation



## lo0p (Feb 26, 2011)

It always amazes me when people choose to ask those types of questions here instead of asking their doctor. :icon_scratch:
I mean what could a doctor possibly know about injuries and recovery times? Random people on the intertubes probably know best.

Here's a better question:

Are a few days on the snow worth taking the chance to injure yourself even more seriously?


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## boarderaholic (Aug 13, 2007)

I dislocated my shoulder a few years ago, but not to your extent, and recover was about 6 weeks for me. This included consistent gym time. If it's not too late, I would hold off on your trip. Shoulders are one of the most ridiculously finicky injuries I've ever had to deal with. Take the time to heal it right.


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## lo0p (Feb 26, 2011)

boarderaholic said:


> Take the time to heal it right.


+9000

10 char


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## liner (Jan 8, 2013)

Friend just seperate his shoulder. Doc said a week of r&r. 

Different cases for different people. It's a conversation to have with your doc.

Best advice is to assume you will land on it. If its gunna set back recovery at all, don't go p


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## kaka (Aug 28, 2012)

liner said:


> Friend just seperate his shoulder. Doc said a week of r&r.
> 
> Different cases for different people. It's a conversation to have with your doc.
> 
> Best advice is to assume you will land on it. If its gunna set back recovery at all, don't go p


generally 4-6 weeks to heal. But it won't be 100%, it'll be weak, and need strengthening through physio. take it easy on your local groomer if you have trips planned!

I'm going to the Koots in a week, I certainly won't be a hero between now and then with the current conditions on the east coast (which are actually better than most years). But I'm 29, so maybe it's just my age that makes me think that way.

speedy recovery, i've had that injury about 5 years ago from soccer, made a full recovery, so hopefully no long term problems for you.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

lo0p said:


> It always amazes me when people choose to ask those types of questions here instead of asking their doctor. :icon_scratch:
> I mean what could a doctor possibly know about injuries and recovery times? Random people on the intertubes probably know best.
> 
> Here's a better question:
> ...


Yeah..................I asked the doc and they said 4-6 weeks. I was just wondering what others had experienced with this type of injury and if it would be closer to four weeks, shorter, or maybe longer, especially with the trips that I have scheduled. My experience with docs is that they always give you the worst case scenario and yes, they are not perfect. For example, I hurt my ankle playing ice hockey a few years back and the doc said it would be one-two months before I would be able to skate again. Three weeks after the injury, I was skating perfectly fine.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks for the input everybody. If I decide to go I will definitely be sticking to the groomers, and easy trails at that. It just blows to pay for trips and not be able to go shred. I am still young and tend to heal pretty quickly so I am jut going to follow the ice/heat regiment the doctor told me to use, rest up, and hope for the best.


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## boarderaholic (Aug 13, 2007)

NightRider2613 said:


> Thanks for the input everybody. If I decide to go I will definitely be sticking to the groomers, and easy trails at that. It just blows to pay for trips and not be able to go shred. I am still young and tend to heal pretty quickly so I am jut going to follow the ice/heat regiment the doctor told me to use, rest up, and hope for the best.


Go to a therapist and ask for strengthening exercises as well. Your shoulder WILL fall out of its socket like nobodies business if you don't keep those muscles in good shape. In the long term, it should also help reduce/eliminate most long term pain.


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## Aw3bb (Jan 27, 2013)

PT is a must! Young or old!!! You want to be able to shred 5-10 years from now, right? I had same exact injury 5 yrs ago, 3rd deg sep, followed docs orders, did physio, no issues since. Blew my right knee out twice years before the shoulder injury, scoped 2 times, didn't do all I could/should have done, still have issues with the knee. Case and point. Young and invincible=sore knee. Old and....sum thin...wiser...no that's not it...anyways you get my point=shoulder good to go. Good luck and get well. If you do decide to go, which I probably would (see, definately not wiser!:blink take it easy and fall soft


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

I had the same injury a few years ago while skiing. Doc said 4-6 weeks heal time. Although i went to work the next day(i'm a mechanic) and basically took it easy and use work as my rehab. After two weeks, i went back up and ski'd cuz i cannot take it no more with all those good snow we had. I took it easy though, stayed on groomers and not get stupid. I'm in my 40's so you could heal much quicker since your young. goodluck, and if you do go up, be smart.


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

He posts because people like me who deal with this on a daily basis are around to give him advice and guide him through the process.

WHat kind of doctor did you see? Did you get X rays, did you get an MRI?
A grade 3 (depends on the scale he uses) is a COMPLETE separation meaning you most likely need surgery. It's a COMPLETE tear of the AC ligament and the CC ligament meaning your clavicle (collar bone) is sticking wayyyyy up right now if you have one. This cannot be confirmed by looking at it you need imaging.Now it depends on the classification the doc you saw, but when i throw a grade 3 sep around... it's no joke.

You need an MRI to see if there is any part of those ligaments intact. If there is, well, I wouldnt go on the trip. If there isnt any ligament left, well i still wouldnt go on the trip lol, cause you could fall and hurt something else.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

boarderaholic said:


> Go to a therapist and ask for strengthening exercises as well. Your shoulder WILL fall out of its socket like nobodies business if you don't keep those muscles in good shape. In the long term, it should also help reduce/eliminate most long term pain.


Thanks for the advice! I am totally going to see a therapist for it and do exactly what they tell me to. I'm not screwing around with this. Just ordered body armor and will do whatever strength exercises are necessary to keep the muscles strong. I also heard that deep tissue massage can help as well so I am sure I will be checking that out.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

t21 said:


> I had the same injury a few years ago while skiing. Doc said 4-6 weeks heal time. Although i went to work the next day(i'm a mechanic) and basically took it easy and use work as my rehab. After two weeks, i went back up and ski'd cuz i cannot take it no more with all those good snow we had. I took it easy though, stayed on groomers and not get stupid. I'm in my 40's so you could heal much quicker since your young. goodluck, and if you do go up, be smart.


Thanks!If I go, which knowing myself I will, I will definitely take it easy! Gentle runs and no park, but hey, perhaps I can still be on the snow a couple more times. Works for me!


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

I wouldn't even think about your trip in two weeks. Maybe the one at end of march, even then it's pushing a grade 3 separation.

I just did mine a couple weeks ago. Grade 3 separation and fractured the end of my clavicle. Had surgery yesterday to put in a hook plate to hold every thing in place so the ligaments and bone can heal. Doc said there was no way it would heal right without surgery.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

jml22 said:


> He posts because people like me who deal with this on a daily basis are around to give him advice and guide him through the process.
> 
> WHat kind of doctor did you see? Did you get X rays, did you get an MRI?
> A grade 3 (depends on the scale he uses) is a COMPLETE separation meaning you most likely need surgery. It's a COMPLETE tear of the AC ligament and the CC ligament meaning your clavicle (collar bone) is sticking wayyyyy up right now if you have one. This cannot be confirmed by looking at it you need imaging.Now it depends on the classification the doc you saw, but when i throw a grade 3 sep around... it's no joke.
> ...


This is EXACTLY why I posted! Thanks so much for replying. Anyway, I just went to one of those express clinic places. They took 3 x-rays but no MRI. The doc said she thought it was level 3, but couldn't be sure. I asked her to explain. but she really didn't say much except that I should see an orthro doc. :dunno:

I had a bit of a bump, but it has gone down big time with ice application/anti-inflammatory meds. I injured it on Monday and two days later the pain isn't bad at all. Of course, I have been resting it the whole time.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

Qball said:


> I wouldn't even think about your trip in two weeks. Maybe the one at end of march, even then it's pushing a grade 3 separation.
> 
> I just did mine a couple weeks ago. Grade 3 separation and fractured the end of my clavicle. Had surgery yesterday to put in a hook plate to hold every thing in place so the ligaments and bone can heal. Doc said there was no way it would heal right without surgery.


Wow, sorry to hear that. Hopefully you will heal up quickly. The doc referred me to an orthro doctor and I have an appointment with them early next week. I am hoping they don't think surgery is required because that shit totally freaks me out. If it has to be done, I will get it done though. Just crossing my fingers that it doesn't come to that!


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

So easy with the anti inflammatories dont take too much. Remember inflammation is good in this situation, it allows your body to heal the area.
Since level 3 does not exist on any grading system and any medical professional worth a damn in orthopedics should know them I would have to say goto the ortho.

They should have measured the X-rays to see how far your clavicle is above the acromion, did they do that? If they didnt, call them get a copy of your x ray bring it to the ortho or shit post it online lol. First of all when we're talking a grade 3 sepration it's like BOOM there it is. If it's a small bump it coudl just be a grade one.

If you do not have a significant bump i would say you don't have to be worried about an ortho SCARING you into surgery, but i havne't seen it so i cannot say. It's best to get it checked out by an ortho, i'm just providing re assurance. Also even if it is a grade 3 tear, sometimes surgeries fail and you can rehab out of the pain and be fully functional, the body is amazing eh?
I have a friend who had a grade 4 tear had surgery, it failed and now he has a bolt floating around the area. The only thing you have to be conscious of is Scapular movements and the joint being inflamed or degenerated in the future.

So for your trip, if you're absolutely gonig to go, just cruise, stick to greens and play it safe. I wouldnt reccomend it because since the area is injured already, it's very easy to re-injure it.

Go see an ortho to be sure, just don't jump into surgery because they often fail and a lot of the time you can rehab out of it... Since you'll have to do rehab anyways if you have srugery, might aswell just start with rehab and healing.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

jml22 said:


> So easy with the anti inflammatories dont take too much. Remember inflammation is good in this situation, it allows your body to heal the area.
> Since level 3 does not exist on any grading system and any medical professional worth a damn in orthopedics should know them I would have to say goto the ortho.
> 
> They should have measured the X-rays to see how far your clavicle is above the acromion, did they do that? If they didnt, call them get a copy of your x ray bring it to the ortho or shit post it online lol. First of all when we're talking a grade 3 sepration it's like BOOM there it is. If it's a small bump it coudl just be a grade one.
> ...


Awesome, thanks again so much for all of your help! I will definitely take it easy with the anti-inflammatory meds. They did not measure anything on my x-rays, at least not as far as I know, so I will obtain them to show the ortho next week. I looked at some pictures of shoulder separation bumps, and mine seems to be no where near the point of a grade 3 or 4. I know that is subjective, but the bump really is not that big. I am definitely not going to be pushing for the surgery route as I would much rather try to rehab it, especially with the risk of re-injury in action sports. 

If I do go on my trips, I will absolutely stick to greens and just go cruising around. I bought upper body armor as well that I will be wearing for all future riding, especially since I ride so aggressively. 

Again, thanks for your help!


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

A grade three tear can be very visible. 
I mean shit it might not even be an ac tear. I'm doubting the original doc you saw so see the orth and let them do a proper physical on it lol.
Just ask non surgical options because some orthos can be pushy with surgery when it's really not needed. Always try conservative care first because you'll have to do the same things post op if you need surgery
Let me know how it goes


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## BigmountainVMD (Oct 9, 2011)

NightRider2613 said:


> Awesome, thanks again so much for all of your help! I will definitely take it easy with the anti-inflammatory meds. They did not measure anything on my x-rays, at least not as far as I know, so I will obtain them to show the ortho next week. I looked at some pictures of shoulder separation bumps, and mine seems to be no where near the point of a grade 3 or 4. I know that is subjective, but the bump really is not that big. I am definitely not going to be pushing for the surgery route as I would much rather try to rehab it, especially with the risk of re-injury in action sports.
> 
> If I do go on my trips, I will absolutely stick to greens and just go cruising around. I bought upper body armor as well that I will be wearing for all future riding, especially since I ride so aggressively.
> 
> Again, thanks for your help!


In addition to body armor, you should get some good tape and tape the crap out of it for support. The armor will help with impacts, but the random arm swing/pull will not be saved by armor, but tape will help.


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

jml22 said:


> A grade three tear can be very visible.
> I mean shit it might not even be an ac tear. I'm doubting the original doc you saw so see the orth and let them do a proper physical on it lol.
> Just ask non surgical options because some orthos can be pushy with surgery when it's really not needed. Always try conservative care first because you'll have to do the same things post op if you need surgery
> Let me know how it goes


Awesome, will do. I will keep you posted and let you know what the ortho doc says next week. I have my fingers crossed!


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## NightRider2613 (Feb 28, 2012)

BigmountainVMD said:


> In addition to body armor, you should get some good tape and tape the crap out of it for support. The armor will help with impacts, but the random arm swing/pull will not be saved by armor, but tape will help.


Awesome idea, I will do that as well. Found a decent YouTube video on taping a shoulder for football. Should work for riding just as well. Thanks again!


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