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Hi,
I came off my bike at llandegla last weekend. This has resulted in, among other things, a grade 3 seperated shoulder. I've got to rest it for another week then start physio. Has any one had any experience of this injury before? When do you reckon the shoulder will be strong enough to run?
At the moment I'm putting the remainder of the summer as a write off. I should off stuck to fell shoes rather than tyres!
Any advice would be great.
Thanks
Have they offered you the operation?
I separated my shoulder being knocked off my bike by a car in a race... it was a grade III, which is always border line operation or not. Statistics say you heal quicker without operation than with, but 1.5 years down the line, I still cannot run with it. Thankfully it is ok on the bike, but the swinging of the arm from the shoulder that takes place while running is extremely painful.
Friend of mine separated his shoulder a few weeks ago, crashing in a bike race, and has talked the docs into having the opp. He is already doing better than me!
It is a bit of a tough and painful one I am afraid... good luck, hope you heal well and quickly!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Upsetter
Hi Hanneke,
I cant believe that after 18 months you still can't run without pain! I really hope that improves. Are you still doing the physio? If I'm being honest that scares the sh*t out of me. 18 months! I guess you've still got the bike.
The consultant did mention the operation, but also that he doesn't think its worthwhile. I'm going back to see him next week to reassess after totally resting it in a sling for two weeks. So the sooner I can start physio the better I suppose. The recovery rates and results seem really varied from people I speak to. But most say that it will never 100% improve.
Thanks again
(Formally the Upsetter)
It is a difficult one... statistically, you can get anything from 6 weeks healing time to never fully returning to normal. Physio is important to make sure you keep full mobility in your shoulder and stabilise the joint. I already dislocated the same shoulder a few years before, which doesn't help stability and healing...
I am a bit unlucky, because I suffer from a chronic rheumatic condition of the spine which has a tendency to flare up when I hit something when falling off my bike. It caused something called distal clavicle osteolisys. An inflammation of the collarbone where it attaches to the top of the shoulder. This hasn't helped... It is self limiting but takes about a year to get better... I am still in a lot of pain, but it is on and off and doctors now think the actual separation has healed, but the rheumatic flare-up from the impact of the car hitting me is still there... I definitely suffer from nerve impinchment though so it has been suggested to cut the top of the clavicle away, where it attaches to the shoulder, to create room in the joint and stop the debilitating pain.
Again, statistically, largely people with a grade III separation who don't have the operation do better than those who don't, but we are all different... I hope you have an easy healing process without complications!
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbbrennan
hey
i separated my shoulder (grade 3) falling off my road bike last august and was back running by the middle of that month and racing by the start of september. i found running a great way to loosen it and, having tried what the physio told me about rotator cuff exercises and using pulleys, felt that swimming was excellent at keeping range of motion as well as fitness.
i was lucky to have been pretty active before the injury which definitely aided the recovery process and there were certainly times when it was uncomfortable but once warmed up the extra blood flow to a difficult area was really beneficial.
it took the fully 3/4 month rest period before i was back to doing upper body exercises but long term from that i've had (touch wood) no dramas at all, which given that i'm halfway through the Commissioning Course at Sandhurst is a pretty lucky turn of events. it's horses for courses and that may not be the case strictly for yourself - it could take longer or significantly shorter - but of all the things listen to your body and all that holistic stuff (!) and maximise your rest.
bit of positivity though! i trawled such forums when i first did it and was left very depressed by the stories from other less lucky people.
hope it goes well.
dod