For anyone who has suffered any shoulder separation, how long did it take you to get back to whre you were before the injury?
It turns out I have a grade 3 separation (and perhaps some rotator cuff issues, but that is another story) and I’m trying to determine if my IMFL hopes are officially dead. the doc told me that we would have a better idea in a couple of weeks if surgury was the best option, but I think i need to cash in my slot before that to get any money back from NA sports.
I suffered a grade 3 separation in March. I was strongly urged NOT to have surgery and feel I made the right choice, but every case is different. I still have pain, but my swimming was back to where it had been within 60 days or so (which isn’t saying much :). In fact if I skip too many swims now it starts to hurt more.
It’s been 11 years and I’m still not back to shape…
I wish I did have surgery. At this point, it would only be cosmetic. Perhaps 70% mobility and a nice bump…I’ve just gotten used to being narrower on one side.
Still pissed at that son of a bitch who took a cheap shot at me in MLL.
My advice is to do all those silly exercises they appear not to make a difference. The small things will make a big difference in the long run.
My guess is you’ll be fine for swimming IMFL. Heck, One Arm Willie beat me in the swim at IMFL! Perhaps the real trouble will be the trap muscles on the bike…
I’ve done it twice to my left shoulder. First time in HS wrestling was ugly. My collarbone sits out of place b/c of it. Took 2 years to get better- saw no one but the crappy athletic trainer at the school. What made it as good as it will get was lifting w/ good form and full ROM. Talk to your doc about PT. 2nd time not so bad- MTB crash, couldn’t do shit for 2 weeks b/c the jarring of moving around hurt. I was a new 2LT in the Army then, and was my CO ever pissed! I was good 4-6 weeks after that.
Listen to your doc, get 2nd opinions, do your homework, and go w/ the best choice. Good luck, heal soon!
I suffered a very similar injury, albeit through a markedly different route, and it took me about 6-7 weeks to get to what I would call 80% recovery. Total recovery time was about 6-7 months. Unfortunately, my shoulder is not 100% and the doctor said it very likely never will be. My injury happened about almost 5 years ago and I can still occassionally feel it in my shoulder, and my injured shoulder is not as ‘strong’ as my non-injured shoulder. I also had some rotator cuff complications, but nothing overly serious.
Stick with your physical therapy, even if it doesn’t seem effective. And don’t rush your recovery.
Seperated my shoulder playing football. Didn’t have it operated on untill it would slip in and out almost at will. Was doing pushups and it pop out for the last time. Had full reconstruction. Tendon doubled over and reattached, rotator repaired, and capsule tightened. I was in a brace for six weeks then rehab for a year. That was 20 years ago and I have had 95% motion ever since.
My Dad had a grade 3 a few years ago after he got hit by some stuff falling off a truck. He was pretty messed up at first, but he opted to wait on surgery till his season was over. He did the ITU LD worlds about 6 weeks after the injury and had a great race. His shoulder didn’t look pretty, but it worked for him.
He got surgery after the season and was back up to shape by next season no problem.
PM him if you want: RCMioga. He knows alot about it.
I had a 3 degree separation May11, 2006, along with rib fractures, sternal fracture, collapsed lung, concussion.
MY ortho and a shoulder ortho at USC both recommended no surgery. the USC guy said that with PT, I’d be back in the pool in 6 weeks. He also said that repair would keep me out for 6 months. From what I’ve read, unless you are in a throwing sport or doing heavy weights, you don’t need repair
I couldn’t run due to the rib pain, so I went to the gym and used one of the recumbent lifecycles for a week. Then I set my road bike up on the trainer with the front wheel up about 10% and rode with my good hand on the tops. I started PT in 2 weeks. I started on a stepper, in a running posture (like a steep hill.) using a very high cadence. The PT had me stroking (OUCH) on a total gym, among other things. At 6 weeks I started Doug Stern’s sewing machine drill. It was perfect. It allowed me to gradually increase my reach and still do a work out. (I was in Hawaii and I was out in a bay doing this drill.) It also allowed me to work on shortening my rearward stroke, hip rotation, high elbow, recovery, high elbow pull. By 7-8 weeks I was swimming 2000yd workouts and on from there. I won my AG at a half a little less than 4 months after the injury.
it looks like i have a 50/50 shot. i guess i’ll know more on tuesday after the mri. i had no idea that you could heal so quickly after an injury like this.
me vs 1973 Cadillac August 4, 2004. Grade 3 AC separation on right and fractured wrist on same side. Had ORIF of wrist. Cast went on a week later. On the bike trainer 10days post op. Running about 2 weeks post op. Ran half marathon PR 8weeks post accident. Swimming about 12 weeks post accident. Riding outdoors about 10 weeks post accident (more dueto fear issues than pain). Never had to have a repair of the shoulder. Looks just a little different now, but no problems with it at all. The wrist required two additional procedures to release scar tissue at about 2 and 3 months post accident. Signed up for my first IM in November (IMFL 2005—finished 11th in AG). so don’t despair
Hey, I was 55. You’ll heal faster. I had a great PT, lots of sports med experience. He kicked my ass.
When you can, go sit on a recumbent lifecycle and do something to keep from being bored and to keep your mind off the shoulder.
6 weeks to ride flat on the trainer, 8 wks to ride on the road.
6 weeks to run, but you’ll do it sooner, since my limiter on this was the rib fractures.
Here’s the link for the sewing machine drill:
