Devestated shoulder...need to get back strength to

[chaoren]

I was recently (3 and a half weeks ago) mauled by a 16 foot long branch falling from 150 feet. I just got back mobility in my arm and need to rebuild strength. I am a bit apprehensive to hit the rock wall again, but I know I need to. Any tips or suggestions to get back into shape and not doing any permanent damage?

Thanks!

[JosephH]

Was a doctor involved, xrays / MRIs ? Any joint damage? Etc, etc...?

[chaoren]

xrays came back fine, just some ligament damage and was told to make sure it remains active to not freeze up. No serious damage at all, somehow. I was told that no further medical intervention was needed.

[jon]

I would definitely go see a PT, and find a good one. If you don't have insurance at least go once. About a year and a half ago I got in a fight with a car at about 20mph while on a training ride. I miraculously didn't break anything, my bike was fine, bruised my spine into my back, had a large contusion in my shoulder and strained the ligaments in my sternum. The muscles pretty much shut down on that side of my body that stabilized my shoulder. I kept going to the rock gym but there were movements I just couldn't handle. It's a year and a half later and I'm still having problems with it. I was fairly rigorous about it, doing PT and massage, but in hindsight probably not enough (read doing it everyday on your own). It might seem obvious to just go lift weights but like my case you likely have certain muscles that are dysfunctional and need to be brought back to life. You do not appreciate shoulder stability until it's wrecked!

[Maine-iac]

I would be very careful starting up climbing again!!! 3 weeks ago today I had surgery for a destroyed clavicle which was in 3 pieces; two of those pieces were overlapping by over an inch, the third piece was sticking straight up out of my shoulder (didn't break the skin, but you could have slept under the tent it made). I cannot do ANY lifting of any sort for 3 more weeks because a) I could bend the plate they put in and b) I might have torn my AC joint. The lifting (or holding anything remotely heavy) could really aggravate a possible rip in the joint.

 

I would talk with a doctor and just make sure that climbing is ok. Most doctors don't anticipate climbing as an activity that their patients will do so they won't think to say "oh ya DO NOT hang on your arm."

 

Speedy recovery!

 

[BlackRock]

I would highly recommend alot of stretching, icing and eventually simple hanging to help recover your shoulder.

 

Years ago I shattered the end of my clavicle where it meets up with your scapula. They removed my bursa sack, the end of my clavicle and a couple of ligaments. I was out for nearly 6 months, but that was mainly due to all the soft tissue damage of the actualy surgery to fix and clean things up. Once the soft tissue and stitched muscle healed up I was able to gradually build strength back up.

 

It took quite a while, but my shoulder is more or less 100% again. I'm missing about 3 inches of clavicle and alot of connecting ligaments, but I have no more grinding or other issues. Climbing is such low impact though. I'd just take it easy and work back into it slow. The more PT exercises you can learn the better.

 

 

[Mtguide]

Strong second to the advice to go see a good Physical therapist, preferably one specializing in sports medicine/shoulder rehab, as soon as possible. The only physician I know in Olympia is Dr. John Brottem, who is head of Cardiology at the hospital there. However, John is a longtime climber, and may be able to give you a referral to a good PT up there. For that matter, your attending physician who saw you after the initial injury may have a good recommendation. Was he an orthopedist or shoulder specialist? If so, he'd almost certainly know of someone who's first rate.

 

AND, absolutely NO climbing until you get in to see the PT and see what they have to say. Trying to rehab yourself without proper knowledge is a good way to mess that shoulder up for good. You don't give your age, but beyond your 20's, things begin to take a lot longer to mend. In any event, although it's true that one of the best ways to get in shape for climbing, is to go climbing, that's assuming you're NOT injured. And even if you're sound as a dollar (well, don't know if we can use THAT metaphor nowdays) there are plenty of ways to train for climbing that don't involve climbing. If you're in recovery and rehab for an injury, your primary emphasis and focus has to be on that, until you're 100%. THEN you can climb. DON'T FUCKING RUSH IT.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Mtguide

[layton]

if you are too aggressive frozen shoulder can occur ... and you don't want that. physically go see someone who specializes in shoulder rehab, the interwebs advice will probably make it worse

[chaoren]

I have an appointment on Wednesday with a PT place I went to back in my running days. They already told me quite a bit, but thank you all. I would have just rushed back and probably ended up with more serious problems.

Again, thank you! Next time I post hopefully I give you all some stellar pictures!