UKC

Drat.

I have a partial tear of the rotator cuff in my right shoulder. At the super-painful stage, and on naproxen anti-inflammatory and, when the pain gets particularly bad, co-codamol. I'm on a long waiting list for NHS physio. So the current is initially avoiding aggravating it and gentle mobilisation. I will do rehab exercises as soon as I am able.

Words of advice welcome.

In reply to ericinbristol:

I suffered a full thickness tear (though only partial in the sense the tendon didn't detach) of my supraspinitus last Autumn. After lots of physio and exercises, with a couple of reversals along the way, I am now pretty much ok. Other muscles/tendons are compensating (the tear itself doesn't heal I am told) and I can climb pretty much as normal though avoiding some of the more awkward movements which instinctively I know may cause a problem. If the tear is partial and not tooo bad, you should be able to compensate enough not to have surgery. However, some people can't compensate sufficiently or are climbing at too high a level to be able to do so, and have to resort to surgery. That is best avoided I think as the recovery time is long.

In reply to ericinbristol: Hi,I'd go private and see a good sports physio ASAP (who can sign post (write to GP) for scan if they feel the tear is sufficient enough to require repair). I know it sucks paying money, but you'll get much better treatment too. consider an NHS 1st appt is free, wait 2-4 weeks and you get 20mins. Pay £40+ get 1 hr initial appt with someone specifically trained in sports injuries. Also if the tear is minor the tissue will heel in 6-8 weeks so delay in waiting slows down recovery in the long run.

In reply to Simonfarfaraway:

Good point re going private for physio. Though to be fair, my GP referred me for a scan quite happily and then on to a consultant who gave me my options. For a partial tear, I'd have hoped that a course of physio should be sufficient but a scan worthwhile to check the extent of the tear.

All:

Thanks for the input. I went for an MRI (privately, as there was no prospect of one on the NHS). The two problems diagnosed were a small full thickness rotator cuff tear (same as you Skyfall) and thinning of part of the supraspinatus tendon. I have been told there is no need for surgery.

I agree re finding a good private sports physio as well Simonfarfaraway. As you rightly say, with the NHS route in two months' time I will get a generalist for 20 mins.

I am a passionate supporter of the NHS and I find it tragic that increasingly people are having to turn away from the NHS to get what they need.

In reply to ericinbristol:

I have to confess that most of my treatment was covered privately but my GP was very good and unusually helpful/speedy. Normally my experience with GP's is that they consider sports injuries to almost be self inflicted and therefore not worth being overly helpful or quick about. Maybe the younger GP's coming through have a different attitude.

Anyway, as regards timescale, I was pretty much unable to anything much for a few weeks other than mobilisation stuff and it was v painful to sleep on etc. After that I had a couple of months of exercise and it seemed back to 90% or thereabouts and then I tweaked it by overdoing it at the wall. I started again, was even more religious about exercises, and a few months later it was back to 90%+. I just need to be a bit careful still.

Apart from lots of theraband exercises (buy a range of strengths on-line if you don't have some already), one of the things that seemed to move it on during the end phase of rehab was to use a wobble board to do press ups on. You can buy them quite cheaply on line again and get them delivered within days. It helps get all your shoulder muscles working together, rather than just doing exercises in one plane of motion. But don't get ahead of yourself as I found it is very easy to hit a plateau or go into reverse by overdoing it and continually aggravating the injury.

In reply to Skyfall:

Thanks, helpful. I look forward to being at the rehab exercise stage!

In reply to ericinbristol: definitely recommend at least one private Physio appointment even if its just to get you started on rehab - ask them for progressions of the exercises so you can push on when you feel up to it. Can't give more specific advice without knowing how long ago you had the injury and what you are currently unable to do - are there any movements you can't do or is it more a lack of strength?

In reply to ericinbristol: Re: a good Sports/Climbing Physio in Bristol, Get down to see Danny Brown at TCA. £40 first session and if your bodies f**ked he tends to keep an eye on you.

In reply to Steve nevers:

Also one of the lads at UCR knows his stuff, but he isn't technically qualified til September so might be a bit of a gable. Can't remember his name off the top of my head, but i'm down there later so will ask for you.

In reply to ericinbristol: Eric, you have email.

In reply to ericinbristol: My advice - sod waiting for NHS physio, fork out cash to go and see a physio this week rather than waiting 6 weeks!

In reply to ericinbristol: +1 for Danny Brown - he's a long time physio and a climber himself (MIA).

In reply to ericinbristol: Do what Simon says. From my experiences with sports injuries in the UK for best results it's better to pay for it and it is really worth it. You will get on the rock a lot sooner if you take direct action yourself.
I hope you recover quickly.