UKC

7 months ago I fell off a sport climb and hurt my shoulder. It was pretty painful to do anything at the time so I gave it a few weeks off and as it began feeling alot better I started climbing again. It has not improved since then even with several extended breaks from climbing.

In general it's fine whilst climbing apart from moves requiring my arm fully extended at 90 degrees to the body but I am concerned about making it worse as it has failed to fully recover. A doctor with limited shoulder experience thinks it's probably rotator cuff and I plan on seeing a physio when I'm back in the UK.

Does anyone know a good physio for this in the Reading area (can manage London)? I would also appreciate any excersise advicentre from those with relevant knowledge.

Cheers

In reply to ad111:

My advice would be wait until you see a qualified physio before embarking on any particular course of strengthening or stretches.

good luck

In reply to ad111:

As above, get some professional diagnosis before doing anything, ask your GP to be referred for an MRI scan, thats the only way you will truly know what is wrong with the shoulder and a physio can prescribe a much better course of rehabilitation armed with that extra info.

I'd personally recommend Nina Leonfellner for your physio, but she is based in Bristol, well worth the trip in my opinion, its straight down the M4 for you, easy.
http://www.bristolsportsphysio.com/

In reply to Dandan:

If you are at all suspecting a SLAP lesion, which you should 7 months including decent periods of rest, I think the appropriate imaging is MR arthrogram rather than a straight MRI.

In reply to ad111:
From the limited description,rotator cuff seems reasonable.Can you put the hand on the affected side right up your back as usual? If no,it may be something else.

Have a look at shoulderdoc.com,I think that is its name.

Go two pronged,NHS and private. You can't expect your GP to just book an MRI.He has to refer you to a shoulder specialist (orthopaedic consultant or specialist physio),who will examine you and may or may not plan MRI.Either way,you won't get MRI on your first trip to hospital.You could typically wait a few months for appointment and a few months for MRI....and a few months for e.g. an operation if needed.
In the meantime pay to find a good physio to help.Be prepared to change physio if it doesn't thrill you with confidence. Months without specific exercises=extra months of recovery.

I had a shoulder injury requiring physio,a daycase procedure (but not an operation) and lots more physio.All in it took a year to sort.The person who can influence your recovery most is you.MRI,seeing specialists and even operations are the small parts; regular exercises loads of times a day every day is the way out of this.

I suspect this will degenerate into a thread about NHS waiting times!

Good luck!