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Perplexing shoulder injury

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 jonathan watt 21 Oct 2010
During my last trip to Font I was pulling over the top of a problem (very slopey / horrible top - typical Font!) and as I did so felt something pop slightly in the upper front part of my shoulder. At first I felt no real pain. Continued to climb for the rest of the day (only my second day there and all was going very well). Woke up the next morning and the back of my shoulder was extremely tight and I had little movement. Took the full day off and took some ibuprofen etc.

It did ease slightly during the week but I was still very limited on what I could do. When I got back I went to the Doctor who told me to wait a couple of months. I now have done so and have just been referred to the physio. Went for first session yesterday and the physio cannot work out what is wrong with it. If I move my arm upwards diagonally it locks (bit of pain) at about 150degrees. I can then release it by moving my shoulder slightly backwards and then the arm goes the rest of the way.

I am a teacher and currently find it difficult to write on the board. I also coach rugby and when I go to catch a high ball I get a sharp pain.

As I said, the physio couldn't work out what the problem was and is taking advice - anyone had anything similar before?
banned profile 74 21 Oct 2010
In reply to jonathan watt: dislocation?
 Al Doig 21 Oct 2010
In reply to jonathan watt: Subluxation? Spelling might be wrong but close enough
 cat22 21 Oct 2010
In reply to jonathan watt: I've had something a bit similar - one of the rotator cuff muscles refers pain to the front of the shoulder. This may help:
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/747/Shoulder-Se...
 Rich Kirby 21 Oct 2010
In reply to jonathan watt:

Sounds like a SLAP tear. Torn Labrum.

Get an MRI scan.
In reply to jonathan watt: I love physios - my fitness wouldn't be anywhere near where it is without mine, but, they're not surgeons!

In fact, when I went to my physio with my knackered knee he asked what had happened, did a quick exam and proclaimed he was 90% sure that I had torn my PCL and that I was in the wrong place. He said "get yourself to a decent surgeon pronto".

And, that is my advice too. If you tell your doctor you need a referral as it is seriously affecting your work, you should be able to get a referral. Try and find a decent sports shoulder surgeon in your area before you go, so you know who to get referred to. You may very well not need surgery, but it's the best place to get a diagnosis.

Good luck.
 Stuzz 21 Oct 2010
In reply to Al Doig:

Doesn't sound like a subluxation. I can safely say from experience that they hurt rather alot to moment it happens, unless it was a very very minor one... maybe you wouldn't notice that. Not too sure.

Probably best to see your doctor and get it checked out.
In reply to Fultonius:

> And, that is my advice too. If you tell your doctor you need a referral as it is seriously affecting your work, you should be able to get a referral. Try and find a decent sports shoulder surgeon in your area before you go, so you know who to get referred to. You may very well not need surgery, but it's the best place to get a diagnosis.


Ah, so you think you should see your GP to force a referral and ignore their opinion?
If they have no clue on shoulders they will likely refer anyway, but if you have a GP with a shoulder interest why ignore their advice?

Having said that, from the minimal comments from the OP a labral pathology would be highly suspicious.

OP jonathan watt 22 Oct 2010
In reply to Rich Kirby:

Thanks for the link. Have read it and there are a couple of posts on it from people who seem to be describing exactly what I am experiencing.
 catt 22 Oct 2010
In reply to jonathan watt:

I got exactly what you are describing, in exactly the same way. Horible slopey Font mantle, audible unhealthy noise from the shoulder, continued climbing for the rest of the trip, in pain and on brufen. After a couple of months being palmed of by the GP with a 'frozen shoulder' and anti-inflamatories and rest I went to a physio. She was able to manipulate it and make me stretch with immediate noticable relief of the impingement.

So it was impingement of the supraspinatus muscle I had, with associated tendon damage and inflamation. Stretching and some thera band (but mostly the stretching) sorted me out. Specific massage was good too to help recovery.

http://www.shouldersolutions.com/impinge.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supraspinatus_muscle

Get to a knowledgable physio asap. Worth sticking with a GP appointment incase you need to push for referral if the injury is more severe.
In reply to jonathan watt: I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. Physio made no difference. I couldn't climb (not that I do much anyway) as it was impossibly painful to ever raise the arm above shoulder level (physio recommended not trying!). I thought that I was stuck with it as nothing seemed to help.

It just went away with time (about 9 months I think) and was back to normal. No treatment worked.

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