In reply to Murvis:
OK here's my story. By the way, I'm still climbing at 62, so don't give up till you read to the end!
I first dislocated my left shoulder canoeing (high bracing in a stopper wave - a common reason) in 1986. Excruciatingly painful, no chance of getting it back in myself. I needed a general anaesthetic before the medics could get it back in (as with every subsequent dislocation).
Within a year it came out twice more, once caving, once canoeing. So I had an operation on the NHS (a "Putty Plat"). Seemed to affect my movement very little, but it didn't do the job. My next dislocation was in the Caucasus in 1988, after slipping on glacial moraine. Had to sleep the night in a tent with it dislocated - not recommended - then assisted down by fellow climbers and taken to a local hospital. Three weeks of "not climbing" in the Caucasus later I had walked up Elbrus with my arm in a sling and met my wife-to-be! Norman Croucher was a member of our team, and he didn't have any legs, so I wasn't really complaining!
Two further dislocations were both while climbing, one at a climbing wall and one 5m from the top of Darius at High Tor, leading with my last gear 4m below. Somehow I managed to hang on with the dislocated arm and place a nut with the good one and clip to it. Two climbers at the top lowered me a rope - I had to explain why I couldn't tie a knot in the end!
So then I got referred to an expert at Guys Hospital who did a "Bristow's" procedure which involved splicing a bit of my bicep as a barrier over the shoulder joint and stapling it to the shoulder blade. He said I should expect it to last 10 years - that was 24 years ago and despite a little restriction in movement, and a few worrying moments (usually opening or closing car doors) it's still fine for climbing.
Then 4 years ago I slipped over on a piece of seaweed at the base of Blacker's Hole at Swanage and dislocated my right shoulder! We had down-climbed in, and it was obvious I couldn't get out. So I got the first ride in the Coastguard Service's new chopper. This time (now 58) the medics advised against operating. Apparently, as someone mentioned above, the chance of re-dislocation is much less when you are older. I did say "but what about someone who's 58 but thinks he's 28?" but they assured me it's to do with the general stiffness of old age, not the activities that older people do! I took a year off climbing, but have since regained my previous standard (E1-ish) without further dislocations of either shoulder (touch wood!!).
So I've the following advice:
1 Don't give up!
2 Take six months to a year off climbing after a dislocation to let things settle down - I did lots of running and careful progressive gym work, plus the specific exercises the physio recommended, but no climbing.
3 Give up sports where the movement of your shoulder is not under your own control - white water canoeing, downhill skiing (if you fall regularly), rugby.
4 Accept there may be some climbing moves you can't or shouldn't do - mostly "pushing" moves with the hand out wide - pulling moves, including laybacks, are fine.
5 Always remember it could dislocate again, so be wary of putting yourself in a situation where the rest of the party would also be in serious trouble if it did.
6 Don't listen to my advice! Everybody's shoulder behaves differently! I know of other people whose experience has been quite different to mine.
7 Don't give up!
