Whatsup Fellas?
Over the next few months this thread will be a pretty detailed log of my thoughts plans and accomplishments on the road to recovery from shoulder surgery. Any advice, reading material, or encouragement, much appreciated.
History:
I've had poor posture all my life. From the countless hours I spent hunched over my desk asleep at school, to the even more countless hours i spent on this addiction machine they call a computer. This has lead to the downfall of my upper body, particularly my shoulders. In combination with the fact that I've been surfing since I was 12, without doing any opposing motions to complement the surfing motions. So I have significant muscle imbalances as a result of the surfing. Everything felt fine though, till a few years ago, can't be sure on the exact time frame. Surfing in the winter with a thick wetsuit on paddling hard for a good size wave I felt my shoulder "move". It didn't dislocate, but it moved. Later i learned this is called a subluxation Once this starts, it doesn't stop, especially untreated. Things became worse and worse and it began to happen more frequently until my shoulder finally legitimately dislocated and I had to relocate it myself in the water. Time for a doctor visit. My family practice doctor told me "that just happens to some people" and that I just have to put it back in place and keep going. 20 Painful dislocations later I got to go to an orthopedic surgeon. After physical therapy was basically no help, I got an MRI. Tear in my labrum, but not that big of a deal physical therapy may fix the problem. It didn't. Time for surgery. Surgery in December, sweet christmas, more physical therapy at the same place. 4 months later I got back to my passion, surfing. Too early, I believe you are supposed to wait 6 months. Later on that summer got into a fight. Not sure exactly how, but my shoulder dislocated pretty fucking easy. Physical therapy, started surfing earlier than I was supposed to again. Surfed all that winter fine, summertime. It's been over a year now since that dislocation, I'm drunk rough housing with my friends and all of a sudden my shoulder pops out. I'm in shock I thought the problem was fixed! I had been doing my physical therapy THE ENTIRE TIME. Get another MRI, another tear, but should heal on its own. 3 months later I'm getting dressed for school i have my hand on the shirt rack, I turn and sneeze violently, apparently it was a pretty awkward position for my shoulder. Instead of going to take an exam i spend 2 hours in the ER with an incompetent doctor yanking on my arm with all his weight telling me to relax. The morphine did nothing. Someone told me dislocating your shoulder is one of the most painful things you can do without passing out. I believe it. Go to the doctor, "you know what this means", "yup, surgery". December 19th arthroscopic repair of my ligament again. Here I am now, 20 days away.
What I think I Did Wrong the First Time(s):
- Not enough healing time
- Physical therapists strengthen the muscles around the shoulder, but do not fix the problem that caused dislocation.
- Not keeping the arm in a sling long enough
How I'm Going to do it Right This Time:
- Read, Read, Read. It's up to everyone to be their own best doctor.
- Wait the full months and do it right
- Try to find a better physical therapist
- Eat organic! most foods are lacking the proper nutrients to repair your body sufficiently and correctly.
- Correct the PROBLEM not just the injury.
- Cut down on the alcohol, a lot.
Medical Problems I Believe Contribute to My Injury:
- Kyphosis
- Winged Scapula
- Rounded Shoulders
That's enough for this post. More to come soon.
Over the next few months this thread will be a pretty detailed log of my thoughts plans and accomplishments on the road to recovery from shoulder surgery. Any advice, reading material, or encouragement, much appreciated.
History:
I've had poor posture all my life. From the countless hours I spent hunched over my desk asleep at school, to the even more countless hours i spent on this addiction machine they call a computer. This has lead to the downfall of my upper body, particularly my shoulders. In combination with the fact that I've been surfing since I was 12, without doing any opposing motions to complement the surfing motions. So I have significant muscle imbalances as a result of the surfing. Everything felt fine though, till a few years ago, can't be sure on the exact time frame. Surfing in the winter with a thick wetsuit on paddling hard for a good size wave I felt my shoulder "move". It didn't dislocate, but it moved. Later i learned this is called a subluxation Once this starts, it doesn't stop, especially untreated. Things became worse and worse and it began to happen more frequently until my shoulder finally legitimately dislocated and I had to relocate it myself in the water. Time for a doctor visit. My family practice doctor told me "that just happens to some people" and that I just have to put it back in place and keep going. 20 Painful dislocations later I got to go to an orthopedic surgeon. After physical therapy was basically no help, I got an MRI. Tear in my labrum, but not that big of a deal physical therapy may fix the problem. It didn't. Time for surgery. Surgery in December, sweet christmas, more physical therapy at the same place. 4 months later I got back to my passion, surfing. Too early, I believe you are supposed to wait 6 months. Later on that summer got into a fight. Not sure exactly how, but my shoulder dislocated pretty fucking easy. Physical therapy, started surfing earlier than I was supposed to again. Surfed all that winter fine, summertime. It's been over a year now since that dislocation, I'm drunk rough housing with my friends and all of a sudden my shoulder pops out. I'm in shock I thought the problem was fixed! I had been doing my physical therapy THE ENTIRE TIME. Get another MRI, another tear, but should heal on its own. 3 months later I'm getting dressed for school i have my hand on the shirt rack, I turn and sneeze violently, apparently it was a pretty awkward position for my shoulder. Instead of going to take an exam i spend 2 hours in the ER with an incompetent doctor yanking on my arm with all his weight telling me to relax. The morphine did nothing. Someone told me dislocating your shoulder is one of the most painful things you can do without passing out. I believe it. Go to the doctor, "you know what this means", "yup, surgery". December 19th arthroscopic repair of my ligament again. Here I am now, 20 days away.
What I think I Did Wrong the First Time(s):
- Not enough healing time
- Physical therapists strengthen the muscles around the shoulder, but do not fix the problem that caused dislocation.
- Not keeping the arm in a sling long enough
How I'm Going to do it Right This Time:
- Read, Read, Read. It's up to everyone to be their own best doctor.
- Wait the full months and do it right
- Try to find a better physical therapist
- Eat organic! most foods are lacking the proper nutrients to repair your body sufficiently and correctly.
- Correct the PROBLEM not just the injury.
- Cut down on the alcohol, a lot.
Medical Problems I Believe Contribute to My Injury:
- Kyphosis
- Winged Scapula
- Rounded Shoulders
That's enough for this post. More to come soon.
