separated shoulder?

[monsieurjohn]

last night before jujutsu i was trying to do a handstand... i'm not very good at handstands, but that's not the point

i adjusted my left hand position and my shoulder did something REALLY weird, bumped and shifted around and crap, and i fell down. what i'm pretty sure happened is that it dislocated partway and then put itself back in. it hurt for maybe two or three minutes, then was pretty much okay. today it feels kinda sore and odd, with slightly reduced mobility

i've been suspecting that i have a weak or defective rotator cuff for a while, but i'm wondering if anyone knows any good exercises to strengthen it, and/or suggestions about this whole thing at all.

maybe i should just get a new shoulder :lol:

[koehiir]

Always best to replace the broken part, preferrably with a new, not used ;)

Seriously, though you ought to get it looked at, there are many good programs to help rotator cuffs - as you know there 4 rotator cuff muscles. But you also need to know about the ligaments of the shoulder. A good physical therapist can put together a program to help your shoulder and prevent future problems.

One more piece of advice besides replacements - don't get old ;)

[monsieurjohn]

hrm, i see what you're saying...

but the health services here are so sketchy. ok, maybe not "sketchy", but they're not what i need, i think. my friend went in for a bandaid and ended up in the emergency room, and i went in once to have them look at my neck and ended up waiting around for like 2 hours only to have them tell me to take tylenol

so i feel like they'll just tell me to take an anti-inflammatory and take it easy (no way), or maybe they'll send me to a real hospital which i realllly don't have time for right now.

i will look into it though

[SwissSmiss]

yea... go get it checked out. my friend val did something like that to her shoulder about 1.5-2 years ago and she has had problems ever since because she put off getting it taken care of for 3 or 4 months.

don't let it get worse!!!

[koehiir]

so i feel like they'll just tell me to take an anti-inflammatory and take it easy (no way), or maybe they'll send me to a real hospital which i realllly don't have time for right now.

ahh the benefits of youth. you probably are just fine, but if you have torn one of the rotator cuffs and don't do the correct exercises and anti-inflammatories (BTW tylenol is not an anti-inflammatory, ibuprofen, anaprox, etc are) then instead of a few days/weeks, you get months/years. Loose or damaged ligaments can be worse than actual muscle damage. roll thy dice.

If I were you, I'd take about 600-800mg of Ibuprofen three times a day with food, and check out a book on on shoulder injuries and rehab - to look for stretching and strengthening exercises that won't do further damage. If it's not better in say 2-3 weeks get to someone that knows what they are doing with shoulders.

good luck I'll ask around wholycow.com to see if anyone has some exercises for ya.

[koehiir]

I pirated this from http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/rotator-cuff-injury.htm It looks pretty good, of course I'd like to get all the information from someone's book without paying, but that's what libraries are for ;)

Causes

There are two major causes of most shoulder injuries. The first being degeneration, or general wear and tear. Unfortunately, the shoulder is a tendinous area that receives very little blood supply. The tendons of the rotator cuff muscles receive very little oxygen and nutrients from blood supply, and as a result are especially vulnerable to degeneration with aging. This is why shoulder problems in the elderly are common. This lack of blood supply is also the reason why a shoulder injury can take quite a lot of time to heal.

The second cause of most shoulder injuries is due to excessive force, or simply putting too much strain on the tendons of the shoulder muscles. This usually occurs when you try to lift something that is too heavy or when a force is applied to the arm while it's in an unusual or awkward position.

Symptoms

There are two common symptoms of a shoulder injury, pain and weakness. Pain is not always felt when a shoulder injury occurs, however most people who do feel pain, report that it's a very vague pain which can be hard to pinpoint.

Weakness, on the other hand, seems to be the most reliable symptom of a shoulder injury. Common complaints include an inability to raise your arm above your head or to extend your arm directly to the side or in front. In most cases, the larger the tear or damage to the tendons, the harder it is to move your arm and the injured area.

Treatment

The earlier a shoulder injury is treated, the better. The first 48 to 72 hours are crucial to a complete and speedy recovery. The first and most important course of action is the R.I.C.E.R. regime. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and Referral. For the time-being, I'm not going to go into the specifics of the R.I.C.E.R. regime. It's a very important topic and I've decided to dedicate the entire next months issue to it.

After the initial injury has been treated with the R.I.C.E.R. regime, (for at least 48 to 72 hours) it's time to move onto the next stage of treatment. As mentioned before, the shoulder joint receives very little blood supply. So, what can you do to increase blood flow, and oxygen and nutrients to the injured area?

Firstly, heat! Heat is extremely good for increasing blood flow to a particular area. Heat lamps are the most effective way to increase blood flow, while heat based creams are probably a distant second choice.

Secondly, massage! Massage is one of the best ways to increase blood flow to an injured area, and of course the oxygen and nutrients that go with it. The other benefit of massage is that it helps to reduce the amount of scar tissue which is associated with all muscle and tendon, strains and tears. (I'll also discuss scar tissue in next months issue along with the R.I.C.E.R. regime.)

Lastly, don't stop moving. Some doctors will often tell patients to keep the injured area still, and this is not always the best advice. Gentle movement will help to keep the blood flowing to the injured area. Of course, if pain is present, limit the amount of moving you do, but don't stop moving all together.

Prevention

Mark my words, "Prevention is much better than Cure." Anything you can do to prevent an injury from occurring is worth it. The prevention of shoulder injuries comes down the conditioning of the shoulder muscles and tendons, which ultimately involves both stretching and strengthening of the shoulder joint.

Also, don't forget the common injury prevention techniques like, warming up properly and using a bit of old-fashioned common-sense. However, for the most part, stretching and strengthening are going to be your best defence against shoulder problems. Even if you don't have a shoulder problem now, the following stretching and strengthening exercises could save you from a major headache in the future.

Firstly, below you'll find two good stretches for the shoulder area. The first is quite a basic stretch, while the second is a more advanced stretch, specifically for the rotator cuff muscles and tendons. Please be careful, if you haven't been stretching your shoulder joint, the second stretch will put quite a lot of stress on the rotator cuff tendons. Warm-up first, then gently and slowly is the best way to proceed.

In the stretch to the left, simply stand upright and clasp you hands behind your back. Keep your arms straight and slowly lift your hands upwards. Hold this stretch for about 15 to 20 seconds, then repeat it 3 to 4 times.

In the stretch to the right, stand with your arm out and your forearm pointing upwards at 90 degrees. Place a broom stick or pole in your hand and let it fall behind your elbow. With your other hand, pull the bottom of the stick forward. Be especially careful with this stretch, it will put a large strain on the rotator cuff muscles and tendons. As above hold this stretch for about 15 to 20 seconds, then repeat it 3 to 4 times.


For a complete reference of over 100 clear photographs of every possible sports related stretch, get a copy of The Stretching Handbook. If you're interested in stretches for the shoulder, The Stretching Handbook has 18 different stretches you can do. Order your copy now and we'll send The Stretching Handbook to you, via 1st class airmail, minus all postage charges. That's right, FREE postage to anywhere in the world, but don't put it off, this offer is for a limited time only.

Secondly, the strengthening exercises. Instead of me trying to explain these, I simply found a great web site that has clear pictures and a good description of the four most common shoulder exercises. These four exercises help to strengthen all of the muscles and tendons located in the shoulder joint. You can find these exercises at http://familydoctor.org/handouts/265.html

I hope you've enjoyed this month's issue of The Stretching & Sports Injury Newsletter. Please take a moment to review the "Recommended Reading" below, and if you have any comments or suggestions regarding this newsletter or any other aspect of our web site, please feel free to contact us.



Recommended Reading


Shoulder Pain provides a commonsense guide for diagnosis and treatment of painful or disabling shoulder conditions. One of the outstanding features of this book is the concise and detailed descriptions of the structure and functional anatomy of the shoulder, with numerous drawings to expand the author's text.


7 Minute Rotator Cuff Solution is written in a language anyone can understand and perfectly illustrated. For each passage the author talks about, there is a small illustration showing exactly what is being described. It makes the information very easy to understand and utilize. This book outlines routines for rehabilitation, and also for injury prevention. It also includes some fabulous stretches for the chest, shoulders, and biceps, as well as the rotator cuff muscles.


Are you looking for an effortless way to improve your athletic performance and reduce your potential for injuries? ...then see how The Stretching Handbook can make you stronger, faster and more agile with just a few easy stretches! Plus, help you eradicate muscle pain for good and recover from injuries faster!

Order now and you'll also receive a FREE copy of "Sports Injuries - Prevention & Management."

[monsieurjohn]

i'm gonna go back and read all (or most) of that, but while i'm thinking of it....

you say "if it doesn't get better" - as of today, it feels totally normal. totally normal involves bizarre little shifts in movement when i'm doing certain things with my shoulder, which is why i suspect my rotator cuff is just a bit odd naturally

but there's no pain anymore whatsoever, just a tiny bit of stiffness and otherwise very normal. would you still recommend the ibuprofin? i plan to keep stretching it thoroughly

[koehiir]

no, if the pain resolves that quickly it's unlikely you've done any major damage, so no drugs for you - I also assume that there is no swelling, because the ibu will also help relieve inflammation.

[monsieurjohn]

no drugs for you

:bawl:

yeah, i don't think it's swollen either. it was just so weird, because something was definitely not right with my shoulder. oh well, maybe i'm invincible. yes, that's probably it

[koehiir]

Yeah go with that thought!! Sir Alien we may need to change MJ's name to superman....

[monsieurjohn]

it's been a little sorer than usual, a bit easier to aggravate. although we are doing shoulder locks in jujutsu lately, so i'm sure that has something to do with it, but i think it's also a bit tenderer than it should be

[Prox]

Trust me you would KNOW if you did anything serious that Ice and rest wouldnt fix. I have had both types of injuries (and many of them) and your body tends to let you know if its something serious, if its not something serious it will scream at you if you dont get enough rest to make things better. I would just recomending taking some time to let it fully heal and then easing back into your activities even if it feels totaly normal it probably needs a little more rest or lighter activity to fully heal.

[monsieurjohn]

well i'm getting ready for my third degree brown test, so i can't really take it easy on it... i'll just tell people to be nice when we're working on shoulder dislocation techniques :rolleyes:

[Prox]

i'll just tell people to be nice when we're working on shoulder dislocation techniques :rolleyes:

gee I wonder how you hurt it in the first place :rolleyes:

[monsieurjohn]

no no! i was doing a handstand, remember?

actually i don't think there was an initial event where i hurt it, i think it's just a funky shoulder