Ruptured shoulder ligament recovery?
guilliano
Posts: 5,495
Very specific I know, but I am desperate to get back on my bike. 10 days ago I was involved in a crash that resulted in a couple of injuries, the worst of which was the one in the title. I'm looking for advice as to what I should be doing to ensure it heals as good as new, any exercises I could do to strengthen the muscles around it and to increase the range of movement I have.
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Join the club! Grade 4 ACJ dislocation nearly 3 weeks ago.
Anyway, its a ligament injury and ligaments are extremely slow to repair. For me it was an operation last week, then 6 weeks before I can drive and 3 to 6 months to be back on the bike.
The only thing that can help to speed things up-other than rest is to increase the blood circulation in the area- so applying local hear and electro therapy. ultra sound also useful
Been looking for a quick fix for 3 weeks and bad news is there aren't really any-sorry0 -
It depends on the severity. There are 6 grades. 1-3 are in increasing order of damage and permanance. 4,5 and 6 are more specific cases. Google it for the diagrams and explanations.
My understanding is 1-2 heal over time, maybe leaving the collar bone protuding slightly. With 3 the ligaments have snapped and you can either live with it or get it operated on. I had a grade 3. It was a month before I could ride again, but it never felt pain-free and the collar bone end was really prominent. 6 mths later I had it operated on. Another 6-8 weeks off the bike, but the turbo is your friend. You can ride that no-handed.0 -
I had a grade 3 about 15 months ago - ligament snapped. Touch and go whether to get operated on but didn't in the end, collar bone protudes slightly as a result but doesn't seem to cause any problems.
I had physio to get movement back in my shoulder, was completely successful and I would strongly recommend it.
Off the road for about 8 weeks. Was able to use the turbo trainer after 3 weeks so managed to limit fitness loss.0 -
Luckily I only have a grade 2 from Monday night (MTB), but it is painful as hell.
The Doc gave me some info on Rotator Cuff exercises to carry out to re-strengthen the shoulder joint. It was from a sports injury book.
Edit: The Sports Medicine Patient Advisor.
Typing one handed is not easy!0 -
Interesting
May be back sooner perhaps.
My info had been from 2 surgeons, a physio and a guy who had a similar injury last year
Maybe the grade 4's take a lot longer?0 -
No idea what grade my injury is..... NHS isn't exactly great at offering a lot of scans etc (had x-rays the night of the crash but nothing since despite 4 visits to doctor). It's over 3 weeks now and I still have a lot of pains in the shoulder and need to keep my arm in the sling a lot of the time. I'm worried that something in there isn't healing but I do have a lot more movement than I did 2 weeks ago, although more pain than I did a week ago.0
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Rather oddly I dislocated my shoulder (right) late last summer and had pain right up until 10 days ago. The pain went after I went over again and I am convinced this years impact forced the shoulder back a bit. I kid you not when I say the difference is chalk and cheese. No pain what so ever now where as before, I could not eve sleep on my right hand side. Crazy.0
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Well for me its 3 weeks since the operation. A bit of discomfort still but nothing that requires painkillers and that has got less each day.Movement has improved each day as well. Not needed a sling for the last 2 weeks. Everything feels in the right place so am pretty optimistic that it will be a full recovery.
I'd be far more insistent if i was you. You need a proper diagnosis. If it is more than a grade 3 you are taking a risk not getting this dealt with. Assume you have read up on this?0 -
I dislocated my shoulder playing rugby a few years ago. It never really recovered and I suffered a further 4 or 5 dislocations (including 2 while sleeping!!). I was fortunate to have BUPA cover through work so went to see a guy about it - found out I had ripped 25% of the bit that holds your arm in. Surgery was the only option and I wish I'd got this done after the first dislocation. Make sure you get a proper diagnosis.0
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Below is an e-mail i have sent to my local NHS trust as I have still not had a proper diagnosis......
To whom it may concern.
I was involved in a traffic accident on 12th July in which I was knocked off my bicycle by a car. After being taken to Luton and Dunstable hospital with a lot of pain in my back and right shoulder I was x-rayed and told there were no breaks and released. After 2 weeks I had a lot of movement back in my shoulder, but was still suffering considerable pain which required constant medication. I was happy that I had movement back, but in the following 3 weeks the pain I have been suffering has eased and then gradually grown worse. I attended my GP for the fifth time regarding the injury today (17th August) and had to fight for a referral to a physiotherapist, but the doctor did not want to listen to the types of pain I have been suffering. All he would say is that it takes time. I said I would like an idea of how much time and to know the extent of my injury, to which the reply was "there's no way to tell how bad the injury is". This, I hate to say, is pathetic! Of course it is possible to find the extent of an injury, it is done all the time for sports injuries and through private care.
I have many questions I would like answered about my shoulder and back injuries, but so far nobody is prepared to answer them:
1: What have I done to my shoulder? I was told I have possibly ruptured ligaments, but how can this be known for certain through an x-ray and being asked to touch my opposite shoulder (which I couldn't do)
2: If I have ruptured ligaments, how badly? Is there a small tear? Are they just stretched? Has one separated from the bone causing the loose feeling I have in the joint?
3: I am suffering obvious signs of nerve damage around the joint, such as a feeling of a t-shirt grating at the skin, along with pain shooting down my arm when i move in certain directions. Is this a trapped nerve? Is there damage which will heal?
4: My shoulder feels loose and often either grinds or clicks audibly from across a room. Am I doing more harm than good by trying to exercise my shoulder when this is happening?
5: My job involves a lot of lifting, which I am still unable to do as it causes me severe pain, often so bad that my legs collapse under me as if I have had an electric shock. How long will this continue? How can I treat it?
6: Painkillers no longer help and so I have had to stop taking them, yet after explaining this to my doctor 4 times today, he simply told me to take painkillers. Long term this will not help my injury and short term will not ease the pain, so what else can be done?
7: After lying on my back for a short amount of time getting back up or even just rolling onto my side causes a stabbing pain in the middle of my spine. What is causing this?
I currently feel like the service is simply fobbing me off and refusing to treat me, but cannot afford to go private to get the care I deserve. As the driver of the car which hit me fled the scene I cannot even claim the cost of treatment as part of a compensation claim.
Please pass my complaint on to the relevant person so that I can at least be told why the NHS is simply refusing to treat me.
Regards0 -
If it is an AC joint separation then I'm afraid it will take time. I had a grade 3 and was six weeks in a sling and then a lot of time in physio getting the movement back. I've never got the full range back but I'm a lot closer to full movement than the physios said I would be. It sounds like you're able to move the shoulder (I had to keep mine still to avoid the risk of surgery) Move what you can as this prevents the muscles wasting away and the joint freezing up.
Lots of info on the web - sadly I deleted all my favourite links only last week.
Best of luck to all of you getting over your injuries.Pain is only weakness leaving the body0 -
i'm on the fractured collar bone train - did it 10 days ago, desperate to get back on bike. Reading Google many suggest turbo trainer/spin bike for a bit as you can ride sitting up. I'll probably do this for a week maybe 2 then get back on the bike week 4/5. I know your pain it's horrid being cooped up. I've had to say goodbye to a Tri i entered as well as there is no way I'll be swimming a fast freestyle by Sept!0
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guilliano wrote:Below is an e-mail i have sent to my local NHS trust as I have still not had a proper diagnosis......
I have many questions I would like answered about my shoulder and back injuries, but so far nobody is prepared to answer them:
1: What have I done to my shoulder? I was told I have possibly ruptured ligaments, but how can this be known for certain through an x-ray and being asked to touch my opposite shoulder (which I couldn't do)
2: If I have ruptured ligaments, how badly? Is there a small tear? Are they just stretched? Has one separated from the bone causing the loose feeling I have in the joint?
3: I am suffering obvious signs of nerve damage around the joint, such as a feeling of a t-shirt grating at the skin, along with pain shooting down my arm when i move in certain directions. Is this a trapped nerve? Is there damage which will heal?
4: My shoulder feels loose and often either grinds or clicks audibly from across a room. Am I doing more harm than good by trying to exercise my shoulder when this is happening?
5: My job involves a lot of lifting, which I am still unable to do as it causes me severe pain, often so bad that my legs collapse under me as if I have had an electric shock. How long will this continue? How can I treat it?
6: Painkillers no longer help and so I have had to stop taking them, yet after explaining this to my doctor 4 times today, he simply told me to take painkillers. Long term this will not help my injury and short term will not ease the pain, so what else can be done?
7: After lying on my back for a short amount of time getting back up or even just rolling onto my side causes a stabbing pain in the middle of my spine. What is causing this?
Regards
I wouldn't hold your breath for their reply
Basically the X ray gives a good indication of how far the acromioclavicular joint has separated. It sounds to me as if you are trying to do too much too soon and that is why the pain has returned. If the pain is really bad i would go to A and E . Alternatively stop using it altogether for a few weeks and let it recover0 -
I have twice tore a shoulder ligament in bed whilst asleep :shock . Both times it took more than 18 months to fully heal without treatment. Surprisingly common this as I've since spoke to several other sufferers .
Luckily for me it was the ligament that is effected when putting your arm behind you like when shutting car doors,putting on clothes or reaching behind so not often used.
Surprisingly painful.
I hope you insist your Dr takes it seriously0 -
Can you believe I have only just got an appointment with a physio? It will be 11 weeks from my crash when i finally see one and now my back is causing as much, if not more, pain than the shoulder.0
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I don't know whether you can afford it, but get private Physio. I have only just got round to getting physio for my AC separation.
Since my accident I must have stopped using my LH shoulder, and because of this the shoulder has moved forwards - the muscles on the back have 'wasted' compared to the RH muscles.
Physio has given me some torturous exercises to get the muscles back up.0
