K Tape and separated shoulder injury

jgsi

Has anyone had success with k tape and a separated shoulder? - a badly knackered ac joint basically.
The medical opinion was wait it out for 6 months until the ligaments slowly repair themselves.

The local physio unit offers k tape treatment.. just wondered if it speeds up healing to justify cost?
I am back racing next week as I just have impaired mobility but no pain.
(No need to ask how I ended up with this injury... but I wasnt best pleased)

xcMuttley

I havnt had experience using it with a separated shoulder but i have used k tape, rock tape etc. for a seriously bad back and neck and helped my recovery a lot. I mainly used it when i was back racing, i used to get pain in the areas where it was whilst in my wheelchair which would seriously effect my racing ability. Strapped my back up during and left it on afterwards and my recovery was a lot quicker than it was without the tape. Costs a lot but its worth it in my opinion. I dont use it anymore as im fully recovered but i always make sure there is a roll of tape in my car at races just in case!

damocles10

You know your body and when it's not right, I personally wouldn't race with an injury as you will be pushing your body much harder than training and could extend the injury repair. If the medical opinion is 6 months, I would go back in 3 months and reassess.

jgsi

Coming out of injury is very unsexy and is flamin hard work, but
my shoulder is not connected to my legs , so I will continue to compete and train.
I dont spend 4 months of winter slaving on a turbo to waste my fitness away for something I can mentally overcome.
However, no worries I have re written a few ground rules for myself as I am on a final warning... and the cost to my livelihood and kit I am very aware of.
That includes no damp or wet races - end of.
Time trials are ok though whatever the cloud cover... so I have a 10 x 10 club tt series to enjoy later on.
The shoulder bump (classic sign of a disjointed shoulder) is actually less prominent today....and I could do Arnold presses with 1kg weights as well...might hang fire with the tape.

(ps I nearly broke my hip on black ice in January - doing 10 mph... so sh1t happens.. making up for having nothing happen to me last year with nearly 40 races.....

itboffin

why wouldnt havent you just had the shoulder tethered back together?
I spent 18 months on tramadol before realising that my injury wasnt going to heal on its own that said I now have a slipped disc with pinched nerve which i think is healing on its own, i think.

But anyway a shoulder injury needs surgery to resolve not tape

jgsi

itboffin wrote:

why wouldnt havent you just had the shoulder tethered back together?
I spent 18 months on tramadol before realising that my injury wasnt going to heal on its own that said I now have a slipped disc with pinched nerve which i think is healing on its own, i think.

But anyway a shoulder injury needs surgery to resolve not tape

Perhaps.. (18 months on Tramadol no wonder your perception was impaired ) but thats not what the doctor has said to me.

damocles10

JGSI wrote:

Coming out of injury is very unsexy and is flamin hard work, but
my shoulder is not connected to my legs , so I will continue to compete and train.
I dont spend 4 months of winter slaving on a turbo to waste my fitness away for something I can mentally overcome.
However, no worries I have re written a few ground rules for myself as I am on a final warning... and the cost to my livelihood and kit I am very aware of.
That includes no damp or wet races - end of.
Time trials are ok though whatever the cloud cover... so I have a 10 x 10 club tt series to enjoy later on.
The shoulder bump (classic sign of a disjointed shoulder) is actually less prominent today....and I could do Arnold presses with 1kg weights as well...might hang fire with the tape.

(ps I nearly broke my hip on black ice in January - doing 10 mph... so sh1t happens.. making up for having nothing happen to me last year with nearly 40 races.....

Yes, I have been there..., it's not a mental issue though, it's physiological. I know how it feels to not be able to race when injured - it IS very tough. Things can get much much worse if you are not recovered properly. You can do what you like, just be aware you could prolong the damage. You won't lose your base fitness if you have a structured training programme, top end might go, but, you can get that back swiftly.

jgsi

I am going to get taped up tomorrow.. better be worth it for the cost... nearly half the price of some Praxis chainrings...
But honestly guys if I was still on the painkillers, getting no sleep, not having to work a 40 hour week shifting stuff, and the training was going like crap or non existent..I'd say yes, give up for the season... but I actually, 2 weeks after the event, feel ok, and the training numbers are stacking up.

dennisn

JGSI wrote:

The medical opinion was wait it out for 6 months until the ligaments slowly repair themselves.
I am back racing next week as I just have impaired mobility but no pain.

You have "impaired mobility" and you are going to race. Great idea. :roll:

jgsi

Give me a break.. just means I wont be able to reach over and slap someone in the face if they switch on me...
being serious for a minute, please stop reading more in between the lines that actually exist... I wasnt able to stretch my arms upright . but now I can...so I put in impaired mobility previously.

I asked for opinions on kinesiology tape, not fckn preachin... or undertones that I might be a danger to others in a race situation.

You can gather from my tone, that I am getting hacked off by the negativity of some of you guys who seem to enjoy to roll about in when I read some of the other threads.

sheffsimon

JGSI wrote:

Give me a break.. just means I wont be able to reach over and slap someone in the face if they switch on me...
being serious for a minute, please stop reading more in between the lines that actually exist... I wasnt able to stretch my arms upright . but now I can...so I put in impaired mobility previously.

I asked for opinions on kinesiology tape, not fckn preachin... or undertones that I might be a danger to others in a race situation.

You can gather from my tone, that I am getting hacked off by the negativity of some of you guys who seem to enjoy to roll about in when I read some of the other threads.

Got a separated shoulder meself, type 3 ac joint separation, saw a doctor at a shoulder clinic in sheff who said he did some work with team sky as a shoulder specialist. His advice was to do as much noraml activity with it as I could, and if it still hurt in 18 months time, then maybe surgery was an option.

I was back on the bike after a week, and racing again after a month....no particular issues with racing, I usually pedal with my legs Good luck to you.

damocles10

JGSI wrote:

Give me a break.. just means I wont be able to reach over and slap someone in the face if they switch on me...
being serious for a minute, please stop reading more in between the lines that actually exist... I wasnt able to stretch my arms upright . but now I can...so I put in impaired mobility previously.

I asked for opinions on kinesiology tape, not fckn preachin... or undertones that I might be a danger to others in a race situation.

You can gather from my tone, that I am getting hacked off by the negativity of some of you guys who seem to enjoy to roll about in when I read some of the other threads.

No one is stopping you as you know what's best for you....if you come off again...eeek.

Just take care and best wishes.

jgsi

Thanks guys...
Update on the tape... the Physio is doin good business with cyclists at the moment...
It took nearly 20 minutes hard work (on his part) to get it setup.
If you were still in chronic pain,I'd be reluctanct to have it done, to say the least.
The K tape has been on since Tuesday. It has definitely set the 'step' into line but frankly not something I'd say has been a breeze to put up with.
It has helped though without a doubt and the physio being very sports orientated, told me to just get on with it and dont fall off again!
Racing tomorrow, but I know I am having to rebuild on race fire again so my target is a quality LVRC race in May.

twinpop

I`ve had the same injury no tape just weights to strengthen the area.
Thing is I`ve hit very hard twice... after a bit you don`t notice the bone sticking out.

gethinceri

Snake Oil.