Shoulder Impingement (swimmer's shoulder) anyone?

[Cora_sMom]

I had to have surgery… surgeon filed the bones that were impinging and put my bicep tendon somewhere else… and that did not work - it tore from the spot it didn’t like and I had to have another surgery to fix that… they put it back where it belonged. I am a type 1 diabetic and injections were contraindicated as they do more damage (three opinions on that). I had the surgery in April and the tendon repair in July and I can lug water buckets once again. It is still “tight” but I am doing exercises at home to get back full mobility. And staying away from the barn? Not an option. Ever.

My neighbor orthopedic surgeon in upstate NY (where I used to live) used to see me out at the barn after he did work on me and would just shake his head. His wife, also an orthopedic surgeon, caught me running to jump a mini that was refusing to jump for my son for a filming of an Animal Planet show prior to having my MCL repaired and I got a good lecture but I protested that it was for Hollywood. The mini jumped for the shot and I got my knee fixed.

[Guilherme]

Lawyers have a saying that goes, “The lawyer who represents himself has a fool for client.”

Another old saying goes, “Physician, heal thyself.”

IOW don’t be a fool and recognize that self diagnosis is no diagnosis at all; it’s a WAG (Wild Ass Guess).*

Go see a doctor and get a proper SOAP. The danger in “self diagnosis” is that you misapply an otherwise correct remedy. I’m 10 weeks out from shoulder surgery. I was diagnosed with a torn tendon. It’s fixed. It hurts. But I’m actually ahead of the curve on recovery according to the surgeon; saw him today for a follow-up visit. I’ve done two PT courses and start the third one next Monday. I have been diligent in my PT and it shows. But if I had been doing these exercises without the surgery I would have likely inflicted MORE damage on my shoulder. Properly prescribed and conducted PT is damn near magic; improperly done it can be truly injurious.

G.

*To be distinguished from a SWAG, which is a Scientific Wild Ass Guess.

[Mukluk]

Well it’s nearly a year later and shoulder is now just fine. I will start swimming again soon but will be sure to do my shoulder exercises and back off if I have problems.

[MsM]

I have a shoulder impingement. It may be due to the way my shoulder is constructed or it may have to do with a severely broken lower arm that was basically telescoped. Shoulder was increasingly stiff and by the time I saw ortho, was basically “frozen”
Got steroid shot to release it enough to start PT. In the ten years since, I have had to have it injected once more and did oral steroids a couple more times (because they also helped with other ortho problems!)

The shoulder is always a bit restricted. Cant put one arm straight over my head. But as long as I keep it active and do some exercises I am usually able to get it loose enough for most activities, Like saddling and bridling and reaching stuff on high shelves.

Just better not get caught committing any crimes or LE may feel that I am non-compliant with putting hands up!