Shoulder impingement

[eclipse]

Ugg fell while houseboating 2 weeks ago (so not even off a horse!!!) and hurt my shoulder. Over the past 2 weeks the pain got worse, I cannot lift my arm above my head, reach behind my back and its waking me up at night… so I decided i needed to stop “sucking it up” and get myself to my dr!

He’s thinking impingement, bursitis or possibly rotator cuff tear so i had an xray this morning and ultrasound tomorrow and then off to a specialist… and to add insult to injury its on my reconstructed side after my mastectomy… just blech!!!

any words on how long this pain will last? Its freaking worse than when i broke my ankle!!! Someone, anyone commiserate with me…im grouchy!!!

[SuzieQNutter]

Hubby could not lift his arm higher than his head coming off Sim. I can’t really remember how long ago but probably 6 months and he said it is now fixed. No he wouldn’t go to a Doctor.

Mum is 91 years old. She had a fall and hurt her shoulderand can’t lift it above her head. It hasn’t been 6 months yet for her. She is fine but hasn’t go e back to lawn bowls yet with lockdown. She is starting to think about going and trying it again.
The same sentences came from her hunny when I asked what the doctor said!

Third strike as things come in 3’s. My brother had a woman overtake him and came in and hit him a car and pushed him into the guide rail. He can’t lift above his head. I gather he has been to a Doctor as Insurance is probably involved.

You can get bras that do up st the front. Or bring the clips to the front to undo as well as when you do them up.

[SuzieQNutter]

Hubby could not lift his arm higher than his head coming off Sim. I can’t really remember how long ago but probably 6 months and he said it is now fixed. No he wouldn’t go to a Doctor.

Mum is 91 years old. She had a fall and hurt her shoulderand can’t lift it above her head. It hasn’t been 6 months yet for her. She is fine but hasn’t go e back to lawn bowls yet with lockdown. She is starting to think about going and trying it again.
The same sentences came from her as did hubby when I asked what the doctor said!

Third strike as things come in 3’s. My brother had a woman overtake him and came in and hit his car and push him into the guide rail. He can’t lift above his head. I gather he has been to a Doctor as Insurance is probably involved.

You can get bras that do up at the front. Or bring the clips to the front to undo as well as when you do them up.

[eclipse]

I am glad to hear your mom and hubby are better, even without a dr! This gives me great relief…when I asked my dr “can I keep riding” he was “seriously are you actually asking me that? you know better! ”…”yes, yes I am” …at least he laughed!

The one thing about having had a mastectomy…I still have lots of bras that fasten in the front! 😁

[RMJacobs]

I’ve managed to wipe out both my shoulders, once (right) from crashing off a bolting horse and twice (left) from bike crashes. After the fall off my horse, I was diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear. I didn’t want to have surgery, so I didn’t. It eventually healed on its own. The first bike crash mostly healed, but the second one was a bear. Strangely, I was reaching back to get my seatbelt, something slid back into place and the pain level dropped significantly. My rheumatologist thought maybe there was a tendon displaced.

They will still sometimes hurt (even the one that healed well), but it’s certainly bearable.

Rebecca

[Dutchmare433]

@RMJacobs

I’ve managed to wipe out both my shoulders, once (right) from crashing off a bolting horse and twice (left) from bike crashes. After the fall off my horse, I was diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear. I didn’t want to have surgery, so I didn’t. It eventually healed on its own. The first bike crash mostly healed, but the second one was a bear. Strangely, I was reaching back to get my seatbelt, something slid back into place and the pain level dropped significantly. My rheumatologist thought maybe there was a tendon displaced.

They will still sometimes hurt (even the one that healed well), but it’s certainly bearable.

Rebecca

How long did the rotator cuff tear take to heal? Did you rest it or continue to use it? I hurt my shoulder a few weeks ago, have had x-rays and am awaiting an MRI. Blech.

[eclipse]

@Dutchmare433

How long did the rotator cuff tear take to heal? Did you rest it or continue to use it? I hurt my shoulder a few weeks ago, have had x-rays and am awaiting an MRI. Blech.

Are you finding it hard to sleep? That’s the hardest part…it keeps waking me up so I’m now I’m tired as well!

[cayuse]

I’ve had one frozen shoulder from bursitis/tendonitis and several episodes of tendonitis in both shoulders. Mine came from lugging water buckets and twice from a pony fooling aound and spooking :mad: while I was leading him. Symptoms were as you describe. Twice I needed steriod injections the other times it resolved on it’s own, well… on it’s own with NSAIDS. Hope you feel better soon, I know how painful shoulders can be

[cayuse]

I’m going to answer the “hard to sleep” question! YES! As soon as I’d lay down the pain would increase and last ALL NIGHT LONG :no::(:no:

[Dutchmare433]

@eclipse

Are you finding it hard to sleep? That’s the hardest part…it keeps waking me up so I’m now I’m tired as well!

For the first week and a half I could not sleep on my right side (right shoulder is injured) but was fine on my back or left side. Of course I sleep on my right side so that was tough to adjust to and for much of that first week and a half I slept on the couch wedged in with pillows so I couldn’t roll over. Now I’m mostly fine on my right side but can’t stay on that side the whole night.

[Bristol_Bay]

@eclipse

Are you finding it hard to sleep? That’s the hardest part…it keeps waking me up so I’m now I’m tired as well!

Get yourself a bed wedge or sleep in a recliner.

[eclipse]

@Bristol Bay

Get yourself a bed wedge or sleep in a recliner.

I’m currently in the recliner…never thought I’d be back in here again! Blech but here I am having my “whiny pity party” 😉

[hoopoe]

I separated my shoulder in a fall in the first week of august and spent a month in sling. It was a week out of sling before I could lift my arm beyond 45 degree, the pain at night was difficult. I resorted to CBD and benadryl as needed, but a good night sleep was long in coming, I think I finally slept well after 5 weeks. The surgeon took me out of the sling sept 5. I started with my archery pulling 10 days ago. The biggest pain I think is the atrophy muscles. SOmetimes I would wake up at night and have to get up and move around.

I am surprised they are not going with MRI which is better at defining soft tissue injury I would also wonder if the fall exacerbated tissue from your previous surgery; ripping adhesions swelling involving nerves etc.

lots of cold packs . I sleep on my uninjured side with my arm propped up by a stiff pillow I try to maintain a neutral position with my arm; a nice straight down and elbow angle open, like a riding position

a good solid work up with surgeon so you actually have a diagnosis then you can get information on the recovery, Without a diagnosis you are a bit dead in the water, Find the best shoulder surgeon you can for opinions and personally I would get 2. Be super diligent with any PT you get. Shoulders are a hell hole.

You might want to contact the surgeon who did your reconstruction as they may have seen other patients who have secondary issues with falls like yours.

[eclipse]

@hoopoe Thanks, I was actually thinking about calling my plastic surgeon! I still have one more surgery planned with him coming up for the other side to finish everything off, so will be seeing him soon anyway! The mastectomy was almost 2 years ago and feels great,so I’m hoping everything is still good! I know there’s an increase risk of shoulder issues and rotator cuff tendinitis etc after mastectomy, but until this I was doing great…sigh…There’s absolutely zero pain or issues at the surgery site… I have zero swelling, no pain when dr palpated tendons etc in the breast area, no lympedema (which was my biggest worry after this)! I’m already scheduled for a regular 2 year mri coming up to check my implants and bc surgery site! I’ll see if they want to just add a “shoulder” lol

[ElementFarm]

Shoulders are tough!

After putting up with low/mid -grade pain for years (despite rest, physical therapy, etc), and an MRI showed labrum tear, some rotator cuff impingement and significant biceps tendon damage. I had surgery and was utterly unprepared for how much pain I had post procedure (slap tear repair, biceps tenodesis and subacromial decompression) and how long it took to recover.

I did PT religiously, but never did get full use/pain free of the shoulder. It’s been several years and it’s fine. I know my limits and the rest of me is falling apart enough that the shoulder just matches the rest of the body at this point.

But my personal experience/advice:
-Lying flat can be excruciating. Many people used recliners but I didn’t have one I liked, and also I missed being in the bed with DH and dogs/cats. So I got a wedge pillow on Amazon and that worked fine.
-Don’t be afraid to use ice and heat. lots of it. Ice numbs the pain and heat helps with overall tightness and achyness. Even better are those neoprene pads with tubing that run to a cooler with a pump. Dump ice water in the cooler and it keeps circulating through the pad. That thing was a life-saver for me!
-There is a lot going on in a shoulder. And it takes a long time to heal. I was told it would be a year post-surgery before I would know how effective it was. Don’t rush the healing, and definitely get the imaging (MRI w/ contrast) done. Some things heal on their own, some won’t without intervention.

[Calvincrowe]

Get thee to a orthopedist who specializes in shoulders. As others have said, there’s a LOT going on in your shoulder. I had 4 part humeral fracture that essentially “blew up” the head of my humerus in my shoulder joint. Surgery pinned and screwed it all back together, but there was nerve damage, muscle atrophy, and rotator cuff and labrum trauma. My injury is far more traumatic than yours but the pain of shoulder injuries is pretty unbearable. (I am an orthopedic nightmare-- 3 knee surgeries, 7 foot surgeries, back surgery, 3 shoulder surgeries).

An MRI is a better tool to see what soft tissue damage has been done. An ortho will be best to ID what might be going on vs. PCP in a visit. Ice and heat will help. Using a sling will also immobilize that joint and offer you relief and limit further damage.

Sleeping…oh, that blessed event…is so hard with shoulders. I spent 3.5 months on the couch with special pillows to find the right position. The post-surgical pain (oh, did I mention the broken ribs and scapula?!) was only manageable with opioids and muscle relaxers for the first month or so. It was truly the worst I’ve had besides a lacerated kidney (that was beyond unbearable!). I’d find that one position and arrangement of pillows/chair/couch/bed that works and stick with it. Nap if you can during the day. Don’t be afraid of pain control medications (unless you have reason to be/past history) and seek out alternatives if needed. I find muscle relaxers (Robaxin, flexerill, baclofen) a safe way to get to sleep when my shoulder or back are telling me not tonight.

It will get better. It will take time. If you get PT exercises, do them. That’s the best way to get better. Good luck!

[Jarpur]

I had an orthopedist tell me that “shoulders take a very long time to heal because gravity is not your friend.” Good luck.

[SuzieQNutter]

For pain take 2 x ibuprofen. 2 hours later 2 x panadol . 2 hours later 2 x ibuprofen, etc, etc. Do not go over the maximum in a day. It might be enough to get a bit of sleep.

[eclipse]

Thanks everyone…I was given Naproxen by my dr which helped a lot and I managed to get some sleep last night! Nope, gravity definitely isn’t my friend! Referred to an orthopaedic surgeon next week by my dr as ultrasound is looking like impingement and bursitis and an old rotator cuff tear (this was asymptomatic) which they think has probably come from having the mastectomy (very common apparently) and this fall has aggravated it! He thinks they will probably want to start conservatively but he doesn’t want to mess around and wait (I love my GP!) …called my plastic surgeon, and he said to meet with the orthopaedic guy, and then he will consult with him to get his opinion and they’ll decide from there whether we need to look at the reconstruction, but he thinks the shoulder should be healed first anyway!

[hoopoe]

I used the Virtual Tevis as a reason, in August, To get up and get moving, At first, while wearing a sling it was odd because you have to find a new balance mode.

But walking on even surface with good erect dressage posture was actually good. It got my muscles where they need to be, not slouching on the sofa over a computer. I could feel my shoulders go back and down through my spine

Walk three times a day for 20 minutes did a lot for me. If you were not given an isolation sling make one with a large scarf. DO not underestimate the value of walking and you want to really think about that good riding posture in your shoulder set.

Great you have a plan and that your whole team is on board and going to participate in discussions. That is extra confidence building.

I hope your diagnosis is a somewhat simple one like my shoulder separation . As it is, I may or may not get back to my archery, as I know it.

I , as predicted by myself, am impatient to see progress. My deltoids have a different opinion. Everyone at the range caution me to take is slow. I learned that after 4 days of being Yes I Can about it.