I ordered the moist heat pad today. I agree that it’s a marathon as mentioned, definately NOT my strong suit! I had to laugh though when someone mentioned being able to hook their bra without pain as a goal. Mine is getting my hair in a ponytail by myself. My hubby tries but… Baby steps right?!!
Definitely the bra and ponytail are big goals! I had my DH try once I think to put my hair up (needless to say, I invested in more headbands after that! :lol:). I remember when I could ride again, I realized sports bras were a big issue, so I invested in those that zipped up the front.
How long someone is out with their shoulder (and subsequent rehab needed) really depends on what they had done. Mr. pharmgirl’s first shoulder surgery involved cutting and suturing of muscle, so he was completely stuck in a sling 6 weeks before he could do anything b/c that’s how long it took the muscle to heal. When he had his labrum fixed and some bone shaved for bursitis, he was back using it some within a few days.
I must say that this forum has been the most informative as far as people sharing their experiences. But then again maybe it’d because it’s horse people 
Ortho doc couldn’t believe how much I had compensated in order to get my everyday chores done.
My answer- I gguess you haven’t dealt with alot of horse people before huh!:lol:
[QUOTE=cottagefarm;4953873]
I must say that this forum has been the most informative as far as people sharing their experiences. But then again maybe it’d because it’s horse people
Ortho doc couldn’t believe how much I had compensated in order to get my everyday chores done.
My answer- I gguess you haven’t dealt with alot of horse people before huh!:lol:[/QUOTE]
Right.
Many years ago, a horse started crowhopping, the kid on him fell off and I reached over and caught the kid, but he fell funny on my arm and dislocated my elbow.
The surgeon put it back together and told me I would be lucky to get 70% use back.
In six weeks, I had 100% use and he said he was glad he was that wrong.
I had kept doing everything, made a sling from baling wire to carry 50 lbs salt blocks, etc.
I think that isometrics, when you work with one side and the other mimics the same movements is what helped me so much.
I think that for some healing, you need immobilization, but for other, you need at least some twitching.
[QUOTE=cottagefarm;4953873]
I must say that this forum has been the most informative as far as people sharing their experiences. But then again maybe it’d because it’s horse people
Ortho doc couldn’t believe how much I had compensated in order to get my everyday chores done.
My answer- I gguess you haven’t dealt with alot of horse people before huh!:lol:[/QUOTE]
Absolutely! People don’t appreciate that horse folk are insane, and will therefore do things thought to be impossible, or at least inadvisable, and do them without hesitation or trouble, and then be genuinely surprised when told that x activity should not have been possible.
And as a corollary to this, medical professionals should know that if a horseperson says they have an injury or other problem… they probably do. Since most of us would rather vetrap our wounds and go about our merry business than waste time going to a doctor and being told not to ride, when we actually go to a doctor and say “I have a problem”, doctors need to LISTEN. If only the doctors at the hospital I went to understood this, I wouldn’t have been discharged not knowing my ACL was torn.
I think we often have a resiliency (and stubbornness ;)) that sometimes can be a great ally, particularly when coming back from injury. We are determined to get back to doing what we want/need to do, and will keep at it until we can. We often are very creative in how we compensate, or figure things out to work to our advantage.
My surgeon is amazed every time he sees me in how well I healed and recovered from my elbow injury. He (and others at Shock Trauma) said no one has ever done this well, and that I could never be used in a study because I was such an outlier (in a good way, of course :)). I was told by my PT that I was a great patient that was also very creative at figuring out ways to stretch/strengthen different things that others may not have thought of.
The docs at the orthopaedic practice I patronize from time to time are not at all surprised at what horse people do to themselves and how fast they can heal from it. In fact, they say the 1st thing they hear is “when can I ride again” no matter how much pain they may be in. I went in for a followup visit with the shoulder guy and he immediately regretted not having me meet the prior patient. So he whipped out her xray and show me how he had reassembled her collarbone which had broken into 4 pieces. I believe she may have been an eventer.
Wierdly enough I haven’t even thought about the riding aspect yet. I know that my older guy is in a good place and being used and loved and the “culprit” is back on track, getting worked with twice weekly for now. My biggest concerns thus far were work and playing, holding etc. our son. I’d already scaled down my riding plans for the summer because of him so I’m OK with this so far. I’m hoping to get back on by Sept but be working again by August. OK, I’ve cheated and massaged a couple of horses already but…
I am in limbo with my shoulder! I am awaiting my hardware removal/capsular release surgery…STILL! Somehow, the message that I needed surgery in 2 weeks got lost between Mr. Surgeon and Ms. Scheduler. Sigh. So, they call today and said they could squeeze me in…on July 27!!! Seriously? I cannot wait another 3 weeks before I can begin round two of rehab to try to get rid of the sharp pain and lack of ROM. I think I might cry.
As to compensating and doing more than doctors think wise, horse people are right up there with motorcross riders!:lol: I was cleaning stalls, one handed, two days after my initial fall. Stupid? Hell, yeah. Necessary? You betcha! Mr. CC cannot clean a stall to save himself.
Twotone- I want to ride so badly. I miss my lessons. I’ve found myself getting up to get ready at 3:30 in the afternoon on Wednesdays so many times.:no:
CC, oh no! You must be so upset and disappointed that your surgery is pushed so far back. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they’re able to squeeze you in sooner! It’s so hard to wait when you know that every day surgery is delayed is another day before you can get on with your life.
Just recovering from round 2 surgery in 5 months
I can so relate to all of you. I am two weeks out from a second surgery on my shoulder, first was in January.
Surgeon, physio and sports med dr said that rehab from the second surgery is tougher as you are already weak and have been compensating. For me I know it is going to be a long tough go as the original injury was over 2 yrs ago and I had compensated so well that I had to go through 3 surgeons to get to one who realized there really was a problem. I will be forever grateful to the three physios I worked with who said that the first surgeons were wrong and there was definitely something quite wrong, that and the sports med dr who fit me in in under a week when his waitlist is normally 6 months. He, my current physios and my surgeon are people I will be forever grateful to.
As for horse people being tough my physio, who is the physio to NHL teams, worked at the hockey rink at the 2010 olympics and has been to multiple summer olympics as a therapist and is the Canadian Olympic swim team physop said that I am the toughest patient he has ever treated. He could not believe after this last surgery that I had let him max out my ROM as the degrees the surgeon got while I was under a general was the same that I got in PT. He said any other patient would have been screaming.
Anyone going through this just do what the physio and surgeon tells you to do. Follow those instructions to the tee as it is not worth not following them. If you can get in with a physio who works with your surgeon regularly they will keep each other updated and in my case worked to move things for the second surgery faster as the surgeon knew that I had had great rehab and that I had done what I was supposed to do. Not sure what your physios are like but mine has fired patients and he will not hesitate to tell someone that if they are not going to do their exercises don’t bother coming. They can tell if you have been doing your homework. Mine even made some kid come in to physio every day as he was not doing the exercises at home, this was just before he fired him.
Calvincrowe, I had 4 cortisone injections into my joint and none of them worked, got relief for a few days and that was it. When my surgeon was injecting in May he knew as he was doing the injection that he was going back in, we basically knew at 7 weeks after the initial surgery that I was having to have another one but the surgery that they had to do the first time is hardly ever done so it was no surprise to any of us.
Good luck to everyone and just think there will be a bunch of getting back on the beasties in the fall.
Calvin, I’m SO sorry to hear your surgery got pushed back! You must be feeling very defeated right now, I can’t even imagine. I do know what you mean about riding. I think the only thing keeping me sane about it was that I already had planned not to show this year because of our baby and the amount of time needed to keep my show horse fit. I knew they wouldn’t be compatable. The youngster was just going to play this year and maybe go to some shows if it fit in.
The above poster mentioned that her surgeon and PT work together frequently. My surgeon wants no extreme abduction for 3 months because of the screws etc. whereas the PT’s thoughts are that I’ll have a frozen shoulder if we proceed that cautiously. My surgeon is one of the best shoulder guys on the east coast, the PT is by far one of the best in the area as well. I respect both of them immensely. They do not work in the same office however so no direct everyday discussion about cases. That is why I mentioned the vet vs. farrier “conflict” the vet says do this with the feet and the farrier says Ok but if I do this, this and this will happen. Each practioner knows their profession but their opinions sometimes are not the same. I think I’m just expecting faster progress although it’s only been 6 weeks since my surgery AND I think of myself as tough and it felt crummy to feel wimpy the other day!
CC- that sucks!! Here’s hoping the surgeon has a cancellation and you can get in sooner!!
twotonejobber- that does sound a little extreme re: abduction. Did your surgeon define what he meant by extreme? I think for most things, small increments are good and almost necessary if one is going to regain motion back. It’s just often a fine line between allowing some ROM to prevent massive adhesions, and not allowing so much that it undoes what was getting fixed.
When I had my elbow repaired, my surgeon was very, very specific about what amount of extension I could do each week (by how many degrees I was actively allowed to stretch it). This was because I sheared off the lip of bone that prevented my humerus from dislocating every time I extended my arm, and he didn’t want me to risk it breaking off again before it completely healed (little did I know, it was a real possibility that would happen even once stuff was healed but I lucked out and have no problems).
Yes, he has specified the degree to which I’m supposed to increase, however his specs were for until I see him next which is not until the end of August. Herin lies the issue, because PT says that if we don’t at least push ROM that the joint will freeze. I too broke off the lip which keeps the humerus from dislocating from the scapula each time I extend the arm so I believe him when he says it is a tenuous repair until fully healed in 3 months. I also believe though that if I don’t move it somewhat more aggressively that I won’t be able to lift my arm beyond around 130 degrees, not acceptable. Abduction at this point is difficult but not as painful as the other, admittedly we’re doing MUCH smaller increments in ROM there. The one good thing though is that the joint is quite uncomfortable while stretching and during PT but the acute pain goes away when the stretch is released. REALLY looking forward to when that heating pad arrives on Tuesday!!!
Pharmgirl is a GODDESS!!! The suggestion of the moist heating pad was nothing short of genious. It came yesterday, I used it last night and this AM before therapy. Not only does it make you feel wonderful but my ROM exercies were so much easier. Thanks again!!
Calvin, any news? Were they able to move your surgery up a bit?
Well, the surgeon’s office called Tuesday to ask if I could come in Wednesday for surgery…uh, no! I am doing my brother’s chores at his farm (with help from Mr. CC) while they are burying the father-in-law at Westpoint this week, so I need both hands.
They are trying to get me in on a cancellation on July 13, and again, I’ll have about 12 hours notice. If that doesn’t work out, then July 27 it is. Which totally sucks, as I have to completely move my classroom this summer and that will definitely take two working-ish arms. That late date is putting my summer into the crappy category.
Well, I’m about to join all of you - I’m having a capsular shift of the left shoulder on 7/29 (day before my birthday, of all days!). Had a few dislocations as a teenager ~15 years ago, now the shoulder is just so unstable - it subluxes constantly.
I guess the good thing is that the joint capsule is only stretched out posteriorly. The doc says he thinks he can do this arthroscopically with sutures and a bone anchor or two; then in an adduction pillow for about a week, then a regular sling for about 4 weeks.
I know this is a crazy question, but how long before I can muck a stall? I have a horse at a self-care facility; he is inside for about 12 hours a day. He keeps a pretty messy stall though
Thanks for any insight you can offer; it’s been a huge help reading this thread.
Taryn
Tarynis-how are you at one-handed stall cleaning?? I was out cleaning my two guy’s stalls the second day after my initial fall (so pre-surgery, simple sling, massively shattered humerus just hanging there, broken ribs/scapula–good times!). I just choked up on the fork, got down close to the bedding and went to town. Took a while, made my right arm hurt and look like Popeye’s arm by the time I could use both hands.
Once I was about 4 weeks post surgery, I kind of balanced the fork in my bad hand and cleaned 1.5 handed. I’d say I was using both hands at about 10 weeks. But, mine is very different than your injury.
Calvincrowe, that’s good to hear - I think I can clean a stall one handed. I asked the doc about it and got a LOOONNNGGGGG lecture about how the capsule can stretch out again very easily and how I really have to protect it or I’ll pull out the bone anchors …etc…etc… obviously he hasn’t dealt with a horse person before!
I use pelleted bedding so the stall is pretty easy to clean - of course His Highness is a royal pig in the stall and seems to think all poop must be walked all over the stall sigh.
Thanks for the advice. Hope you get scheduled for your surgery soon!
Taryn
I use pelleted bedding, too. Makes the one handed thing easier. I’d give it a few days, until you have a handle on the pain (if any) and your general mobility. I laugh at my ortho as well…you’d think he’d realize what wackos we are, as the senior partner in the big Ortho practice I use is a hunter rider!! He has come off at Thermal, broken and then set his own nose, and gone back in the ring!
Good luck with your own surgery. I hope it is successful.
