UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => diet, training and injuries => Topic started by: battery on July 10, 2022, 10:53:21 am
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In response to a post in NNFN someone suggested I start a thread dedicated to my moaning...
13 April at about 20:20 just coming towards the end of my session in the wall - cool looking slab problem, left hand rotated outwards, straight arm pressing to rock over a high right foot. As I initiated the move my bottom foot slipped, as my hips were in to the slab all the weight went through my left arm and I was screaming before I hit the mat.
Had a slight out of body experience as I was laid on the mat thinking 'I'm shouting quite loudly, oh, I can't stop shouting'. Think I freaked a few novices out! My arm was stuck out to the side, I couldn't bring it in.
Ambulance called, paramedics gave me gas and air and morphine then a bit of creativity with a bandage to hang my arm which was off the edge of the trolley from the roof of the ambulance. Col still got screamed at every time we went round a roundabout and Amy laughed at my abusing him quite a lot.
x-ray then Penthrox to put it back in but they could apparently hear me screaming two corridors away. So through to a room with all the monitors so they could sedate me - Propofol and fentanyl and the next thing I knew I was sat up (for the first time) with my arm in a sling.
Got home at 02:30 the following morning, incredibly sore and sick and tired but incredibly grateful for the amazing staff who looked after me, especially a porter called David who stuck with me throughout the whole thing - I've never been able to track him down.
Fracture clinic one week later - shoulder specialist didn't really seem very concerned - sent me for an MRI and an urgent referral to physio which would likely be 6 weeks. I came out feeling quite dismissed and very upset.
MRI two weeks later revealed Hill-Sachs and Bony Bankhart Lesions and an incomplete fracture to the neck of the humerus . Consultant was only concerned with the fact that there was no rotator cuff damage so no surgery was required, go away and do the physio, see you in three months. I pointed out that I hadn't even heard from the physio department.
In the mean time I had contacted a private physio and had a few sessions, gently trying to get it moving. This physio had mentioned to a consultant friend my case and with my permission he looked at my file. He was convinced that it needed surgery to repair the Bankhart lesion and stabilise the shoulder. I went back to the NHS consultant and again came out feeling dismissed and upset - no to surgery, see you in 3 months. I paid for a face to face with the private consultant after which I put in a request to the NHS hospital to change consultants.
In the meantime - 2 different NHS physios saw me, one of whom was also telling me that it needed surgery.
Got to see another consultant in under a week and was very impressed. Another x-ray, over an hour having everything explained to me, discussing options and recommendations. He then brought another consultant in to give a second opinion and they agreed. My shoulder is SO stiff right now that any surgery at this point would do more harm than good. The bony Bankhurt Lesion is healing pretty much in place and whilst recurrent dislocation is a possibility it is impossible to predict at this point and they don't want to do unnecessary surgery.
The outcome of the 3 hours at the hospital was feeling like I properly understood what is going on for the first time; a steroid injection and a physio session with instructions to forget all the strength stuff and focus on mobility.
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Saw the physio again last week that I like and trust and although I had not really made any progress since the steroid inject he said now was the time to throw the book at it. Push. Push to discomfort but not to the point where it is going to be so sore that I won't want to do it again later. He called it a Traumatic Frozen Shoulder, so basically I have to persuade my body to stop guarding the shoulder - which is hard! Exercises take a lot of concentration and time not helped by the fact that every time my children get wind of me being laid on the floor they think it's rough and tumble time!
Progress so far - can get into press up position, can’t get into plank, bum is almost on heals in child's pose, can weight bare one handed in tabletop. over the head movement feels like it is slowly improving but is painful in the shoulder.
External rotation is hard, soreness in the tricep stops it. Working hard to relax but also keep good form is tricky – I’m not sure how to get and maintain a ‘neutral’ position and even if that is the right thing to do.
Feels like it has improved lots this week. I can now get my hand to pockets on both side at the back which is huge. When I say lots, it’s small, but it is across the board improvement including in the amount of pain I am in.
I have been a bit slack with the exercises this week mainly though being ridiculously busy with other stuff and now wondering if the pain settling is due to this. It’s hard to find motivation to do the exercises when they hurt so much, are hard to do and improvement is so so slow, if at all. But do them I must, I know.
I also have A LOT of exercises to do. I’ve had four different physios, two of whom told me largely the same thing, one of whom spent the whole time telling me I needed surgery, and one of whom said forget everything you’ve been told by the others and concentrate on mobility.
I maybe need to compile a spreadsheet and laminate it with days of the week. I can tick them off with a whiteboard marker when I do them. I’ve never been very good at being systematic with my training without outside intervention.
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A few YYFY along the way - being able to drive (although this can be limited depending on how sore my shoulder is), being able to pull my leggings up, being able to put my hair in a bobble.
My first major YYFY came yesterday when I found the confidence to get on a bike for the first time. Rode with the family on pretty flat tracks and after an hour my shoulder was beginning to protest but it felt good to be able to do it. Pushing seems fine, pulling is an issue so as long as I stay on flat-ish stuff that doesn't require me to pull up on the handlebars I should be ok.
I can get both arms up to the finger board but can't even begin to weight my left arm. I tried to pull the car boot lid down and screamed in pain.
Other parts of by back are protesting today. Not sure if that is due to muscles waking up or if it's other muscles overcompensating for the shoulder - maybe a bit of both.
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Good to hear you’ve got some solid progress there.
Shoulder injuries are a right bastard to recover from don’t rush it !!
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In response to a post in NNFN someone suggested I start a thread dedicated to my moaning...
13 April at about 20:20 just coming towards the end of my session in the wall - cool looking slab problem, left hand rotated outwards, straight arm pressing to rock over a high right foot. As I initiated the move my bottom foot slipped, as my hips were in to the slab all the weight went through my left arm and I was screaming before I hit the mat.
Had a slight out of body experience as I was laid on the mat thinking 'I'm shouting quite loudly, oh, I can't stop shouting'. Think I freaked a few novices out! My arm was stuck out to the side, I couldn't bring it in.
Ambulance called, paramedics gave me gas and air and morphine then a bit of creativity with a bandage to hang my arm which was off the edge of the trolley from the roof of the ambulance. Col still got screamed at every time we went round a roundabout and Amy laughed at my abusing him quite a lot.
x-ray then Penthrox to put it back in but they could apparently hear me screaming two corridors away. So through to a room with all the monitors so they could sedate me - Propofol and fentanyl and the next thing I knew I was sat up (for the first time) with my arm in a sling.
Got home at 02:30 the following morning, incredibly sore and sick and tired but incredibly grateful for the amazing staff who looked after me, especially a porter called David who stuck with me throughout the whole thing - I've never been able to track him down.
Fracture clinic one week later - shoulder specialist didn't really seem very concerned - sent me for an MRI and an urgent referral to physio which would likely be 6 weeks. I came out feeling quite dismissed and very upset.
MRI two weeks later revealed Hill-Sachs and Bony Bankhart Lesions and an incomplete fracture to the neck of the humerus . Consultant was only concerned with the fact that there was no rotator cuff damage so no surgery was required, go away and do the physio, see you in three months. I pointed out that I hadn't even heard from the physio department.
Ouch.
Painfully familiar (https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,28273.msg555673.html#msg555673). I had a similar set of injuries without the humeral fracture (ouch ouch) but including axillary nerve damage that paralysed my deltoid muscle (you don't want this). Fortunately only temporary.
I also had a post-traumatic 'frozen' shoulder: couldn't lift my arm above 90 degrees (using the good arm because of the deltoid paralysis).
Because I was old, inflexible and male, a repeat dislocation was considered fairly unlikely so there was no serious debate about surgical repair. I'm also a physiotherapist by background so very positively predisposed to attempting rehabilitation first. Assuming you're younger, more flexible, and less male the decision is a bit less clear-cut and you've been on the receiving end of some unhelpfully conflicting communication by the sound of it. I'd always suggest trying non-surgical treatment first unless you're given clear and consistent recommendations otherwise.
Like you, regaining the lost movement was hard and painful. I also found it worrying, forcing it to move felt wrong. It took three months of graft, multiple times a day, to get close to full range. I had John Allen's experience in my mind to encourage me to work hard: he'd had a surgical repair for recurrent dislocation in the early 80s, his US surgeon wasn't keen on physios. for some reason and he never regained full range of movement. (Didn't stop him climbing pretty handily on his return to the UK). I left the last ~5 degrees of elevation to return of it's own accord as I didn't want to over-mobilise the joint. I spent less time on retraining strength as I knew this would return even after many months. Your set of problems may require different emphasis.
I was able to climb not long after regaining full range, took me about three and a half months. Five years later I've had no long term problems and no recurrences. I was nervous about climbing away from developed world standard hospitals and mountain rescue for the first three years and the pandemic and long covid seems to have put a stop to anything too adventurous in the last two. I've not got back on Supersonic.
I've been assiduous about doing my strength and conditioning, see power clubs ad nauseam. This has made me less prone to tweaks. In the long term, having the dislocation may have been mildly positive for my climbing!
Being able to get back on your bike is brilliant at this stage: that's a good improvement.
Stick at it.
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That's all really useful, thanks Duncan. You've inspired me to shift my arse off the sofa and do my exercises now.
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This thread is already infinitely cooler than "Wellsy's knee
moaning recovery thread" ;D
Also can you please change your avatar to a battery...
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As you asked so nicely
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Hopefully that image will be prophetic for eventual shoulder recovery.
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This thread is already infinitely cooler than "Wellsy's knee moaning recovery thread" ;D
Also can you please change your avatar to a battery...
I regret nothing :D
The injury sounds awful battery but I'm really glad you've made improvements and are now getting better support from health services
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I was going to Google "Bankhurt Lesion" but I think I don't want to...
Good luck Battery - sounds like a shit accident. I don't know why but wall injuries aways seem to sting a bit more mentally than crocking yourself doing "proper" climbing don't they?
I had a simpler humerus injury years ago, clean broke mine on day 1 of a Font trip in 2004. For better or worse I got plated and screwed off the bat (it was pretty much halfway down so I assume a less complex injury) but the recover from even that was LONG. 9 months, tedious physio, no weights or climbing, even a dalliance with bloody spin classes for a while.
Good luck with it, and as everyone here has said, take it stead but definitely use this thread to vent!
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I know it's not helpful, but the Primoz Roglic approach to a dislocated shoulder amused me:
“I couldn’t put it back in on the road so I needed to sit on the chair of spectator and put it back in.”
https://www.velonews.com/events/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-primoz-roglic-confirmed-to-start-stage-6-after-dislocating-his-shoulder-on-the-cobbles/?itm_source=parsely-api
West Nab will be waiting for you on rehab!
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Slow progress this week but progress at least.
Exercises have been stripped back and more focussed by the physio with some strength stuff to stabilise and some stretches. Interestingly my body seems to respond best to resistance then stretch. External rotation and above my head are improving but it's still slow and painful. Still absolutely no chance of climbing any time soon.
Getting a sharp pain in the front of my shoulder at the extremes of my movement which the physio said could be impingement but back in clinic yesterday they said it is probably the shoulder head moving too far forwards in the socket - if pressure is applied whilst I'm doing exercises it isn't so bad. Problem with that is that my limited movement means I can't do any rotator cuff exercises to help stability because my shoulder is so stuff!! Worrying but I'm trying not to worry.
Lovely moment at the weekend, when the whole family went for a play on the paddle board. I can't paddle properly or for long, swimming isn't easy and climbing back onto the board was definitely not easy but being able to play in the sea with the family was amazing.
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Sounds cautiously positive, worth playing with form when on SUP to see what works best for the shoulder; paddle should actually be as us upright as possible and your upper arm crossing your body, and you should actually generate the force for paddling from your core. Apologies if you know this already
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"Problem with that is that my limited movement means I can't do any rotator cuff exercises to help stability because my shoulder is so stuff!!"
You can certainly do isometric rotator cuff strengthening/stability if you have limited mobility.
https://ahc.aurorahealthcare.org/fywb/x08252.pdf
Slow and steady wins the race with this injury. In time you'll be climbing again.
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Getting a sharp pain in the front of my shoulder at the extremes of my movement which the physio said could be impingement but back in clinic yesterday they said it is probably the shoulder head moving too far forwards in the socket - if pressure is applied whilst I'm doing exercises it isn't so bad.
Probably two different ways of saying the same thing.
Problem with that is that my limited movement means I can't do any rotator cuff exercises to help stability because my shoulder is so stuff!!
As sheavi says there are many ways to strengthen the rotator cuff. The main function of the rotator cuff is stability not rotation. Rotating exercises, like the classic tennis backhand action against a theraband, can strengthen the rotator cuff but are not necessary to do so. Ask your physio.
Good news that you see progress, albeit slow, and can do fun stuff with the family (I expect paddling will be working the rotator cuff!)
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I should have had faith - the physio was all over it and I came away from this week's session with rotator cuff exercises to add to the stretches and strength based work I'm already doing.
The physio was very encouraging and said I am making good progress. He also had absolute sympathy for me being frustrated and for how hard work mentally and physically the recovery is.
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Sounds like you have a keeper there! A good physio is such a godsend, keep up the hard (and painful) work.
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He also had absolute sympathy for me being frustrated and for how hard work mentally and physically the recovery is.
This is really great and I’m very pleased to read this.
The contrast between the support you are (rightfully) receiving and that which is given to severe long covid patients makes me tear up a little. Having someone on your side makes a massive difference. Hope it continues to be a productive relationship.
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He also had absolute sympathy for me being frustrated and for how hard work mentally and physically the recovery is.
This is really great and I’m very pleased to read this.
The contrast between the support you are (rightfully) receiving and that which is given to severe long covid patients makes me tear up a little. Having someone on your side makes a massive difference. Hope it continues to be a productive relationship.
As you can see from above it's been a bit of a battle to get the support which is so wrong. I'm a fairly confident and articulate person with a bit of resource behind me, it's awful to think of the alternative.
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Been quiet for a couple of weeks as nothing to report. People ask 'how's your shoulder?' to which the reply is 'boring'!
The physio continues to be brilliant offering solid advice and guidance as well as support - he was very sympathetic in my last session and reminded me of how far I have come.
Upwards and backwards movements are improving quite well, noticeably getting more movement back. The strength is coming back and I am feeling more confident in using it. Rotation is still really poor and I am trying to hammer it with the exercises but it's limited by how much I can withstand in a day!!
A couple of YYFY moments in the last few days - ran for nearly 4k with no ill effects which was good and I took my eldest and my dad out for a day on Kinder. My ability to drive is pretty unlimited these days but I was most chuffed with being able to carry a pack for the day, something I couldn't do just a week before.
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Good report! Slow progress is some progress, even if it is.....boring.
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Been quiet for a couple of weeks as nothing to report. People ask 'how's your shoulder?' to which the reply is 'boring'!
Rehab is very boring, especially when it is time consuming and slow. Yours sounds excruciatingly dull.
But it’s less boring than being injured :) sounds like you are getting there, step by step 👍
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YYFY - thumb to rib cage behind my back. Seems minor but feels like a huge milestone.
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One small stretch behind the back for woman....
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Actually got on rock a couple of days ago. We're away and husband had put my climbing shoes in his bag. Got on some juggy traverse slabs and it felt like it should be a YYFY moment to be back on the rock after 4 months, that comforting feeling of squeezing my feet into my shoes, chalk, rocks etc. But it wasn't. It was so far off what I would normally be doing and felt so alien I just didn't enjoy it. I tried pulling on something a bit steeper and ended up stopping very quickly, I'm not there yet.
One of the things I love about climbing is the challenge, pushing my ability and my body, doing things that I didn't think were possible. Hopefully the rapid ability gains will continue into climbing and I'll be back to that soon.
Got on a bike at a trail centre today, I admit to being very nervous, genuinely didn't know how it would go. It went really well. We didn't do anything difficult, just enjoyed a family ride around a blue run (but we're in Scotland so it's pretty fierce for a blue!) and so I didn't test my ability to throw the bike around at all but it was not worried at all by any of the speed, bumps, dropoffs or rough ground. Be interesting to see how I get on with something tougher later in the holiday....
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:great: :dance1:
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But it wasn't. It was so far off what I would normally be doing and felt so alien I just didn't enjoy it.
I had exactly the same coming out of the first lockdown, lovely day, great conditions, nice problems, hated it and hated life. But focusing on baby steps and not trying to climb well or hard or anything, each time got better. My goal for the next trip out wasn't "climb better" or "climb more" or "enjoy it", it was "don't hate it as much as the previous time". Pretty soon it got back to the fun stage....
Good that you got out and did some stuff, take it steady and good luck progressing!
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Feels like it's been such a long time coming but I am finally back with the consultant tomorrow morning (saga of whether or not the appointment was going ahead is another thread!!)
I can ride a bike. I can carry a rucksack. I can run. I can sort of paddle board, I can stay afloat but certainly can't swim lengths.
Climbing outdoors is just too tricky. Went back to the depot (where I did it) last week and was psyched until I got there then I wanted to turn and run. Climbed the entire white circuit without ever feeling like I was going to fall but there were a couple of times where the movement concerned me - a strange experience; no one talks to you when you're climbing whites; feeling scared to fall/jump off caught me off guard.
The feeling in my shoulder has definitely changed, it feels bruised on the outside, driving hurt again last week, but mobility is improving, especially if the movement doesn't involve any rotation or extension out to the side.
So, how do I approach my appointment? Do I just go in and see what they say or do I go in with a game plan? Are there particular questions I ought to be asking or just let them do what they do.... Any thoughts from the collective mind/expertise/experience appreciated.
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Steady progress and returning to the scene of the accident is always going to feel very strange. I've still not been back to High Tor.
So, how do I approach my appointment? Do I just go in and see what they say or do I go in with a game plan? Are there particular questions I ought to be asking or just let them do what they do.... Any thoughts from the collective mind/expertise/experience appreciated.
I'd have a long think about what you want to know from them. What are you unhappy with, or just not sure about? Perhaps discuss this with friends, other half etc. You might want to know if the progress is as expected, what the timescale is to returning to climbing confidently, what the long-term outlook is like especially with respect to re-dislocation.
Then write down your questions and take your list in with you (I freeze in these situations despite being supposedly well-informed and able to speak the same language).
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Cheers Duncan, that's really helpful.
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Make sure you tell them its making you sad, if you seem happy enough they'll just try and do the bare minimum.
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Make sure you tell them its making you sad, if you seem happy enough they'll just try and do the bare minimum.
Interesting, thanks Moo
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Then write down your questions and take your list in with you (I freeze in these situations despite being supposedly well-informed and able to speak the same language).
Have a friend/partner with you, if possible, who can listen more objectively than you, and maybe even take notes?
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Quick update following my appointment on Monday:
- traumatic frozen shoulder which should be moving more than it is by now.
- whilst I have the activity levels they more expect to see in 20 year olds, clinically I am presenting as a typical 43 year old.
- complete sympathy and support for how frustrating and painful it is.
- chances of redislocation are slim in their opinion.
- perimenopause can cause frozen shoulder so I have a bit of a.double whammy going on.
- need to get the shoulder moving, so been referred for an urgent hydrodistention which sounds as if it might be quite painful but apparently can also offer instant relief.
I had spoken to family in advance and my physio and I went in with my notebook and pen which the consultant really appreciated! Had an x-ray and saw the top bod who also got the other top bod in for a second opinion. They were in complete agreement and very helpful.
Fingers crossed I don't have to wait too long for the procedure and it isn't as painful as it sounds.
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Appointment with physio today who has again said that my shoulder joint is unstable (when he applies pressure the rotation is better) but it is also very stiff.
Appointment for hydrodistention through, it's a week on Monday. Can't get to see the physio again for another 4 weeks (his working pattern ha changed and he doesn't have as many appointments available).
Been referred for hydrotherapy but no-one was able to tell me how long that night take.
So I'm left wondering what the implications of the unstable shoulder are (everyone agrees that redislocation is unlikely) and if the injection will make that worse - it seems counterintuitive that a shoulder can be frozen and unstable at the same time.
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Interesting reports Battery. Sorry to hear it's going on so long but at least you are being referred for treatments. Frozen + unstable makes sense to me, that it could be locked in place by the larger muscles being stiff, or the nervous control for the whole area holding it too tightly, whilst at the same time the stabilising muscles are weak so if it's unfrozen it will need extra care. In fact there's some logic that the stabilising muscles could be weak if they're not getting much usage due to the whole area being frozen by other muscles / systems!
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I'm not professional, but I can see how you could have a frozen and unstable shoulder. I partially dislocated my shoulder many years ago, rehabbed it and thought nothing of it. A few years later, I did "something funny" to my neck while trying to do a one-armer and it must have compressed a rotator cuff nerve or something, as for the next few weeks I had a real specific weakness in certain positions - this annoyingly coincided with a planned climbing trip near Stavanger when visiting a mate.
It partially dislocated about 6 times that week, because my rotator cuff couldn't stabilise the joint - but as far as I'm aware I don't have any structural issues with it, and have barely had a problem since.
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Ah, ok, that makes sense. Also makes sense as to why I have a lot of strength based exercises as well as the stretching. The stretches are basic but the rotator cuff and muscles are getting a hammering.
Feeling like I could do with a good massage on the whole of my upper back at the moment, it is all very uncomfortable and achy but part of me thinks don't mess with it!!
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Sticking a tennis ball between you and a wall and having a good (standing) roll around might ease some of the tension in your traps and lats
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Some good progress in the last couple of weeks, feels like it's turned a slight corner.
Consultant told me that frozen shoulder can be a symptom of perimenopause and my change in HRT seems to coincide with progression in my shoulder which I think can not be a coincidence.
Hydrodistention on Monday - part of me thinks.is it worth it but I am pretty sure that's just the nerves talking - I am genuinely terrified partly cos it sounds fucking painful and partly because I'm afraid it won't work.
The one bit of good news is that for the first time in ALL of my treatment, husband gets to come with me on this one, I am genuinely really pleased not to have to do it alone and also have this weird sensation of being excited to show him round... I guess that hospital has become such a regular (weekly if not more) part of my life that it's nice to share it with my nearest and dearest.
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Where to start... I can hang on both arms again, I can reach almost vertically above my head again, I can get my arm up behind my back again... Turns out hydrodistention was a bit of a miracle for me. The results were instant and I've spent the last week in slight disbelief, almost waiting for it to seize up again.
It's 6 months today since I did it and for the first time climbing feels like it might actually be doable, maybe even enjoyable.... We will see...
Absolutely loving being able to move again and there's parts of my shoulder and arm that haven't moved for 6 months that it feels great to utilise.
Saw my physio today and not that there was any doubt but his absolute delight at how well the procedure had gone demonstrated just how invested in my rehab he is.
Still got some mobility and stretching stuff to do but it's much more complex movements and it's all about smashing the strength exercises now, I enjoy that much more than stretching at least but it's funny how something so simple as putting both arms above my head repeatedly absolutely kills!!
All in all it feels like a big YYFY - hopefully the first of many.
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Good stuff keep going !!!
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Really pleased to hear it, that's amazing progress! You'll be back in no time.
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Well Done! :weakbench:
I've no doubt that the results you are seeing are due to the effort put in. Not only in rehab, but keeping the faith and seeking the positive.
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Great news.
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:beer2: great to hear Battery, after all the struggles and effort put in, you deserve some progress like that. Hope it keeps going and keeps steady.
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Great news :)
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hydrodistention
Finally got round to googling what this is (shuddered).
Glad it's worked and you are progressing though!
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hydrodistention
Finally got round to googling what this is (shuddered).
Glad it's worked and you are progressing though!
Was actually pretty pain free, just an odd sensation - steroid injection was much worse!
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I WENT CLIMBING!!
I went out with the family, glorious clear blue skies, early start and a parking space in the close parking (easier with small person). I was just pleased to be out but when I put that pad on my back it felt so nice, the familiarity of it was so comforting.
Went out with no expectations but did lots of lovely moves on lovely grit and even ended up on top of the block a couple of times.
The weakness in my shoulder was obvious but only once did I have a moment with the movement - I'll take that!!
One thing I hadn't thought about was the fact that it's not just my shoulder that is weak - my whole body hasn't climbed for 6 months and I hurt now!!
YYFY
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So good to read that :dance1:
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Two wad points in less than a week for you, sheesh. Great stuff battery. Take it steady and enjoy all the normal post-climb aches.
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Two wad points in less than a week for you, sheesh. Great stuff battery. Take it steady and enjoy all the normal post-climb aches.
Two wads from Fiend feels like a YYFY in itself!
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Credit where it's due for people pushing through frustrating injuries and making progress :yes:
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Great to hear Rach! Well done for sticking with it and keeping us all updated - inspirational and heart warming :)
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Progress, exercise and testing my shoulder out has been seriously hampered by a truly bonkers period at work but last night I managed to the wall and was chuffed to bits with the progress. I climbed a black and found it was stamina that was preventing me getting to the top of more. I was also beyond happy when doing my warm ups and stretches, one of which is laid on my back stretching a.straight arm above my head and my fingers touched the floor - it wasn't whole hand, it was definitely just fingers but it felt like a milestone.
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:punk:
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The roller coaster of recovery is a bit of a fickle bastard at times.
Good bits
A new physio who is a shoulder specialist and is proper excited about treating me. She takes everything I say really seriously and is keen to get me back to where I want to be. She is seeing the whole system, not just the shoulder which is interesting too so at the moment working on freeing up the top of my spine which just doesn't move - I suspect this is something that I have had for a long time that has been exacerbated by the shoulder but I could be wrong.
Discharged from the consultant which means one less appointment to fit in and one less trip to the hospital. But more importantly it means they are confident that the capsular release worked and that surgery is not required.
Chances of redislocation continues to be slim, mobility and strength and of course my confidence in using it are improving.
Crap Bits
Germ ridden children have taken up a lot of my time both looking after them being ill and passing on their germs so I have been ill, not climbed for almost a month until today.
NO STAMINA
It's not just my shoulder that hasn't climbed properly for most of the year, neither has the rest of my body.
Anything that is pretty basic movement and close in to the body I am fine with, anything that requires a bit of extension and therefore stability in the shoulder there isn't a hope in hell of doing. Undercuts don't work. Pressing feels like a mental block more than physical (understandably so) but then when I force myself to do it it hurts afterwards. Getting a bit fed up of puntering around on blues and blacks at the wall, getting half way up them and being boxed, getting on reds and being scared out of my wits.
The setting at the Depot in Manchester is not suiting me at the moment, Blochaus seems better and to be honest I prefer the vibe there too, it's a great wall where you don't get practically elbowed out of the way by some 20 year old muscle-fest in a baggy vest as he proceeds to try and demonstrate to his mate who he's dragged along how to climb a problem which he dogs. I normally take great delight in showing these people up but at the moment all I do is reinforce their stereotype opinions of 40 something year old women.
Determined to end on a positive - mountain biking is going really well! I'm loving it and improving my skills, because everything is pretty central my shoulder is coping well with it and we have had some fab trips out as a family doing it - the kids love it!
As we approach the end of the year thanks to everyone who has offered support, commiserations, kicks up the arse and advice this year, it's appreciated.
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Blochaus is a good addition to the Manc walls repertoire and invariably quieter although you do get the occasional 40 something bonehead in a rather well-fitting vest punting off their reds. I've not been for a few weeks due to the cold snap. At least there's somewhere to go to find a style and spaciousness that suits you!! I hope you can continue to do good work on the shoulder!
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If I ever spot you down there I will be sure to say hello!
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you do get the occasional 40 something bonehead in a rather well-fitting vest punting off their reds.
Can't believe this isn't on the front page of their website. Combined with
it's a great wall where you don't get practically elbowed out of the way by some 20 year old muscle-fest in a baggy vest as he proceeds to try and demonstrate to his mate who he's dragged along how to climb a problem which he dogs.
you're doing their PR department's work for them!
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you do get the occasional 40 something bonehead in a rather well-fitting vest punting off their reds.
Can't believe this isn't on the front page of their website. Combined with
it's a great wall where you don't get practically elbowed out of the way by some 20 year old muscle-fest in a baggy vest as he proceeds to try and demonstrate to his mate who he's dragged along how to climb a problem which he dogs.
you're doing their PR department's work for them!
Or they could just say “ Middle aged knackered climbers with bad dress sense don’t worry this is the wall for you”
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Physio session a couple of weeks ago was highly amusing and very successful - I mentioned that I couldn't hang without taking a bit of weight through my feet. She spent some time doing some very weird stuff to mobilise my spine (which apparently didn't move in any direction), hammering certain muscles and getting me to attempt to hang from the only place in the NHS medical centre treatment room that we could find to vaguely be able to hang off - the door frame! The result was incredible followed by me hammering the finger board and ending up in pain again, backed off and it sorted itself out.
Back at the physio yesterday. I described the latest set of annoyances, aches and pains and after telling me off for trying to do too much too soon and looking at my movement she said everything I was saying is what she would expect, it's all good, my knackered shoulder actually moves better than the other one and it is just going to take time. I was discharged.
I was a bit taken aback, I really value having that support and reassurance there and I don't want to be discharged until my shoulder is completely back to normal (or new normal!). But it is just a case of time now, keep doing what I'm doing, keep building it up and listening to my body. I know I should be pleased at the milestone but I actually just felt a bit at sea initially. Husband reminded me that we can always pay for me to see a physio if needed which cheered me up along with the realisation that I don't have to try and fit physio appointments into my schedule any more.
Climbed last night a did pretty well. Getting more confidence in it. Moves that I initially back off from because of my shoulder I am making myself do again and try to work out if it is genuinely my shoulder that is saying no or my head - most of the time it is head so progress is good on that one. What I have realised is that I am incredibly nervous of any foothold that is even vaguely slopey.... not surprising as that was the cause of the accident but tough to work on without just having a bit of a miserable time forcing myself to do things that scare the shit out of me.
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Part of the role of a physio is to empower people to manage their own recovery. Sounds like your physio has done a great job and has faith in you to self-manage the remainder of your recovery. Good luck!
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Been a good while since I posted.
People have generally stopped asking how my shoulder is but if they did I would say 'it's getting there', but the other day it hit me - maybe this is it? I am not sure if that news filled me with joy or dread, it certainly wasn't the emotional realisation that I thought it might be.
It went through a period of being very stiff, all muscular but really painful and annoying, but that seems to have settled now. Strength is coming back and the warm up with the theraband before climbing helps loads. There's still moves that I am nervous of and hesitate on but often when I try them I find it's mental rather than physical.
The 12 month anniversary passed without emotion which surprised me. Not sure if I have dealt with it or detached myself from it, I suspect it's the latter. My mental health has taken a bit of a battering lately and I wonder if this was just one thing I didn't have the resilience for.
There are things I can't do, but it is improving. I think there is still work to do, I am hopeful that there's some more gains to be had.
Rereading this is sounds very flat, but I am in a hopeful place right now and pleased with how my shoulder is going and my climbing is progressing. Having said that I don't think I will ever be able to do a press/rock over with my left arm ever again!!
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To me it all sounds cautiously positive? Anyway, at least you are getting on and doing stuff, and it's springtime...
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Stay positive and keep checking in! I have a persistent shoulder problem and similarly thinking 'is this it?'. Mine wasn't an accident or particular overuse thing but just found myself with a persistent soreness that really affects full reach pulls. Might be tied into palindromic rheumatism. No shouldery dynos or parkour nonsense for me, but I didn't need much excuse to ditch these. I realised belatedly that not every problem has to be set for every climber. If people like the things I don't, that's ok. I need to get better at pulling on ratty crimps and they don't tend to set those indoors. I'm happy enough, did a 6C Saturday after a couple of fails and that seems fair to me approaching 60 and not putting that much effort into training. There's a world of climbing out there and more than enough to go at if I write a few things off. Or we could both get better and come back stronger than ever.
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To me it all sounds cautiously positive? Anyway, at least you are getting on and doing stuff, and it's springtime...
Definitely feeling psyched for a summer of climbing and adventures, cheers as always.
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Stay positive and keep checking in! I have a persistent shoulder problem and similarly thinking 'is this it?'. Mine wasn't an accident or particular overuse thing but just found myself with a persistent soreness that really affects full reach pulls. Might be tied into palindromic rheumatism. No shouldery dynos or parkour nonsense for me, but I didn't need much excuse to ditch these. I realised belatedly that not every problem has to be set for every climber. If people like the things I don't, that's ok. I need to get better at pulling on ratty crimps and they don't tend to set those indoors. I'm happy enough, did a 6C Saturday after a couple of fails and that seems fair to me approaching 60 and not putting that much effort into training. There's a world of climbing out there and more than enough to go at if I write a few things off. Or we could both get better and come back stronger than ever.
Sorry to hear of another member of the dodgy shoulder club.
This was a good realisation for me, at the wall at Christmas I was trying something and getting really cross that I couldn't do it due to my shoulder and husband just said - well there's loads of other problems. Not sure why I needed telling this but it's taken the pressure off load!
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I have a persistent shoulder problem and similarly thinking 'is this it?'. Mine wasn't an accident or particular overuse thing but just found myself with a persistent soreness that really affects full reach pulls. Might be tied into palindromic rheumatism. No shouldery dynos or parkour nonsense for me, but I didn't need much excuse to ditch these. I realised belatedly that not every problem has to be set for every climber. If people like the things I don't, that's ok. I need to get better at pulling on ratty crimps and they don't tend to set those indoors. I'm happy enough, did a 6C Saturday after a couple of fails and that seems fair to me approaching 60 and not putting that much effort into training. There's a world of climbing out there and more than enough to go at if I write a few things off. Or we could both get better and come back stronger than ever.
Like we are cut from the same cloth. Except I'm only approaching 54. Even scratching my lower back with my right hand annoys my shoulder. And I've never heard of palindromic rheumatism.