UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => diet, training and injuries => Topic started by: simes on February 26, 2015, 10:34:28 am
-
Hi, I wondered if anyone could shed some light on what's happened to my arm...
Standing up, arms by my sides and holding a 5kg weight, it's easy to bring my right arm up forward to a horizontal position. My left arm however won't even go as far as 45 degrees. There's no ache, pain or numbness. It's just that there's no power there at all. The same happens if I try to lift arms to the side. With the right arm it's easy, the left just won't do it.
I knocked my left shoulder on a lamp post on the way home from the pub several months ago, but other than that I can't think of anything else that might have caused it. I only noticed the problem about 6 weeks ago though. It's not improved at all in that time, but it hasn't got worse either. My arm seems ok for most other movements. I can do pull ups, press ups and dips on parallel bars, and I didn't notice it last night during an easy bouldering session.
The doctor yesterday basically said he had no idea and has referred me for an MRI scan.
Has anyone got any idea what's going on?
Cheers, Si.
-
A physio would be a more appropriate medical professional to see about that. MRI will only tell you if there is some major structural damage, but it could be a neural issue.
-
Sounds like nerve damage. I had the same problem a few months ago when a neck massage by a physio went wrong. The effects are temporary. I gather in contact sports like rugby it happens a lot. Google "stinger injury". Like Dan says see a physio first before an MRI.
-
The Stinger Injury articles all say the damaged area "stings" or "burns", and lasts seconds, minutes or occasionally days. Mine's totally pain free and has lasted weeks so far...
-
nerve impingement can cause the same symptoms, as can big knotty knots in your neck.
like the others said, see a physio, but not the one shark went to ::)
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axillary_nerve_palsy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axillary_nerve_palsy)
http://www.physio-pedia.com/Supraspinatus_tear (http://www.physio-pedia.com/Supraspinatus_tear)
see point9.
very complex joint. some sort of supraspinatus / axillary nerve dysfunction is well documented in ski / board sports where you fall off a lot onto your shoulder... sounds like the same mechanism of injury?
yep, its physio time...
-
I've had this twice now. Doctor wasn't interested (second time doctor gave me diazepan even though there was no pain). Fist time didnt even notice it until I tried to campus down the wall and could pull down with left arm. Doctor friends said it sounded like impingement (had a big fall onto my back 3days prior which could have triggered it) went to osteopath he did some clicky stuff and said I should exercise it loads to get nerve firing again and it should get better. I kind of did within four to six weeks.
Second time (January this year) I noticed arm was weak on a certain move so tried to do some weights and couldnt move them with left arm. Pull ups fine etc. and I hadnt noticed anything. Went to a local chiropractor who suggeted it was a re-occurence of old impingment problem and noted that I had a very unstable left shoulder. He did some clicky stuff over the next four weeks and gave me some exercises to do to correct posture stabilise spine etc. He didnt think it was serious enough for an MRI. Manipulation and exercise seems to have done the trick and its pretty much back to normal. I need to continue exercises and have a check up in a few weeks to assess any level of re-occurence for which I'll be given more corrective exercises to do.
My posture (was) terrible and I slouch at a desk most of the day. Doc suggested cycling was a factor but chiro (keen cyclist and climber himself) said no chance with the miles Im doing (12 miles back and too to work).
-
simes:
You said you can't lift the weight higher than 45°, if you help it with the other hand to horizontal, can you then hold it there?
What about lowering it from overhead slowly to 90° to 45°?
Just wondering if it might be more of a functional issue at the specific raising motion rather than a bigger nervous issue...
-
Tommy. No I can't hold it horizontal once the other arm is removed and lowering from vertical I start to struggle after 45 degrees...
-
Worth posting with your symptoms on the Physio Clinic' Q&A session thread (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,22460.msg479178.html#msg479178)
-
I appreciate the doc is free but why not see a decent physio while waiting for further investigation.
My shoulder hurts after the weekend- I have an appointment tonight with these guys, in case you are near Manchester...
http://www.harrisandross.co.uk (http://www.harrisandross.co.uk)
There must be someone decent near you. I would see them as well as the GP.
Good luck.
-
I can't afford a physio...
-
I can't afford a physio...
There was a time I couldn't afford it either. Arrange an appointment with Steve Hodgson at Hallamshire - PM me to confirm the appointment and we'll arrange to foot the bill.
-
Thanks for the offer, but I couldn't do that. x