Battery's Shoulder Recovery

[battery]

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.

 

[Fiend]

Good report! Slow progress is some progress, even if it is.....boring.

 

[mrjonathanr]

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

 

[battery]

YYFY - thumb to rib cage behind my back. Seems minor but feels like a huge milestone.

 

[Fiend]

One small stretch behind the back for woman....

 

[battery]

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....

 

[webbo]

:great: :dance1:

 

[Fiend]

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!

 

[battery]

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.

 

[duncan]

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).

 

[battery]

Cheers Duncan, that's really helpful.

 

[Moo]

Make sure you tell them its making you sad, if you seem happy enough they'll just try and do the bare minimum.

 

[battery]

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

 

[andy popp]

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?

 

[battery]

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.

 

[battery]

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.

 

[Fiend]

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!

 

[Fultonius]

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.

 

[battery]

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!!

 

[mrjonathanr]

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