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Dislocated shoulder

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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
last night i was in the pipe and thought i would try to start spinning backside, so i go up, spin to about 270 and my feet slam on the deck and send me flying forward landing on my shoulder. the second i landed i knew it was popped out so i skiied into ski patrol, got some ice and made my way to the hospital. 3 hours of the worst pain ive felt and then it got reset. all the doctors said im done skiing for the year. have any of you guys dislocated a shoulder and how long did it take before you could ski?
sparknotes: dislocated shoulder, when can i ski?
Jan 9 2010 10:59AM
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twayne
Posts: 540 - Karma: 26
I've seen kids skiing with slings on because of dislocated shoulders.. so i guess its your call on when you get back.
Jan 9 2010 11:09AM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
im gonna ski this week, but the problem is i have a race on wednesday, and im one of the top 3 guys for my team
Jan 9 2010 11:11AM
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Dr.Brown
Posts: 588 - Karma: 21
I dislocated my shoulder two years ago. I remember that they put it back and than i had to wear the strap for like 2 weeks or so. after that, i had to go through physiotherapy (physical therapy) for a month or 2.

Since there's no fracture involve, recovery is pretty quick. The only problem is it might pop out again because of the ligaments being stretched, so it's at your own risk. On the same year, i dislocated my should again, but in the summer, only 6 months after the first time.

Anyways, conclusion: your ski season ain't over, but you should take it slowly and don't rush anything. Best option: Physical Therapy. They'll be the ones to tell you if you're ski season is done or not.
Jan 9 2010 11:11AM
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Koskinen
Posts: 231 - Karma: 441
i dislocated my shoulder for the first time last february. I went skiing again after a month just putzing around then actually went skiing on jumps again 2 months after the injury. 3 hours of it dislocation sounds horribly though, it may have caused more injury by stretching all the ligaments and tendons out for a long time. Mine was dislocated for about 30-40 minutes and my shoulder was in serious pain for a couple weeks. this winter it is back to feelin 100%. I've fallen on it and it's straight. good luck
Jan 9 2010 11:14AM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
thanks for the help guys, your making me feel a lot better than the doctors did
Jan 9 2010 11:18AM
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twayne
Posts: 540 - Karma: 26
^ haha dude its the Doc's job to get you nervous and not wanna ski again you just need to be like you dont know how much of a die hard i am i'm still skiing.
Jan 9 2010 11:25AM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
thats what i said, i asked when i can ski again and he said im done for the year and my exact words were fuck that
Jan 9 2010 11:27AM
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twayne
Posts: 540 - Karma: 26
But i mean, take it easy. dont mean the first day you go out and try a cork 9.. but you should still be able to slay rails and boxes no pron
Jan 9 2010 11:28AM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
yea im gonna take some PT for a week and see how i feel
Jan 9 2010 11:32AM
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twayne
Posts: 540 - Karma: 26
Man i wish i was in your shoes right now bro. I have Pt for 5 months, I just had surgery on my Knee torn acl. So think positive least you you can ski this season. Good luck man.!
Jan 9 2010 11:40AM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
thanks man, that blows, im sorry to hear that
Jan 9 2010 11:41AM
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fragglemuffin
Posts: 3312 - Karma: 444
From my experience, if i were you i'd let my shoulder rest.  Once it gets dislocated once, it will usually keep popping out easier and easier until something tears (i tore my labrum real bad because of this and had to get surgery).
Jan 9 2010 12:02PM
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blavallee4
Posts: 360 - Karma: 93

poped mine first time 2 weeks ago,

been workin it out to get it strong

been goin well

got back out skiing today super stoked, feels good, but still being carefull.

work it out after u rest it get it nice and strong

Jan 9 2010 1:03PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
the doctors said dont do anything foe a week than start PT so thats what im gonna do
Jan 9 2010 1:05PM
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jason...
Posts: 9006 - Karma: 780
Give it some time to get better, if you continually pop it out you will eventually need surgery to repair the ligament damage.
Jan 9 2010 1:13PM
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blavallee4
Posts: 360 - Karma: 93

they said, wear a sling for 6 weeks,

and in 10 days u can get therapy.

10 days i did my own work outs, its a litlle hard tho with my cast for my thumb but w/e

then they said i can go out and ski once i can do 20 pushups without pain.

16 days later i got the 20 pushups with other workouts and im back up skiing.

they said 6 weeks. but i cant last that

and im fine for now, i know itll pop again, its a fact, especially since im only 16 :/

but ill be good if i keep workin out :D

Jan 9 2010 1:14PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
good luck to you man
Jan 9 2010 1:22PM
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T-Holt
Posts: 5020 - Karma: 639
I'd wait, and then do the PT, your ligaments need to have time to heal. If you go back out and hurt it again, things will only get worse from there. 6 weeks may sound like a really long time, but compare that to the 6 months after surgery.


Try doing what the doctor says for 3 weeks, then start doing PT. See how it feels after 3 weeks.
Jan 9 2010 3:31PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
my biggest problem is that it doesnt hurt at all unless i lift it high, which pisses me off because it feels fine to move it but everyone keeps saying not to
Jan 9 2010 4:20PM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,507
im in the same boat as u sling for 1-2 weeks you can go back 100% in 4-6 weeks.
Jan 9 2010 4:31PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
how did you do it?
Jan 9 2010 4:31PM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,507
also yes i only have about 60% of mobilaty with my arm after each tp it comes back more and more.
Jan 9 2010 4:32PM
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goneforever
Posts: 794 - Karma: 18
Pretty much what my doctor said. I dislocated mine on the first Friday of December last year playing basketball in the first 6 seconds of my first high school game and after Christmas I was skiing in Niseko. When I was skiing though, I wore a brace, went pole-less, and sticked to powder runs.

My advise is to take it easy this season, do as much as physical therapy as possible (at least 3 months and don't half-ass it), and continue working out after you finish physical therapy to keep your shoulder's strength up.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me.
Jan 9 2010 4:40PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
awesome man thanks
Jan 9 2010 4:41PM
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goneforever
Posts: 794 - Karma: 18
Sorry for the double post, but to this day I have not dislocated my shoulder again, even after dunks, falls, fouls, awkward pulls, etc.
Jan 9 2010 4:43PM
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.travis.
Posts: 1737 - Karma: 46
You need to take it really easy man, seriously. I popped mine out and didn't think much of it, went skiing and just kept fucking it up more. If you don't let it heal right it will pop out very easily. I've popped mine out getting dressed and sleeping for example. Once it pops out one time it just gets weaker and weaker. I used to be able to pop mine right back in but now I can't no matter what I try. Been to the ER twice in the past 3 weeks waiting easily 3 hours with it out. Now I have to get surgery in a few weeks.

Sorry to ramble, but I'm just trying to convey the message to really take care of it. One dislocation can lead to a world of bullshit. Not saying don't ride, just be careful bra!
Jan 9 2010 4:46PM
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Dr.Brown
Posts: 588 - Karma: 21
This is a bit off topic, but don't you think dislocated shoulders are one of the most typical injuries in freeskiing? There's also torn ACL and MCL and concussions on the top of the list.
Jan 9 2010 5:18PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
yes
Jan 9 2010 5:20PM
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ike.
Posts: 2292 - Karma: 93
i just broke my shoulder. i feel ur pain
Jan 9 2010 7:11PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
im sorry to hear that
Jan 9 2010 7:12PM
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oldskewl
Posts: 457 - Karma: 10

Here's the deal my man.  I'm old as fuck and have been around the block with shoulder injuries.  When I was young and bulletproff I dislocated my shoulder.  The docs told me to rest and I didnt.  I reinjured it.  I got heavily into lifting weights and made my shoulder VERY stong.  It was still unstable and would pop out occasionaly.

random accident shoulder "explodes" all tendons release from both ends except bicep.  Major damage to entire shoulder.  3 years of chronic pain and extensive rehab - multiple surgeries.

spark notes: dont ski for a while let it rest it is not worth the risk - if you get unlucky and reinjure it before it is healed you yill be paying the piper for the rest of your life like i am and it SUCKS.  feel free to pm w/ any questions

Jan 9 2010 8:19PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,272
you're not gonna be able to race, extending your arm out will really hurt so either crossblocking gates or swimming through in gs will hurt like a bitch
Jan 9 2010 8:28PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
yeah i started thinking about that
Jan 9 2010 8:30PM
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304NordMan
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 525
haha, yah racing is not gonna happen.just lay off skiing. dont try to do anything stupid, just chill
Jan 9 2010 8:37PM
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hanksy
Posts: 659 - Karma: 265
I week ago today, I popped out my shoulder. It was the second time (first time was last season), and luckily i got my shoulder back in in about 10 seconds. I believe the longer it is out, the more damage is done. But as for my story, after a day or two I started doing some PT on my own, and I found that the more I did the better it felt. As for the 20 pushup mark, I could do that after about 4 days. It still hurts a little just in very specific movements, but I went skiing today and it was fine. I didn't push it but I had a few minor falls and I was perfectly ok.

Like I said, having it out for 3 hours will cause a lot more damage than my situation, but I just figured I'd throw my story out so you have another perspective on it. Best of luck to ya, and there is no way your season is over.
Jan 9 2010 8:38PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,272
also most of my falls in racing are right on my shoulder, just when you lose your outside edge and slam down on your shoulder and slide down the hill for like 5 mins until you can get up
Jan 9 2010 9:19PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
dislocated mine 2 years ago. Didn't do anything about it, never stopped skiing. I just have friends put it in for me.

Once at school, it came out, and no one was strong enough to put it in in my class, so they sent me to the nurse, who wouldn't put it back in because of "liability issues". I wailed in pain and begged her to put it back in, she called the principle in, by then I was shaking and seeing red and crying, he explained the legal system of the united states to me, and I spit in his face, sat down, and manned up and put the shoulder back into place myself.
They put the school in a lockdown, and were about to call an ambulance until I did that. When it was back in, they were shocked, I punched the fridge and like, beast moded it in rage, and just walked out of the room.
Most bad ass day of my life
Jan 9 2010 9:30PM
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jakepwilliams
Posts: 895 - Karma: 51
i dislocated my right shoulder exactly like that earlier in the season, i wore a sling for 2 weeks, no sling for 2 weeks and i was back skiing but taking it easy. my left shoulder dislocates all the time and its sore for a day then good
Jan 9 2010 9:56PM
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danw2
Posts: 39 - Karma: 11
wear the sling for as long as they tell you to. i dislocated my shoulder playing hockey and didnt wear the sling for how long i was told to and it dislocated again later when i fell on it after taking a slap shot. i had torn my rotator cuff and torn some ligaments around the shoulder. i got surgery after dislocating my shoulder another two times playing hockey. after about two months of healing and 2 months of physical therapy i started playing hockey again. six months later i dislocated my shoulder and tore everything again. had a second surgery and after about six months, i could start playing again. so i guess what im trying to say is, let your shoulder rest completely so your chances of it happening again are slim.
Jan 9 2010 11:54PM
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YooperSteeze
Posts: 1248 - Karma: 45
 A local shop owner, who is also a coach for freeskiing, dislocated his shoulder on a rail, didn't realize it was dislocated until 9 days later when he was on his honeymoon in the Caribbean and his guide popped it back in.
Jan 10 2010 12:49AM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
I've seen a guy punch his shoulder back in ala Lethal Weapon. Recovery time: about 15 seconds.
Jan 10 2010 3:20AM
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ectreeskier11
Posts: 697 - Karma: 366
i skied the next day, it was to sore to pole plant though so i took another couple days off. that was mid november, i'm probably around 45 days now this year. don't worry about it.
Jan 10 2010 9:18AM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
im going fucking nuts guys. it doesnt hurt at all but all im being told is that i cant move it or ski. this sucks so much
Jan 10 2010 1:37PM
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MVeith
Posts: 277 - Karma: 205
well, i dislocated my shoulder 2 and a half months ago pretty badly and by now im back at 90%. i felt like i could have skied 1 week afterwards but the question that you've gotta ask yourself is whether you want to risk your shoulder to become shitty for the rest of your life or wait for a couple of weeks. i know its hard to wait but believe me, time goes by and you'll be shredding again soon, so my advice is: wait, say 6 weeks and then start skiing again!
Jan 10 2010 4:31PM
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ectreeskier11
Posts: 697 - Karma: 366
to clarify my earlier post... i dislocated my shoulder in november, it was the 4th time (second since surgical repair) i've done it. i should not have been skiing the next day, and i shouldn't have even been skiing the next week. but i live where i live so i can ski, so that's what i did. if you push it to soon, you will do it again. it will keep happening, until you get surgery, and i think i've proved that surgery isn't really the answer anyway. just get a brace and shred for the season, if it happens again deal with it and then try surgery at the end of the year. it is one of the most minor serious injuries you can have, in my opinion. yeah, it fucking sucks, but by the third time you get to the point where it doesn't even hurt until the doctor starts pulling on your arm with a rope, and then next thing ya know if's back in. the best advice i can give is to keep skiing in a couple weeks, but after you get home (and i'm to stupid to have done this, hence my numerous issues) get some of the big medical rubber bands and get like 4-5 shoulder/rotator cuff exercises and keep increasing in resistance and reps every couple days. if you're lucky, that's all you need.
Jan 10 2010 4:39PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
so i skied the past 2 days with no poles and just took it uber easy, im not in that much pain, i just want to be able to race soon
Jan 12 2010 10:20PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
Alright, I'm bumping this thread for the sake of my own little story and hopefully some advice.

Dislocated my shoulder skiing at Castle mountain on friday while I was up there with some friends during a club comp there. If you were there, chances are you heard about the idiot that dislocated his shoulder on a side booter.

That was me.

Jumped off this little like 3 foot drop, hit a bomb hole, got bucked back and came into a side booter. Arm got caught on one side while body went over it, and my shoulder popped out.

Hurt like a bitch, could feel that my shoulder was definitely not inside its socket when I stuck my hand in my shirt. Tried to get up and ski away, but I was almost passing out so I sat down and waited for patrol. While I was getting into the sled, my shoulder popped back in. Thought I heard patrol say something about a sublux or something like that, apparently it might not have been a full dislocation (sure as fuck felt like my shoulder was all the way out). Went to the hospital, got some anti-inflammatories, talked to the doctor there. Went and got an X-ray, apparently everything looked good on there, and they sent me away with a CD of my X-Rays and nothing else (no advice, no information, nothing).

Friday night I was out of a sling, I could move it and lift some things, and by sunday I could carry my bacons with my dislocated arm if I took it real slow and didn't do anything jerky. I skied on saturday and sunday no-poles, just took it easy and skied around for fun, did some filming. Feels significantly better now, but I can tell that it is definitely not better just yet. Range of movement is limited and sometimes I feel/hear cracking in it.

My questions to you NS, are:
What would you do in my situation?
What should I do for recovery?
What is the difference between a subluxation and a dislocation, and how do you diagnose one vs. the other?

Any other info is also appreciated.
Feb 1 2010 6:57PM
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murflydude
Posts: 307 - Karma: 9
i fell dilocated my shoulder got up went to ski patrol they poped it back in then i skiied the rest of the day and the next day with no poles. i fell first run saturday morning
Feb 1 2010 7:01PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
dont ski for a week.
The ER doctors said i was done for the year. I took a week off and slowly worked it into shape. Ive been skiing everyday now since it happened. Im even racing again. i feel like i am completely back to normal.
here is the x ray from the ER the night it happened
Click for larger image
just go easy and you will be back in a week, but move it as little as possible
Feb 1 2010 7:48PM
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rj.
Posts: 3323 - Karma: 28
my friend dislocated his around xmas and was skiing again by new years
Feb 1 2010 7:52PM
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