Another Shoulder Dilemma Thread

[maillotpois]

I have nothing constructive to add, but as one of the Shoulder Club, I figured I should at least weigh in and say BUMMER!!!

I'm so sorry the prognosis for surgical recovery is so long. Sounds like you're putting up with a lot of pain and I really empathize.

[Wahine]

The tendonitis is often more painful than the SLAP lesion. What's tough is figuring out if it's possible to improve your tendonitis with the SLAP present. There are different degrees of SLAP lesions and how well you can rehab one without surgery is heavily dependent on how structurally stable the glenohumeral joint is. The less stable the joint is the more the rotator cuff has to work and the harder it is tho give the tendonitis the rest it needs to recover. One of your PT friends might be able to do some stability testing on you to help figure out how stable the joint is. That would give you a better idea of what to expect.

So I'd look at the pros and cons.

If you have surgery now, you'll recover faster overall but you're not likely to have a full race season and might have trouble training to prepare for this season.

If you don't have surgery now and you currently have a raging tendonitis, it's likely you'll need at leats 6 weeks to recover from that, you'll lose training in the meantime but may be able to salvage part or all the season.

Let's say you decide not to have surgery, continue to train and end up either blowing out the shoulder further or not being able to finish your season due to pain... you will have gained part of the season that you could early on, then you'll end up with surgery and out for the rest of the season.

Or, you might make it through the whole season, if you can get the rotator cuff under control and you can get it repaired at the end of the season or not at all depending on what happens.

Something else to keep in mind:

This type of shoulder surgery carries more than just a slight risk and you need to discuss this fully with the surgeon. I do see a proportion of shoulders that don't do well after surgery and end up with very little gain or sometimes worse. These are a small minority but speak frankly with the surgeon about it if you're going ahead.

[rocknrollgirl]

Another added thought after reading Wahine's post...mine was a small tear.

[SheFly]

Thanks for the feedback!

MP - I do hope that scapula is healing. Just thinking of being in a sling for 4 weeks (what would be required for me) is frightening. I hope you are managing ok.

Rocknrollgirl - thanks for understanding about the racing (and sorry to hear about your Xterra season this year). I think when we have the "competitive gene" it really pushes us, and in some ways, makes some of these decisions for us.

Wahine - I really appreciate your comments. I think that I am going to try to get the tendonitis under control (there is also some bursitis, apparently) and see where things go from there. As you so aptly pointed out, I may be able to salvage my season this way, and see what happens later this year. Any idea what a cortisone treatment might do (also suggested by doc and PTs)?

I did go out and ride the MTB this past weekend (in the snow and ice). While painful, I was able to ride in what were pretty miserable conditions. Given some rest and more PT, I think I should be able to get past the current condition.

Thanks all, for the support! I'll keep you posted on the progress.

SheFly

[Wahine]

Wahine - I really appreciate your comments. I think that I am going to try to get the tendonitis under control (there is also some bursitis, apparently) and see where things go from there. As you so aptly pointed out, I may be able to salvage my season this way, and see what happens later this year. Any idea what a cortisone treatment might do (also suggested by doc and PTs)?

Cortisone is a very powerful anti-inflammatory. It has side effects that are significant if not used appropriately and you will hear horror stories. But, and this is a big but, it will get the inflammation down which is the first step in the right direction, if not overused and performed correctly the side effects are minimal. If it was me, I'd do it.

[Crankin]

Cathy, I am sorry to hear about your shoulder. Can't say I have any experience with that part of the body, but I would try the PT rehab route and see if you can salvage part of next season. Sometimes, as others have said, these decisions are made for you, by your body. It su*ks, especailly when you have racing goals. My friends don't even understand why I was upset about not making my 3 000 mile goal last fall and that is just a personal goal, not racing.
Try to avoid surgery...

Robyn

[RoadRaven]

Wahine - I really appreciate your comments. I think that I am going to try to get the tendonitis under control (there is also some bursitis, apparently) and see where things go from there. As you so aptly pointed out, I may be able to salvage my season this way, and see what happens later this year. Any idea what a cortisone treatment might do (also suggested by doc and PTs)?
SheFly

Oh... and my partner had bursitis in his elbow. He wore a support bandage on it and we put alternately arnica and anti-flam creams on it. He rode through it and after a couple of months it went away - but it was very painful while he had it. It looked like someone had popped a tennis ball under his skin!

I have had a cortisol injection in my shoulder... for me it was almost instant relief.
However, a couple of friends have had cortisol injections (knee and shoulder) and for them the receiving of the injection was uncomfortable and it was mildly painful for a couple of days before the cortisol did its magic.