Problems AFTER surgery (shoulders, arms)

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KidnapMoss

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Sorry, bit of a lurker thread but I note that there have been a fair few riding injuries collectively so thought it might be a good place to ask! :)

In 2010 I had shoulder arthroscopy following a dislocation, which kept then popping in and out, grim.

Fast forward, it hasn't come out since but recently, over say the last couple of months, I have felt the old pins and needles feeling in my hand, and a sort of dead arm feeling. The only way I can describe it is as if you have fallen asleep on your arm, and that horrid numb feeling before all the blood rushes back, but for ages. I ride and compete regularly, But now,after say a jumping session or a dressage competition, I know that I will pay the price by having a day or two of dull pain, usually accompanied by an evening with a hot water bottle on my shoulder. My pony can be strong as well, and I am so weak in my right arm :(

By the way, I AM going back to the GP to see if I can be looked at again, espeacially as I fell down 6 stairs the other day,wat should have been a nothing fall has resulted in a mega dead arm since, but I just wondered if anyone has had further problems since a shoulder op.

Have been really bad, and ignoring it but now genuinely worried I'm going to one day lose the use of it and not be able to ride, or write, which is my job *scared*

Any experiences? :confused:
 
Don't panic, this can definitely happen after a shoulder arthroscopy/dislocation. I would recommend you see your GP because it could be a few things causing it - like an irritated nerve either in your neck or at the shoulder. This might be happening because of the weakness in the shoulder causing you to use the muscles around your neck and shoulder in a poor position and/or that they are not strong enough to cope with a high level of exercise. Your GP will be able to rule out any significant problem but I would ask him to refer you to physio if he doesn't mention it first because there will probably be a lot a good physio could do to help you.
Obviously its difficult to advise on a forum but you're doing the right thing going to the GP :)
 
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Did you have any physio post arthroscopy? And what did they do when they went in and scoped it? I had shoulder surgery for a stabilisation after dislocating a few years ago and still get a bit of pain, and weakness every now and then, my fault as I need to work the small muscles more than I do! I had a lot of physio (and also am one!!) so no excuses for me!!
It sounds like a bit of nerve impingement you are getting, probable due to weakness around the shoulder joint, I would ask your GP to refer you to physio and get it sorted, but definitely agree with Frisbee123 it's nothing to worry about! It's just that the shoulder is so complicated!!!
 
Thank you both. I really hope it's nothing but my mum scared me today!!! :o

I had physio after the op which helped, then I tried swimming but found I couldn't swim very well as so weak. So I must confess I have been rubbish, and now just ride. I am pretty bad :o miss_wilson I don't know the exact name for the surgery I had (told you I'm rubbish!) but I think it involved tightening the cartilage? It sounds very similar to yours, my shoulder used to just pop out all the time and get stuck out, which was gross!

It's just been recently that it's got worse so I went into panic stations. I'm doing more bigger stuff with the pony, and I guess working harder, and an hours lesson is a killer let alone a day competing. I reaaaaallllly hope it's ok, will be off to GP tomorrow, I'm guessing he will then just re-refer me back to the consultant?

Thank you both again, put my mind at ease a bit :)
 
From what you've written I'm fairly certain I had the same op as you in Jan 2011 following a long term riding injury which was resulting in my shoulder sub-laxing. Frustratingly the first surgery left me with very limited mobility and in pain although it did fix the sub-laxing. I had a further operation in October 2011 to improve my mobility and tidy up the rest of the joints and repair soft tissue. I finally regained about 90% mobility in the last few months but still experience pain like you describe. I find I often shake my arm out in an attempt to disperse the pain after over doing things. Last week I reached for something in the supermarket and that resulted in a week of pain.
I would be heading back to your GP pronto as the longer you leave it the more damage you could be doing. And do your physio exercises ;)
 
Oh marchtime you poor thing, two surgeries :( I'm a little scared that is what will happen, is sub laxing the term used for the popping in and out? That has stopped for me also, but like you describe, I still have the sane pain as before and limited mobility, for example, I have never been able to reach my bad arm up to my bra strap, not since the op :( yes I shake my arm a lot to, just to try and make it not feel so numb. Blooming horses, it stemmed from a fall a looong time ago!

Fingers crossed all ok at the GP :) yikes :o
 
Sub-laxing is where it partially dislocates, mine did it every time I rode and regularly throughout the day. I had limited mobility before the first operation - I could never reach my bra strap behind my back :o but after the first op I couldn't lift my arm above shoulder height which was rather limiting.
I really would go back at least to find out what your options are. I know how frustrating shoulder pain is. Good luck getting it resolved.
 
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