Shoulder dislocation

Do not swim with it until you see the doctor.It is very easy to make an injury like that much worse.

Fully dislocated my left shoulder 10 miles out in the middle of nowhere in Moab UT (1992). Was lucky enough to have a MD ride by on a Mt bike. He reset for me. 2 years later (1994), it happened a 2nd time, again on a mtn bike. Went to ER to have it put back in socket, but only after waiting 3 hours through paperwork, x-rays, morphine sulphate and muscle relaxant absorption. For the following 8 year period, 1994 - 2002, the left shoulder had dislocated more times than I can remember (probably 8+ more times). It started getting worse and would occur doing daily activies like walking and sleeping! I learned how to reset it myself. Sometimes it would go back in nicely, sometimes it would tear it's way back into socket (my technique relax, grab something, pull, twist, and push the socket up with free hand). I furthermore conclude I have some big time damage. I also learned how to sleep differently, actually everything is performed in such a way to prevent it from happening. One time it happened at work (as a reservist working on the aircraft), I immediatly reset it then went to the clinic. They threatened to kick me out (I was hoping for repair) lol. About that time I started lifting weights to strengthen shoulder, and the episode prior was the final occurance - knocking on wood Started swimming 2008, but very cautiously. Each left arm strokedone with knowledge that any wrong movement will pop it out. It is limiting, for example, the full streamline position will dislocate it, and that I don't fully engage the left pull, however it has not dislocated in ten years. I contribute this success too weight lifting, for the most part, and to a lesser degree, swimming which can actually help rotator cuff stability if done correct. After starting swimming and since I taught myself the form, I developed a few severe incorrect stroke flaws mostly related to protecting the shoulder. Eventually my other shoulder started to ache from overuse/bad form and has damage, but proper form has positively addressed this. Someday I will have surgery, but now isn't the time for me. Avoid ANYTHING that makes it pop around like you describe. it sounds like it needs about a year of PT and healing before you even think about swimming. My suggestion, see your Md, then see some others. Get medically informed and updated. Know your limits and re-evalute swimming expectations at each point. Weight lifting was my best cure and allowed me to hang in there without surgery for such a long time. It can also be crippling if done incorrect.

I dislocated my left shoulder a long time ago. In my first masters meet it dislocated when I was swimming fly on a relay. It popped back in and I finished my leg. I have done exercises over the years to strengthen my rotator cuffs and I have not had a dislocation since. Here is a link to a video that discusses some shoulder problems and treatments: achesandjoints.org/.../

Thanks everyone....I'm glad several of you can relate! :bighug: Did some Googling and determined that my shoulder has been subluxing/partially dislocating over the years, so I've never technically completely re-dislocated it thank goodness. But, this just means that my shoulder is basically unstable, so I really need to get real and acknowledge the big white elephant in the room I guess. Doc appointment is tomorrow. Hopefully I can determine the state of my ligaments and tendons....really hope there are no major rips or tears. Also hope to determine the level of activity I should be doing. I do the tubing/strenghtening exercises as part of my dryland 1x a week, so I'm not sure if that is enough, or if because I swim 4-5x a week now I am actually over-doing it and making my shoulder weaker. Coach put it in perspective for me yesterday and made me feel a lot better. :chillpill: Said there are tons of swimmers out there with shoulder injuries who are often regulated to strict kick workouts, and that it actually helps them to become better swimmers overall as they have the opportunity to greatly improve their kick. (I HATE kicking lol.) We'll see what happens!

A guy on our team dislocated his shoulder diving off the blocks. He was relatively inexperienced and had a long thin build with little musculature. He did a "superman" start (hands not together) and apparently had his palms perpendicular to his direction of travel. Impact with the water was enough to dislocate one shoulder. I do not know if he had a previous injury that would predispose him; or if he had any kind of health conditions such as Marfan's. I dislocated a shoulder after falling backwards on an outstretched hand (soccer). It spontaneously relocated and some prescription anti-inflammatories returned full motion in 48 hrs; but afterwards swimming was extremely painful as the arm would sublux on every stroke. Surgery, PT, 2nd surgery (loose screw), and good results.

Hello again - more opinions needed please and thank you :) So went to the doc and have been referred to PT again and the ortho surgeon. While there the doc gave some info that I find quite interesting. She said that 'they' (whoever 'they' are) have seen increases in swimmer shoulder problems as stroke technique has evolved over the years. She said that newer stroke techniques are way more shoulder-driven, focusing more on an outstreched-forward-movement catch. She said that while this makes your stroke more efficient, its much harder on the shoulders. I found this info quite compelling, since over the past 2 months I have actually been working with my coach to change my stroke in this very way. I actually saw myself swim on camera for the first time not too long ago, and learned that a) my stroke is rediculously straight-armed (yet still faaaar from Janet Evans' stroke lol); b) and I over-rotate, both in the hips and by crossing my arms over in front (I'll be the first to admit that I do not have the strongest core). So in working to make these changes to my stroke we did a lot of zipper drill (all the way up to the ears for me!) for high elbows and tighter stroke, one-armed drill to prevent crossover, and 'underwater dog paddle' to work on the outstretched scull/catch. But in doing some brief internet research, I've read that these newer techniques should reduce shoulder injuries! Were the new changes in my stroke enough to stretch out my tendons/weaken my shoulder, even though I was practicing proper technique? Or could this doc be on to something? What do you think?

That is what ended my son & wife career in swimming. Get a full ortho check up 1st & then work on healing rather than covering up the real problem:worms:. You could make it MUCH worse:badday: by trying to do more without fixing what you now have,

I also have yuckie shoulders. Not quite as bad as the issues this thread has, thankfully. I started weight lifting about 15 years ago. Ripped my left shoulder to the point that I could hardly raise my arms to take my shirt off. The shoulder would not lift the arm. Spent the next 8 months doing only leg work outs.(I hate leg day) Finally I went to see a doc who told me push ups, pull ups, bench press and the like are not important things to do in life. These things come with age. (at 40, really?) I decided to just go for it. I started going all out on weight training. The stronger I got the less shoulder issues I had. I started with 25's on bench to 3 45's on each side in 2 years. The most I ever have lifted in my life. (one time on my birthday) Whenever I would miss some work outs, the shoulder problem would start to come back. I am talking 2 or 3 days. (Diving my car I would find it hard to lift my arm to the steering wheel.) Now, for the last 2 years I have been swimming 3-4 times a week at about 4000 yards per session (that's all I can do with out getting a divorce) and lifting about once a week. Swimming has seemed to make the problem more chronic but not disabling. Just twinges of pain. I try to keep my elbows close to my body. Lifting weights may inflame the shoulders a little but i still seem to keep a full range of motion. But again, when I miss a few work outs it gets worse fast. Some day I will see a doc. What stops me is that I am cheap Don't want to spend the money (their only shoulders) and I don't want to lose what I spent the last decade building in rehabilitation time. Or maybe i am just a big chicken?!

She said that 'they' (whoever 'they' are) have seen increases in swimmer shoulder problems as stroke technique has evolved over the years. She said that newer stroke techniques are way more shoulder-driven, focusing more on an outstreched-forward-movement catch. She said that while this makes your stroke more efficient, its much harder on the shoulders. Your Md's conclusion, that efficient swimming (low drag, high leverage) is the direct result in increasing shoulder problems with swimmers (therefore the more shoulder friendly technique is inefficient), does not have supporting proof. I think the reason is because more people are swimming and incorrectly attempting efficient form. Efficient swimming means you don't need to use your shoulders as much.