I'm putting together an article on shoulder problems for USMS Swimmer with a different slant. With your help, I hope to identify different types of typical shoulder problems swimmers encounter, symptoms, treatment, and your experience with the outcomes for these problems - a resource for swimmers who experience shoulder problems and how other swimmers have dealt with them and managed them.
If you'd like to be a part of this article, please respond to me with answers to the following questions.
1. Diagnosed name of injury and date it occurred (or how long ago it happened).
2. Initial symptoms.
3. Initial diagnosis - by self, PT, MD, other?
4. Initial treatment - as prescribed by self, PT, MD, other?
5. Additional treatment (including surgery).
6. Length of time out of the water. Please include type of training when resumed.
7. Length of time until back to previous level of training.
8. After treatment do you feel you're at the same level of training and performance as before your injury? A higher level? Have not reached previous level of training and performance.
9. Any other useful comments.
Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate your taking the time to help!
Nancy
SSpiker, Fortress, Bill, Jim, George, Ian, Jim, and Rob,
Thanks so much for your responses. I was surprised and very gratified to get them. I posted this request in October and thought no one was interested. It seems I was wrong and may revive this idea. How did you all find the posting from so long ago and take time to respond?
You all spoke of symptoms and experiences that I can relate to and you all seem to be handling them well. Rob, I wish you luck with your medical appointment and a good orthopedist that you can trust and that knows shoulders and swimming. Thanks to those of you who read the artcle in the latest Swimmer magazine. I was surprised that they wanted to do it but am now glad they did since there have been some positive responses from people who got a message from it. Jim Thornton was right on when he commented on the psychological and emotional component of the effects of having to be out of the water with this injury. The pain and the unknown hurt but not as much as being away from your teammates, your friends.
If you know of others who might be interested in joining this pool of responses, please invite them to respond. Maybe we can get this going again. Many thanks! And Happy Valentines Day!
Nancy
Nancy -
Update on my last posting:
Saw orothpedic surgeon today. Based on x-rays (no MRI done), diagnosis is no RC tears (yeah, hopefully) due to range of motion and strength levels. Instead, acromioclavicular arthritis. Received one very painful cortisone injection, told to resume training slowly and return in 1 month.
Received one very painful cortisone injection.
My orthopedic guy had some kind of local anesthetic (novocaine?) mixed in with the cortisone. He did not want me moving while he injected, which had to be precise, according to him.
He did it quite slowly and it did not hurt. Afterwards, the shoulder was numb, which was probably a good thing. It felt like instant cure.
Ian.
Hi Nancy-
Contact Kerry too. We have a ton of people on our team dealing with shoulder injuries right now. There have been at least four surgeries that I know of in the last year. Ken Burr, John Roemer (although I think his was due to H2O polo), Jim DeLacy, and I can't remember the other one at the moment. I know Leianne is also having troubles...
Hope this helps :)
Karen
My orthopedic guy had some kind of local anesthetic (novocaine?) mixed in with the cortisone. He did not want me moving while he injected, which had to be precise, according to him.
He did it quite slowly and it did not hurt. Afterwards, the shoulder was numb, which was probably a good thing. It felt like instant cure.
Ian.
Same here from my cortisone shot. Didn't feel a thing.
1. Diagnosed name of injury and date it occurred (or how long ago it happened).
2. Initial symptoms.
3. Initial diagnosis - by self, PT, MD, other?
4. Initial treatment - as prescribed by self, PT, MD, other?
5. Additional treatment (including surgery).
6. Length of time out of the water. Please include type of training when resumed.
7. Length of time until back to previous level of training.
8. After treatment do you feel you're at the same level of training and performance as before your injury? A higher level? Have not reached previous level of training and performance.
9. Any other useful comments.
1. a. SLAP Lesion (1996), b. surgical knife blade stuck in shoulder (1996), c. torn rotator cuff (1999), d. rorn rotator cuff (2006
2. pain in shoulder when swimming or lifting arm.
3. Initial diagnosis by Orhto Surgeon (for all 4 injuries)
4. Initial treatment - surgery for all 4 injuries - treated by Ortho Surgeon (for all 4 injuries)
5. Physical Therapy after surgery and continuing self therapy in the gym 3 x per week forevermore.
6. Out of water a. 4 months after SLAP lesion surgery, b. 4 months after having knife blade removed from my joint, c. 8 months after rotator cuff repair number one, and d. 7 months after rotator cuff repair number two.
7. To reach the same level of TRAINING (not performance), it is about a year.
8. Never really reached the same level of performance. Despite my best efforts, I lose a few seconds a hundred after each surgery.
The latest issue of American Family Physician has a general article on shoulder injuries ("see your doctor," "it all depends"), including rotator cuff injuries, in case you need a quote or two.
Regards,
VB
Good Luck on the article Nancy! Here are my answers.
1. Diagnosed name of injury and date it occurred (or how long ago it happened). I had two doctors and couple PT"s tell me I had a labrum tear. This happened about 5 years ago - 2002
2. Initial symptoms. I had changed my stroke a little and noticed a bit of pain in my shoulder. I was also a first time father and I think the constant carrying of the baby/car seat played a roll in injurying my shoulder.
3. Initial diagnosis - by self, PT, MD, other? Dr. Burk - University of Utah Hospital
4. Initial treatment - as prescribed by self, PT, MD, other? I first tried PT. It didn't seem to help at all. I iced and took Ibuprofin and that would help a little. Doctors suggested surgery after MRI. They couldn't see anything on the MRI, but all test seemed to say there was a tear. I refused surgery since no one could tell me what it was and they just wanted to go in and find out.
5. Additional treatment (including surgery). I decided to take up yoga and pilates and see if this could help. With in a month I was pain free and back to swimming.
6. Length of time out of the water. Please include type of training when resumed.
7. Length of time until back to previous level of training.
8. After treatment do you feel you're at the same level of training and performance as before your injury? A higher level? Have not reached previous level of training and performance.
9. Any other useful comments. It is hard to say where I would be if I had gone through with the surgery. Maybe I would be perfect and back to great training. Sometimes I think we are so eager to get fixed right away and not look for other solutions beside western medicine. I very happy that I decided to refuse the surgery!!!
