A Shoulder Saga
- Thread starter Jamie
- Start date
So glad you are doing so well with that shoulder. Guess as always, these things just take time and endless patience. Sounds like you are well and truly on track!
bottomshollow
Former BoneSmart staff member
OP
OP
Oh....Susanne....I'm so sorry to hear this. You were my poster child for this process!! "Losing cement" sounds like the surgeon didn't get the job done correctly the first time. Are you going to get a second opinion?
OP
OP
I'm starting therapy tomorrow with a great gal I've worked with before. I'm looking forward to seeing what exercises she thinks will help. I do hope she can improve my strength and flexibility. But I think the doc was right too that time will do a lot to make things better. I see some small improvement in just the last week. Rolling my hair on hot rollers has been a real challenge, but it's just slightly easier now.
susanne
post-grad
Jamie. First mistake. Shoulder done in 2011. Loosening of cement probably due to working with the kids
Not thinking about a re do
Have to have back surgery
Dam arthritis !!!
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Not thinking about a re do
Have to have back surgery
Dam arthritis !!!
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®
Kssii
senior
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susanne
post-grad
Special Ed pre school teacher 4-5 yr old severely emotionally disturbed kids very aggressive. Lots of restraining and holds on the kids. Wasn't supposed to but at times had no choice
Typical of my luck
Susanne
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Typical of my luck
Susanne
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OP
OP
Mmmmmm......I see. I'm not sure I agree that even doing that would result in loosening of the cement, but it really serves no purpose to look back. Only forward and on to getting all those parts fixed!!! Hang in there and just take things one step at a time.
My therapy sessions (I've had 2 now) were good. For now the PT is working on stretching out my shoulder....very little in the way of strengthening. Although I can function okay with the shoulder, there is still a fair amount of restriction in overhead movements and moving my hand behind my back. She thinks I can regain all of that over time (like months!!!). I have learned that when shoulder surgery of any type is done, the tissue comprising the capsule around the joint gets all excited and "constricts." It will hold that constriction until you work slowly to stretch it out again. In extreme cases where a person doesn't move about at all, the shoulder can actually lock up.
I don't have that problem as I was active early on after my surgery. But there is restriction that we will be working on. For now the sessions consist of her slowly manipulating the joint and a group of stretching exercises with a pole and a weak rubber band. I do the stretches at home too and can definitely feel that there is tightness that needs to get worked out.
I'm excited that I may be able to have significantly better range of motion. My only fear is that when I am able to increase the motion, that awful popping of the joint from the oblong damaged ball will start. I'm keeping fingers crossed that it won't as that was terrible before surgery! Obviously all the bone on bone is still there so we'll just have to see how it all works out.
My therapy sessions (I've had 2 now) were good. For now the PT is working on stretching out my shoulder....very little in the way of strengthening. Although I can function okay with the shoulder, there is still a fair amount of restriction in overhead movements and moving my hand behind my back. She thinks I can regain all of that over time (like months!!!). I have learned that when shoulder surgery of any type is done, the tissue comprising the capsule around the joint gets all excited and "constricts." It will hold that constriction until you work slowly to stretch it out again. In extreme cases where a person doesn't move about at all, the shoulder can actually lock up.
I don't have that problem as I was active early on after my surgery. But there is restriction that we will be working on. For now the sessions consist of her slowly manipulating the joint and a group of stretching exercises with a pole and a weak rubber band. I do the stretches at home too and can definitely feel that there is tightness that needs to get worked out.
I'm excited that I may be able to have significantly better range of motion. My only fear is that when I am able to increase the motion, that awful popping of the joint from the oblong damaged ball will start. I'm keeping fingers crossed that it won't as that was terrible before surgery! Obviously all the bone on bone is still there so we'll just have to see how it all works out.
Kssii
senior
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2015
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- 259
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- 79
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- Luther Oklahoma
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- Female
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- United States
Best of luck Jamie! I am still improving since my PRP. Doesn't work for everyone, but has been a miracle for me!
Me2
post-grad
Hey Jamie, just writing to see how your shoulder recovery is going? Starting to feel a little frustrated and fearful that shoulders will NEVER be right. Your explanation really makes sense.
I just came on today to pose the question to Josephine, et al., as to how necessary PT is for shoulders. I didn't do any for my hips, and they really didn't need it. BUT, my PT for shoulders sounds much like yours in that there is a lot of the therapist stretching shoulders out and minimal strengthening. First, left shoulder has okay range of motion but seem to actually be losing ground with the second right shoulder repair. So, are you still doing PT and how much changes are you seeing?
I just came on today to pose the question to Josephine, et al., as to how necessary PT is for shoulders. I didn't do any for my hips, and they really didn't need it. BUT, my PT for shoulders sounds much like yours in that there is a lot of the therapist stretching shoulders out and minimal strengthening. First, left shoulder has okay range of motion but seem to actually be losing ground with the second right shoulder repair. So, are you still doing PT and how much changes are you seeing?
OP
OP
According to the surgeon and my therapist, shoulders do require a more concentrated effort to regain the maximum range of motion. It can take a year or more just like knees and hips. It is mostly stretching gradually along with some strength building. My therapist has been working primarily on stretching for the last month or so and I did measure with improvements when she checked last week. I can tell too as I can reach higher above my head than before. I think it's going to require a lot of patience on my part. The shoulder is better pain-wise too, but because I still have the arthritic joint, I will always have some pain and popping associated with the loss of cartilage and mis-shapen ball. It's like the joint "catches" sometimes when I move a particular way and I'll get a pain zinger.
I still have work to do, especially with external rotation of the joint and strength when holding a weight out to the side and moving my arm upwards. The therapist says that is the last movement to regain. I do a lot of activity taking care of hubby and me so I feel like I get a lot of opportunities to move and stretch. Consequently I'm not as good doing daily exercises. Don't know if I'd improve faster if I made time for the targeted exercise or not. I still keep trying to work that into my schedule. I'm seeing the therapist 3 times a week still so that seems to me to be enough.
Thanks for checking on me. I hope things improve for you. Hang in there and keep working on the stretches. They are working for me and hopefully will for you too. It's just going to take time, time, and more time!
I still have work to do, especially with external rotation of the joint and strength when holding a weight out to the side and moving my arm upwards. The therapist says that is the last movement to regain. I do a lot of activity taking care of hubby and me so I feel like I get a lot of opportunities to move and stretch. Consequently I'm not as good doing daily exercises. Don't know if I'd improve faster if I made time for the targeted exercise or not. I still keep trying to work that into my schedule. I'm seeing the therapist 3 times a week still so that seems to me to be enough.
Thanks for checking on me. I hope things improve for you. Hang in there and keep working on the stretches. They are working for me and hopefully will for you too. It's just going to take time, time, and more time!
OP
OP
Whoooops....sorry, I just noticed this post!! Sorry, @susanne !
When I had my arthoscopic procedure we weren't sure about the condition of the rotator cuff, but it turned out to be just a little scraped up. No tears. So my surgeon cleaned it up so it could heal along with getting rid of the giant bone spur that was rubbing it raw. So, yes....it is still intact.
My healing continues at a snail's pace!!! Who knew? Not me! I thought I'd be way done with this by now. I have stopped therapy as was mostly things I could do at home. I can always return if needed. I am seeing my fabulous trainer 2 days a week and she's helping with motion and strength exercises. Plus, I'm doing movements at home to increase motion and strength.
My difficult movements still are reaching my arm straight up (like you need to do when shaving armpits or rolling hair), lifting upwards and forward with weight on outstretched arm (like putting items up on a shelf), and lifting arm upwards when extended straight out to the side. Strength for these movements gets better week by week, but it is the really slow part of recovery.
Because of the oval shape of my shoulder "ball" I also have popping in the joint when I raise my arm high enough. Therapy and muscle strengthening has made this less than before, but it's still there and I guess it will be always to some degree until the joint is made round again with a shoulder replacement. It doesn't hurt. It just catches a bit and goes "pop, pop."
I still feel the arthroscopic surgery was the right way to go. I have most of my motion back and I am able to delay the shoulder replacement for a while. I have very little pain which is a vast improvement over pre-surgery.
When I had my arthoscopic procedure we weren't sure about the condition of the rotator cuff, but it turned out to be just a little scraped up. No tears. So my surgeon cleaned it up so it could heal along with getting rid of the giant bone spur that was rubbing it raw. So, yes....it is still intact.
My healing continues at a snail's pace!!! Who knew? Not me! I thought I'd be way done with this by now. I have stopped therapy as was mostly things I could do at home. I can always return if needed. I am seeing my fabulous trainer 2 days a week and she's helping with motion and strength exercises. Plus, I'm doing movements at home to increase motion and strength.
My difficult movements still are reaching my arm straight up (like you need to do when shaving armpits or rolling hair), lifting upwards and forward with weight on outstretched arm (like putting items up on a shelf), and lifting arm upwards when extended straight out to the side. Strength for these movements gets better week by week, but it is the really slow part of recovery.
Because of the oval shape of my shoulder "ball" I also have popping in the joint when I raise my arm high enough. Therapy and muscle strengthening has made this less than before, but it's still there and I guess it will be always to some degree until the joint is made round again with a shoulder replacement. It doesn't hurt. It just catches a bit and goes "pop, pop."
I still feel the arthroscopic surgery was the right way to go. I have most of my motion back and I am able to delay the shoulder replacement for a while. I have very little pain which is a vast improvement over pre-surgery.
susanne
post-grad
Glad to hear this. Sorry I've been negligent in reading friends threads. Have so much going on but tying to prioritize which is the important stuff to do first. So now stuck on my list. Who am I kidding. I'll never get organized and my new mantra at work and home starts off with this open sentence. " where did I put my ___. Fill in the blank. It's every day.
Does anyone know about hyper or hypo reflexes. A dr can just touch my knee and it goes flying almost missing Drs head. Still trying to get my body to work together. Since my ankle sprain back issues it's been referred pain over and over again.
Thanks again for the venting sessio.
Oh and still doing chair yoga to the best of my ability
Be well everyone. The colds starting to come so I'm bracing myself for Warner clothes
Be well my friends
Susanne
Any suggestions besides being wrapped up in bubble paper or quit my job
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart[emoji768]
Does anyone know about hyper or hypo reflexes. A dr can just touch my knee and it goes flying almost missing Drs head. Still trying to get my body to work together. Since my ankle sprain back issues it's been referred pain over and over again.
Thanks again for the venting sessio.
Oh and still doing chair yoga to the best of my ability
Be well everyone. The colds starting to come so I'm bracing myself for Warner clothes
Be well my friends
Susanne
Any suggestions besides being wrapped up in bubble paper or quit my job
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart[emoji768]
OP
OP
No suggestions except just to try and go with the flow. That's what I have to do. My chore list is always way, way greater than my time to devote to "things." I make a million lists just so I can cross things off and feel like I'm accomplishing something! Like someone once told me.....every day I wake up on this side of the grass is a wonderful day. So I'm sticking with that story!
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Oh my! I love it!
OP
OP
The party had to end. My poor shoulder has made it 2 years which allowed me to do the caregiving I needed to do for my hubby uninterrupted. But, now....it's failing me and I don't want to risk injuring the rotator cuff. So I'll be off to my surgeon next week for a frank talk about a shoulder replacement between now and the first of the year. Oh joy.
I was reading about an implant that appears to possibly be a bit easier in recovery because it doesn't require a stem. It's the Simpliciti Shoulder System by Wright. I printed off some information about it and will be taking that to the meeting with the surgeon. I'll be interested to hear what he has to say about my options.
I was reading about an implant that appears to possibly be a bit easier in recovery because it doesn't require a stem. It's the Simpliciti Shoulder System by Wright. I printed off some information about it and will be taking that to the meeting with the surgeon. I'll be interested to hear what he has to say about my options.
Me2
post-grad
Oh, Jamie, so sad to hear the shoulder getting to that point! But, perhaps this finally "getting bad enough" will be a good thing. I found the shoulder replacement itself so much easier than the rotator cuff repairs. Not quite as easy as the hips for me but then wearing the sling forever kind of gets in the way.
At a bit over a year after the replacement, its almost back to strong enough. And, remember, I had that set back early in the Spring where replacement shoulder was doing SO WONDERFUL, and I didn't realize that the warning that I COULD NOT rotate beyond 30 degrees back was REALLY a SHOULD NOT. I could but in doing so the ball of the joint places too much pressure on the plate part possibly damaging the stem or plate placement. And at five months from doing that, I am almost back to where I was in recovery. So, I assume I still have some room to go strength wise.
But, I go into that detail because the stem-less sounds like it may also eliminate the 30 degree restriction? Please be sure to check on that. I will be very curious since my left shoulder is still getting worse -- not bad enough for me to get replacement. I don't even have the time to see the doctor until I am closing a day for my birthday and am making appointments to do doctors way off on October 20. Oh, well!
Hopefully, you'll be able to make a good plan to fix that shoulder!
At a bit over a year after the replacement, its almost back to strong enough. And, remember, I had that set back early in the Spring where replacement shoulder was doing SO WONDERFUL, and I didn't realize that the warning that I COULD NOT rotate beyond 30 degrees back was REALLY a SHOULD NOT. I could but in doing so the ball of the joint places too much pressure on the plate part possibly damaging the stem or plate placement. And at five months from doing that, I am almost back to where I was in recovery. So, I assume I still have some room to go strength wise.
But, I go into that detail because the stem-less sounds like it may also eliminate the 30 degree restriction? Please be sure to check on that. I will be very curious since my left shoulder is still getting worse -- not bad enough for me to get replacement. I don't even have the time to see the doctor until I am closing a day for my birthday and am making appointments to do doctors way off on October 20. Oh, well!
Hopefully, you'll be able to make a good plan to fix that shoulder!
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