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Unwelcome Surprise Separated Shoulder

Original Post
Tony Bob · · Fairview Park, OH · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 10

I was just diagnosed with a first degree shoulder separation. Pain in the ass (well, shoulder). Next week I see a sports PT so between now and then I am going on light duty until I get this figured out. I guess I am lucky it wasn't worse.

What gets me is how it happened. The day before, I was in the gym and having a very good training session. In between my time there I was on a downclimb and I noticed a funny sensation in my shoulder but thought nothing of it and kept going for the next couple hours.

Today in the gym as I am changing I noticed a ping pong ball size lump on my shoulder and get it checked out.

What puzzles me is that AC separation is typically due to falls or jarring impacts, and I can find any instance why a downclimb would do this. What gives? Is there a weak muscle group somewhere? Should I be training harder or eating more steaks?

I have full range of motion, I'm gonna not be stupid and take some downtime (a first for me) but how did you folks manage this?

normajean · · Reading, PA · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 110

Tony,

Not entirely sure what "first degree shoulder separation" is, but I am similarly dismayed/ticked off with my shoulder injury. Was in the gym climbing the week before Thanksgiving and did not have any noticeable problem or falls. Some time later that day felt pain and clicking in the shoulder and dislocation sensation. After weeks of it not subsiding went to see an ortho, had an MRI, and had arthroscopic surgery done. I had no less than rotator cuff tear, labrum tear, and bicep tendon tear, supposedly all minor. There was a piece of broken off cartilage that had to be removed. Six weeks post surgery I am still rehabbing 2x week with PT and do not yet even have a full range of motion. Part of my deltoid looks like it went missing and my pecs are half the size on that side.

But what gets me the most is that nothing really happened. I am guessing that I "fell" on an arm locked on my side, which tore up the joint. Shoulders have freedom of motion unlike any joint and many small muscles stabilizing it. I think it's really important to work on strengthening the whole rotator cuff group, which I am planning to pay attention to from now on. Othewise and for the lack of better attribution, I had to store the incident in the "shit happens" area of my brain.

Tony Bob · · Fairview Park, OH · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 10

Damn, that sucks. What I have isn't nearly so bad. Hope you get on the mend. A should separation (A/C joint separation), is where the connective tissue between the clavicle and scapula ( i think ) is stressed. I guess its something like a shoulder sprain. The higher the degree, the more severe the damage, ranging from a inflammation up to varying levels of tears. I suspect in my case I was betrayed by weak muscle groups that gave out while I was downclimbing. And hopefully the PT gives me something to prevent this from happening again. It's being away from climbing that sucks.

Frank Stein · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205

Hey Tony, a first degree AC separation is no big deal. Do your PT, and I bet that you can be climbing in less than a month. I had a complete grade 3, and started PT with passive ROM less than a week out. Was religious about PT for about a year, but was swimming within a month, and climbing within 2 months with some discomfort. No surgery or any other shenanigans. Of course the nice thing about a complete separation is that you really can't make it worse.

I do have a self diagnosed, and confirmed by PT friend grade 1 on my other shoulder, and took no time off from that one.

Both were from bike crashes.

JNE · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,110

I did not have a torn shoulder but I did have a lot of stability issues in my right shoulder related to a separated clavicle. After recovery/PT, the thing that really got me back on track was the workout I describe in this post. Good luck and I hope that helps :)

Tony Bob · · Fairview Park, OH · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 10

Well here's the update to this: Yesterday I saw a doctor (orthopedics) about this. He said it was actually osteolysis. Which was described as part of the bone connected to the clavicle is actually breaking down. WTF?! I do have a weight routine but climbing is my primary exercise so it's not like I'm wearing this bone/joint out through repetitive loaded motion. But he basically said its the "some people have shit luck" line. So next week I see a PT, whom I'll listen to and follow religiously. It sucks being off the wall and especially that nice weather is coming so soon as well. I guess this condition is a cause to a separation?

Frank Stein · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205

Make sure that you get a PT who understands shoulders. They are rarer than you may think.

Tony Bob · · Fairview Park, OH · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 10

Update:

Today was my last day of PT. I've been doing this religiously for about four or five weeks. And I am noticing so real differences. The osteopath as well as the pt owned my injury up to the fact the muscle holding in the shoulder blade were too weak. This caused the scapula (shoulder blade) to just "wing out". What this has the effect of doing is allowing the joint to impinge inside the socket (lock offs are a real big no-no) and moving the arm in a range of motion that was beyond what the muscle supports didn't do the joint any favors. So long story short, the therapy focuses strengthening those muscles and retraining my brain to use the lats and blades and not just the pecs (avoid impingment).

Won't know progress truly until August when it gets X-rayed again.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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