Woot! Doctor diagnosed me with a Separated Shoulder. Going to get it thoroughly checked out after Grapplers Quest, September 10th! Hopefully X-ray and MRI's dont show a tear on the rotator cuff. I'd like to hear some opinions about taking care of the shoulder and such.

Woot! Doctor diagnosed me with a Separated Shoulder. Going to get it thoroughly checked out after Grapplers Quest, September 10th! Hopefully X-ray and MRI's dont show a tear on the rotator cuff. I'd like to hear some opinions about taking care of the shoulder and such.

What degree?
I had 3dr degree separation from being dumped on my head/shoulder about 5 months ago. My left shoulder is still weak. There's a bunch of exercises that I've been doing but I'm not sure they are helping.
My shoulder blade muscles are still sore after a tougher workout bc they compensate for the torn ligaments and I haven't yet developed them properly.
It generally sucks.
I may go to get it fixed in the fall, which means another 3-4 months off of weights and grappling.
:(

Tomas

going to compete with it like that sept 10? You could really get it messed up if it's only a partial separation. I'd lay off - competing with injuries just isn't worth it unless there's a lot at stake, like a world title.

I partially separated my shoulder - took several months + PT before I could really start using it again. I didn't need surgery but now I need to spend extra time working it out. The shoulder is one of nature's mistakes - another is the knee.

I had a complete separation of my left shoulder in 1983, after taking a couple of f-ed up falls in karate class. I had a Dacron artificial ligament put in. Initially, my arm atrophied like crazy and it took about six months to rehab it back to normal, but I've had very little trouble with it since -- once in awhile the area feels stiff, but 99.99% of the time I have complete range of motion and no pain. I dunno if doctors recommend prostheses for partial separations these days, though.

Good luck -- I know it sucks trying to work out while babying a partial sep. My situaiton started off with a partial, which lasted for a couple of months until a second mishap finished the job and sort of solved the problem for me.

I know very few competitive judoka who haven't had some sort of shoulder injury.

I had surgery last year for a torn rotator cuff, torn biceps tendon, and torn labrum cartilage, plus he shaved down my acromion bone. It was all due to a 10 or 12 yr. old injury that I never properly took care of.

Now I do "isolated" exercises in the weight room for my shoulders.

I would recommend having a P.T. show you, or picking up a book, on shoulder exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff. A lot of the exercises look gay, and are done with very light weight, but they really work and will go a long way toward preventing future shoulder injuries.

Good luck, I hope yours heals up well.

Its after the X-rays and MRI could I tell you how bad the separation is, and that wont be happening until after competition. Doctor said to keep it iced and to get a brace for my shoulder for training purposes. After the tournament im laying off and taking care of it. From now till then, icing it after training and doing what the doctor has told me to do.

it's the injuries you don't take care of that really screw your life up later on - I'm on my 3 round of PT now for injuries I should have dealt with when they first occurred.

Even if you're young and think you can hang and really really want to compete, you're running the risk of screwing yourself up in a way that will really make itself known in about 10 years. Unless you're an olympian, chasing a world title or stand to lose sponsorship and/or a salary ,there will always be another comp.

Doctor said it could end up being chronic if he doesnt take care of it. But he's alright until after the competition, but if I see while training that my shoulder isnt up for it than ill have to call it quits. The pain comes and goes depending on how I sleep and the training previous day.

it's the injuries you don't take care of that really screw your life up later on - I'm on my 3 round of PT now for injuries I should have dealt with when they first occurred.


Even if you're young and think you can hang and really really want to compete, you're running the risk of screwing yourself up in a way that will really make itself known in about 10 years. Unless you're an olympian, chasing a world title or stand to lose sponsorship and/or a salary ,there will always be another comp.
Tourettes knows what he's talking about. Listen to him and you'll go far.
:eusa_clap

* Damn Tourettes, where were you 15 years ago when I needed you? *

You know what yesterday was my day of thinking about it and receiving the opinions. Not going to the competition and resting this injury till its 100%! I dont want to end up winning a competition and having to get surgery after it because ego got in the way. Taking your advice Tourettes, getting x-rays and MRIs as soon as possible. And in the end i'll just be watching and studying my competition as a spectator. Instructor is going to feel bad in the sense ive been training so hard, and to have this happen right before competition just sucks.

Alright guys ill keep you posted on my recovery.

Tourettes knows what he's talking about. Listen to him and you'll go far.
:eusa_clap

* Damn Tourettes, where were you 15 years ago when I needed you? *

Thanks for the words, Lawdog. 15 years ago, I was just starting to tear myself up, too. I have a very different approach to sports and fitness training now than when I was younger. There's nothing like having that training/competition conflict of what you/your coach want(s) you to do vs. what you should do for yourself. Dealing with that conflict is one of the best things I've taken out of competitive sports.

Glitzy - glad I could help someone avoid making the same kind of stupid mistakes I've made. Mistakes can be cool - it's how you learn - but there some you shouldn't go out of your way to experience.

I haven't been around for a while, but I noticed this thread and wanted to respond because my boyfriend had the exact thing happen to him in a competition last year. He torn all the ligaments on the front side of his shoulder, it was a class III separation. The doctor recommended that he take 6 months to a year off from fighting and go to PT daily, but for the first week or two (I forget which) just work on getting mobility back to prevent scar tissue from forming and inhibiting the range of motion. After a week or so he had virtually his whole range of motion back with little to no pain at that point he declined physical therapy to handle it on his own which was when he called me (we weren't dating at the time)because of my experience with a torn ACL in my knee from my gymnastics days in college. At that point we designed a program involving SuperSlow protocals to rehab the joint. He begain immediately with the lightest load he could handle with no pain on a machine chest press. From there he would lift until the fatigue caused slight pain and terminated the set. He also trained the opposing side as he did before as well as a program for the rest of his body that didn't aggravate the injury. Each week after he made requisite repetitions, he would add weight, the goal being to build it back to it's previous strength level. After two weeks or so of this his shoulder was showing major improvement and he also made a visit to his doctor and told him what he was doing. The doctor said it sounded good and just let pain be the guide. He kept working on it and showed great improvement week by week and after a month he was back on the mats doing light training from certain postions, after two and a half months he was training regularly and after three months he was back on the mat and his shoulder was virtually 100% minus a bit of strength that he had previously, which only needed to be built back. His doctor was amazed at his recovery rate which was half the expected time. This was very similar to the outcome I had with my knee several years ago, but this is just a personal story, so you will have to make your own judgments on what you must do with your own body.

I haven't been around for a while, but I noticed this thread and wanted to respond because my boyfriend had the exact thing happen to him in a competition last year. He torn all the ligaments on the front side of his shoulder, it was a class III separation. The doctor recommended that he take 6 months to a year off from fighting and go to PT daily, but for the first week or two (I forget which) just work on getting mobility back to prevent scar tissue from forming and inhibiting the range of motion. After a week or so he had virtually his whole range of motion back with little to no pain at that point he declined physical therapy to handle it on his own which was when he called me (we weren't dating at the time)because of my experience with a torn ACL in my knee from my gymnastics days in college. At that point we designed a program involving SuperSlow protocals to rehab the joint. He begain immediately with the lightest load he could handle with no pain on a machine chest press. From there he would lift until the fatigue caused slight pain and terminated the set. He also trained the opposing side as he did before as well as a program for the rest of his body that didn't aggravate the injury. Each week after he made requisite repetitions, he would add weight, the goal being to build it back to it's previous strength level. After two weeks or so of this his shoulder was showing major improvement and he also made a visit to his doctor and told him what he was doing. The doctor said it sounded good and just let pain be the guide. He kept working on it and showed great improvement week by week and after a month he was back on the mats doing light training from certain postions, after two and a half months he was training regularly and after three months he was back on the mat and his shoulder was virtually 100% minus a bit of strength that he had previously, which only needed to be built back. His doctor was amazed at his recovery rate which was half the expected time. This was very similar to the outcome I had with my knee several years ago, but this is just a personal story, so you will have to make your own judgments on what you must do with your own body.



Ah, to be young again...

I've seperated my left shoulder twice, once from an omaplata gone wild, and once from falling off a hay bail stack. I haven't had an injury to it since but every once in awhile it still flairs up and since that is my good arm it doesn't make me vey happy. Most likely that shoulder will give you trouble for the rest of your life unless its a minor injury. At the same time I got omaplated really badly it also tore my left lat and it didn't heal right, my left lat muscle is now numb and has been that way ever since the injury.

I haven't been around for a while, but I noticed this thread and wanted to respond because my boyfriend had the exact thing happen to him in a competition last year. He torn all the ligaments on the front side of his shoulder, it was a class III separation. The doctor recommended that he take 6 months to a year off from fighting and go to PT daily, but for the first week or two (I forget which) just work on getting mobility back to prevent scar tissue from forming and inhibiting the range of motion. After a week or so he had virtually his whole range of motion back with little to no pain at that point he declined physical therapy to handle it on his own which was when he called me (we weren't dating at the time)because of my experience with a torn ACL in my knee from my gymnastics days in college. At that point we designed a program involving SuperSlow protocals to rehab the joint. He begain immediately with the lightest load he could handle with no pain on a machine chest press. From there he would lift until the fatigue caused slight pain and terminated the set. He also trained the opposing side as he did before as well as a program for the rest of his body that didn't aggravate the injury. Each week after he made requisite repetitions, he would add weight, the goal being to build it back to it's previous strength level. After two weeks or so of this his shoulder was showing major improvement and he also made a visit to his doctor and told him what he was doing. The doctor said it sounded good and just let pain be the guide. He kept working on it and showed great improvement week by week and after a month he was back on the mats doing light training from certain postions, after two and a half months he was training regularly and after three months he was back on the mat and his shoulder was virtually 100% minus a bit of strength that he had previously, which only needed to be built back. His doctor was amazed at his recovery rate which was half the expected time. This was very similar to the outcome I had with my knee several years ago, but this is just a personal story, so you will have to make your own judgments on what you must do with your own body.

Wow, im surprised I didnt read this earlier. But yea the update on whats happening, MRIs and X-rays are taking forever to reach my doctor. Im still resting it and it feels a whole lot better. I'm getting aggravated at the fact ive been doing nothing with my upper body for basically 16 days. I want to get back to the mats but safely you know. Once my doctor gives me the ok ill be back on the mats, probably with a brace until its back to normal. Im going to be strict with the physical therapy as to minimize the risk of reinjuring it. Also I read about scar tissue and how it can basically be eliminated with a good sports deep tissue massage, ill ask my doctor to see if that would benefit in the recovery process.

So who's going to Grapplers Quest tomorrow!? I'm going to be a spectator lol. Watch my competition go at it!