Shoulder Dislocation Feedback

I'm probably not the person you want to emulate, but I've had a lot of experience with shoulder dislocations. Fifteen times (give or take a few) mostly skiing, which left the shoulder so loose that I once dislocated it shutting a door. Then repair sugery, with a six month recovery period, then no episodes for about 20 years, including 10 years of snowboarding. I've dislocated it four times since the surgery, all skiing or skinning, most recently last year.

IMO, it is critical to learn to reduce the joint yourself, especially if you spend much time in the backcountry. The less time the bone is out of the socket, the quicker you will mend. For me (anterior dislocation), that usually means hanging onto a small tree with the affected arm (a ski stuck in the snow works too), leaning back and relaxing the shoulder, and pushing on the head of the humerus with my other hand to guide it back into place. Unfortunately the more often it occurs the more often it tends to repeat, but mine usually feels good after three weeks or so.

For a typical anterior dislocation problem, you can help prevent recurrances by keeping the arm in front of your body (if you slip and fall while skinning, don't throw your weak arm behind your body to catch your fall, or use your poles behind your body plane). This would apply to catching yourself if falling while riding heelside as well.

Good luck. The shoulder is a poorly designed joint, but it's what we've got. If you can get through three or four months without doing it again, and work hard at PT for the duration, your chances of having it happen again are probably not that much higher than most anyone else.

Two dislocations for me,

1st came crashing in moguls at Alpental -- with a patrollers guidance I was able to self-reduce on the hill, but still took a sled ride. Did six weeks in a sling and then something like 8 weeks PT for initial recovery.

2nd came trail running on the Dutch Miller trail about four miles from the trailhead. I was unable to self-reduce in the same manner as before. Thankfully the 1st aid booklet in my kit provided another method that worked (a stuff sack filled with rocks attached to my upper arm for 15 minutes fatiqued the muscles enough to allow reduction)

Rehab from the 2nd episode was less -- mainly because I was less patient and more confident -- I only used the sling for three weeks and started gentle PT during the fourth week.

Let pain be your guide to how fast you attempt PT exercises -- don't push it too hard.

A friend suggested accupunture -- I was skeptical -- but one treatment at five weeks dramatically improved my range of motion in the second episode.

The standard PT drill is to use these elastic bands for exercises -- these work fine for the inital weeks-- but to recover something like full strength, I found that hand weights to be more effective.

Even with a lot of weight work -- I still feel more pain in that shoulder when I push it hard -- canoe sprints for example -- but perhaps that is just geezerdom.

I first dislocated my shoulder about twelve years ago and have had numerous minor and a couple major dislocations since then.  I've kept it reasonably strong/stable with PT & exercise but it's only going downhill.  I just met with the ortho and he's recommending arthroscopic bankhart type procedure.  He's had much better luck with that over opening up the whole shoulder. 

Anyone have any experience with this?  Opinions on arthro vs. open?

i have assisted on both open & arthroscopic bankart repairs. i would choose the arthroscopic repair if the surgeon has experiance with it. deligent PT post op is as important

Watch Lethal Weapon. JK.

bbrooks,

During the research of my recent dislocation and talking with my ortho, it seems that arthroscopic is the standard procedure these days. I opted for conservative treatment based upon age and it was my first dislocation. If it goes again, I will definitely do the arthroscopic repair. The open surgery is much more invasive and requires a longer recovery period. Here is link I found helpful.

www.orthop.uwmedicine.org/uw/arthroscopi...rticles/Default.aspx