0
SmoothAl

Shoulder

Recommended Posts

Hey Al.. Dont sweat it, the worst part will be the wait. I lived with my damaged shoulder for 10 years before wanting to continue in this sport prompted me to do it. I wish I would've done it years ago, because I have better range-of-motion now that I dont have to baby it & avoid the positions that used to dislocate it.

My surgeon got me in 2 1/2 weeks after my initial consultation, it was outpatient, and there I was in my immobilizer sling for 6 weeks. I had surgery the day before Thanksgiving '06 and I'm jumping right now. Seriously, the surgery worked great for me and even though my arm is technically still healing, I'm able to work with weights, and climb & haul ladders at work with no worries.

Just take it super easy if & when you have the surgery, the joint is very fragile then and even though you may feel like you can do things, you won't be back to 'normal' for 5-6 months. I was workign again on light duty after 1 1/2 months, full duty at 4, and skydiving at 5.

frustrating to wait, but I was in your exact situation last september and here I am falling out of airplanes again in may
Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
after 10 dislocations i took about 4 months off to strictly work out. i think i was in some of the best shape of my life. i went out to the dz to pick up my weight belt as we were heading to california to train for a week and decided to jump on a load.

got out, pulled, sublocated my shoulder and finally realized surgery was the solution.

i had surgery and 6 weeks later i was doing hop 'n pops. 8 weeks later i was skydiving.

almost one year later i can tell you that my shoulder is soooo strong. surgery was the best thing i decided to do and you will be happy once it's done.

good luck. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I seem to remember on the waiver before getting into the tunnel it states something like "I've never had any previous shoulder injuries or dislocations".

It's probably best to clear it with the tunnel management and instructors first before going in the air, but we don't always follow all the rules.

You could always do shorter 1 minute sessions if you're splitting the time with a group, and let the instructor know not to pull on your arm to correct your awkward flying style that favors the bad shoulder.

Let us know how the surgery and therapy and brace work out.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks guys. I ended up going back to the PT a couple of days after the tunnel experience. I told him I was pretty sore. He took a look, rubbed and stretched my shoulder area and told me that the muscles were very tight. It appeared to him that the anterior muscle, I had torn orginally, had been worked pretty hard. It was put to me like this: think what had happened to you when you jumped and had not had physical therapy. Now, think about how you did in the tunnel after physical therapy. You lasted longer than you would have previously, and it's possible that with further strengthening, and endurance training (none previously), would increase the amount of time I could last in the future.

I hear what you are all saying, and it makes sense to listen to the community who is "doing it", then I listen to the group I work with and the PT who stand firmly on not getting cut. (Mind you, I work in the Hollywood, CA area, where the vegans and health consciouse run rampant) I'm not dismissing surgery, and I am almost confident it is going to be the best "in the long run" solution; it's definitely a decision that I need to view from all sides.

Thank you all for your input and personal thoughts. It helps.

SA B|

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

sorry to hear it, al... but be encouraged. tunnel is way harder on the shoulder than jumping. and i ended up not that afraid of dislocating in freefall - i knew i could pull silver if i had to. i jumped about 9 months post-surgery (in the brace) and never had another problem... even though the tunnel was a different story, but that is so much workout all at once.

the surgery i had was called a bankart repair... is that what they are considering doing for you? i was SO glad i did it, the first six weeks or so SUCKED but after that it was all uphill, and you have proven yourself a good PT student. i rock climb too, and so i wanted to be sure i was all the way healed, and even though i think i could jump without the brace by now, it makes me feel better to have it...

keep us posted. [:/]

life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
(helen keller)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Al,

7 years ago I dislocated my left shoulder badly (not skydiving.) I went the PT route and was able to return to work in a few months. I have had constant minor pain and weakness at full extension, but nothing I couldn't live with.

Yesterday the sonofabitch popped right out when I corked off my back onto my belly. My useless arm flopping behind me initiated an immediate and wicked spin. I got my main opened and learned that I can't steer worth a damn with both toggles in one hand, and harness steering the 190 I was jumping is impossible.

My shoulder popped back in as I went through 1000 feet, and I was able to flare from half brakes with both hands. Thank God.

I'll go see the OS Tuesday and get it fixed right this time. I didn't enjoy that jump at all, and don't want to repeat it. I was planning on pulling at 3500 and that was still some scary shit. If my plan had been to pitch at 2500, I might have gotten to experience a cypres fire, and would have had to land one handed and off-field.

My advice is to get it fixed right.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0