itsdave 0 #1 March 9, 2005 hey guys, this is my first post and i'm hoping to clear a few things up. on my 34th jump - im still a student - i initiated a right turn and somehow managed to dislocate my right shoulder. i think this was due to a bad rigid body position with my head looking down at the ground and shoulders also pointing downwards. i stupidly ignored the shooting pain and continued with the skydive, only realising there was something seriously wrong when i had difficulty pulling. still, i had the main out by 3000-3500 ft and used my left hand to steer and flare with both toggles, having an off (but safe!) landing. there are a few things that are worrying me that the doctors cant clear up, as they have little knowledge of the sport: i) is this quite a common occurence in the sport or am i more susceptible to dislocations than others? my consultant raised concerns that it dislocated without any impact or a great deal of force. ii) if you/someone you know has had a similar injury how long was it before you/they could skydive again and how did it happen? its only been 3 days since the incident and im already getting concerned by the thought that i might not be able to skydive again - i was planning to have a jumping holiday abroad in june. any shared knowledge would be greatly appreciated - especially if its positive! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattjw916 2 #2 March 9, 2005 Do a search, there have been a few threads about this type of injury recently...NSCR-2376, SCR-15080 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #3 March 9, 2005 ditto - i had surgery and its been well documented somewhere on this site... many people have run into shoulder dislocation issues - let me know if you have trouble locating info... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #4 March 9, 2005 It's not rare but if it happens to a person once it's very likely to happen again. It won't FIX itself. One women years ago had it happen routinely. She open, pop it back in, and land. I'd strongly suggest getting a medical opinon before jumping again. Sugical repair may be needed. Do NOT hide this from your instructors. You landed safe but in an emergency situation. (Landing out with only one working arm!) You did good but take note of the injuries/fatalities that happen when landing off the DZ. And if it had been a malfunction?I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chutem 0 #5 March 9, 2005 Low jump #'s here so take what I say to someone who know's. I think there is a soft wrap/brace used in motocross for people with this type of problem. It might help "hold things together". I would check with a doctor first and an instructor/S&TA about this befor jumping. I don't know what kind of mobility limits this brace might give (don't have to put your hand behind your back much in moto). Very nice work steering and flaring both toggles with one hand. James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JumpCrazy 0 #6 March 9, 2005 This happens to one of my buddies. It first happened to him on jump 15 or so, and he needed to pull his reserve because he could not reach his main. It has now happened 4 times in total within 100 jumps. The second time, he managed to extract his pilotchute with his left hand. The third time it happened, a very heads up jumper who already knew of my buddy's shoulder problems pulled for him. After all this, he converted his rig to have the BOC on the left (easy to do). He also picked up one of those shoulder 'braces' (kinda like a knee brace). The brace has helped a lot however he has had one dislocation in freefall with the brace on (but this involved extreme circumstances...a badly funneled exit and an odd position of the arm that resulted....he should have released his grip). Keep in mind that you could move your BOC and get a brace but this only slightly reduces the danger that you put yourself in with a shoulder like that. It would be very difficult to cut away with a dislocated right shoulder. You could use your left hand for both handles it would take a long time....time you may not have. Also, he has found it difficult to convince doctors that he needs surgury, because they tell him that the risk of the surgury is not worth the rewards in his case(obviously they are not skydivers). Anyways, I hope this helps you, and I hope your shoulder doesn't give you much more trouble......although it probably will.Flying Hellfish #470 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itsdave 0 #7 March 9, 2005 "Do NOT hide this from your instructors." - i think they may have noticed! not that i made a fuss or anything... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meltdown 0 #8 March 9, 2005 I dislocated my shoulder on Dec. 26th exiting from the Skyvan (I was swinging out the door intending to hang from the bar). Due to my age (41), my doctor recommended against surgery, unless it happens again. I have been going to physical therapy for 6 weeks now and am planning on jumping next weekend(the 18th). I have about 90% range back now, and it feels pretty good. I plan on getting a brace to use at least for awhile. Since I've been injured I have found that dislocations seem to be a fairly common occurence in skydivers. Some people also have "looser" joints and are more prone to dislocations than others. I'd say about half the skydivers I've talked to with this problem have had it fixed surgically, the others have not. I think how well it heals depends a lot on how much you put into rehabilitation (I exercise/stretch it several times a day, in addition to the PT). Good luck with it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itsdave 0 #9 March 9, 2005 good luck to you too, and make sure you let me know how it goes. have a good one (or many!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #10 March 10, 2005 My right shoulder popped out at pull time and was useless. I had to go silver. I had surgery one week later. Now its fine. It will not get better on its own. Once a shoulder starts to dislocate, it gets weaker and weaker. Physical therapy CAN help, but not for everyone (like me). -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #11 March 10, 2005 If it is your right shoulder, you should consider it a very dangerous thing. One could run into much problems if it popped out and wouldn't go back in and they had to chop their main for some reason. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meltdown 0 #12 March 10, 2005 Thankfully it's the left, so I can still pull if it goes in freefall. But it is a little scary coming back, that's for sure. I just ordered a brace to wear which may help some. I'm just going to be very careful about body position, and especially jumping in groups. We'll see how it goes I guess. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #13 March 10, 2005 I gotta tell yah - ANY position in skydiving is not very condusive to a weakened shoulder. Even the box man puts quite a bit of stress on a shoulder. Be careful - you wouldn't want to get yourself into a a position where you had to pull silver with your right hand and woops, flip on your back while doing it... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meltdown 0 #14 March 10, 2005 Yeah, I know it's possible that it's gonna pop again. That's why I'm working it out several times a day. Short of surgery, that's about all I can do. I've talked to people who have had good results with and without surgery - I just hope I end up falling into the "good results without surgery" group. Next time I see the doctor I'm going to ask him which position leaves me more exposed, boxman at 120 mph or sitfly at 150 mph. He'll probably just shake his head and laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adrock 0 #15 March 11, 2005 I've had this problem multiple times with my elbow. It's an older injury, from a dislocation in high school, but it has happened now four or five times while skydiving. Usually it's when I'm sitflying and I have my arms slightly behind me. Luckily it's my left elbow, so I don't have to worry about pulling. This most recent time that it happened, a week and a half ago, it hurt more than usual and the pain still hasn't completely gone away. I guess I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and go talk to a doctor. Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #16 March 11, 2005 Beware of high-speed exits. I have seen shoulders get injured on exit because the air whips your arms with a stronger torque than normal. If you are stepping off a tailgate, keep your elbows in for a second. Don't present immediately. Launching chunks. Holding grips when it is going to crap can twist parts around a little too hard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #17 March 11, 2005 What kind of brace did you order?My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meltdown 0 #18 March 11, 2005 I was going to try making one by your spec, but I figured it probably wouldn't fit right, so I ordered a Sully shoulder stabilizer. I looked at everything I could find on the internet, plus this one was recommended by my Dr. for sports use. Hope it works! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brits17 0 #19 March 14, 2005 I ordered the one you mentioned and it worked temporarily. I then made one according to the specs hookitt gave me and I haven't had problems since... I recommend you give it a go. _______________________ aerialkinetics.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #20 March 14, 2005 FYI - Craichead went through shoudler surgury last fall. One of the questions I had for her Orthopaedic surgeon was related to braces. He dismissed them as innefective, and recomended against using one. YMMV, _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brits17 0 #21 March 14, 2005 I went through surgery too, orthoscopic. It has since re-dislocated and I've resorted to a brace for the time being Really sucks, but it works until I can have open surgery done. _______________________ aerialkinetics.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #22 March 15, 2005 Yah usually orthoscopic is just for minor rotator cuff damage i think. Full open surgery is where they tighten up the ligaments holding the joint together and then much fun with physical therapy getting the rom back... good luck brit! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #23 March 15, 2005 Quote Yah usually orthoscopic is just for minor rotator cuff damage i think Not true. Craichead had major reconstructive work done to her labrum - a circular ligament that acts as a gasket, holding the humeral head into the socket. It was done orthoscopicaly, and took over 4 hours. Her labrum was tightened and reinforced using something very similar to Spectra. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #24 March 16, 2005 "Usually" "... i think" I do not profess to be a doctor. Regardless, a shoulder once dislocated will not get better on its own. At the very least, physical therapy is necessary and at the most, surgery. I had surgery and have never had issue since. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daremrc 0 #25 September 5, 2006 Old thread, but a new problem to me. I'm a student S/L jumper and was moving quite nicely thru the progression until this past sunday. I have a bad left shoulder from a skateboarding accident over 10 years ago. At the time, surgery was reccomended but I had no medical insurance and no disability either, so it was not really an option. Since then, I have dislocated 15-20 times, usually while reaching or streching my arm in a similar position to the freefall arch i've been learning. Being stubborn, I streched and worked my arm prior to my skydiving training and hoped that I could get it to the point where it would be stable. I passed my 5-second delay jump on Saturday morning and went into my first terminal freefall, 10 second delay jump. I released from the cessna, arched hard, fell into belly-to-earth and potato chipped a little as I got the feel for the new sensation. I watched the altimiter and as I hit 3750', I began my wave-off and my left shoulder came out of socket. it bacame useless and as i reached to pull, i began a slow spin to the left of 360 degrees between pulling & deployment. as my body swung down under canopy, my limp left arm caught the silver handle on the way down and pulled it out of its velcro holder. I was able to set my shoulder back into place under canopy, check my steerability and land as usual. The fact that i caught the silver on the way down really scared the crap out of me, as i dont know how i would have handled a PLF on my left side had i needed to do one. I thougth i was pretty lucid and performed well under pressure, but in retrospect I realize that i probably shouldn't have been jumping in the first place if i had any idea that my shoulder might come out. My instructor had no idea what happened until i told him, his observation was that he thougth i was just not holding position well and that caused the spin. when i told him about dislocating and the re-setting my arm in flight, he said 'well that explains it' :-) so I actually passed the jump and with my sore arm managed to land on target & check another accuracy off the list on my A-card. I'm off to the doctor on saturday and my jumping season is obviously over until next year, and i will not be out of any airplanes until i have the rotator cuff surgery. I now do have both medical & disability so i guess it's time. Big bummer for me, i was really begining to fall in love with this sport. Just thought i'd share my experience for the next guy who ends up searching 'dislocated shoulder' on the forum.Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
