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today4udrevil

Rotator Cuff (What to Ask/Say to Doctor, Tandem?)

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Hi everybody!

I am an AFF student who has completed the C1 jump (I repeated the A jump) for a total of four student jumps. My right rotator cuff has given me trouble at points in the past, but is usually not troublesome. Here is a rundown:

1. Cat A jump = fine, no soreness after
2. Vertical Wind Tunnel for 4 minutes = some soreness
3. Cat A jump repeat = some soreness
4. Cat B and Cat C1 jumps in the same day = soreness for about a week

The only other factor was that my rotator cuff does not like when I drive. I was driving for numbers 2-4 which certainly made things worse. The DZ is so far from where I live that getting someone to drive me only happened the first time.

I work out regularly at the gym with a friend who is a trainer and he makes sure my rotator cuff is strong and that I don't misuse it. After my jumps with soreness, he saw me favoring the rotator cuff and immediately made me stop until it was better (the first times it was just a few days--the last time was about a week).

I have made a doctor's appointment (at the end of the month) and will address my rotator cuff then. Is there anything I should ask or say that is specific to skydiving (other than telling my doctor the whole story)?

I'm terrified that I won't be able to jump again or that I will need surgery if I want to finish AFF (since my friend has already built a strong rotator cuff--or as strong as my body will allow). With that in mind, can I still do tandems? If during freefall I can keep my arms in, that would protect my rotator cuff. Is that okay or does tandem freefall position require my arms to be out?

Any tips on what exactly the doctor needs to know would be appreciated, as well as any workaround solutions. Thank you!

Blue Skies

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I'm kinda in the same boat right now. 3 weeks ago I land weird, on my right wrist. Wrist was ok a week later so I put a brace on it and did 4 camera teamjumps. Then a tandemvideo, where I needed to climb into the airplane without the step as I was last in. I couldn't put any weight on my right arm to pull myself up - WTF? Did the jump but after pulling my pilotchute from its pocket my arm would NOT move any further. C%^&*p, used my wrist to flick pilotchute away (I have big camerawings too so BIG burble), canopy opened ok but I couldn't even reach up to turn off my camera.
I grounded myself after that jump, team was kinda annoyed but I had no idea what was wrong, my arm just wouldn't move in a couple directions. After a bit though, it started to HURT.

Back to the doctor: I had almost dislocated my shoulder in that fall, hurt the muscles surrounding the rotator cuff, might also have teared it. So, still grounded for (hopefully only) a couple more weeks.

I can not imagine a student jumper in that same position is a wise idea, if you have trouble with your rotator cuff especially on your right arm, me thinks this is not a sport for you. You can still do tandems just fine, just tell your TM and keep your arms in, no problem. Maybe staticline could also work for you, but any jump where you would have to pull yourself would be a risk I wouldn't take if you were my student. Did you tell your instructors you have this issue? What did they say?

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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I will certainly tell the doctor everything, I just wasn't sure if there was anything that a doctor should know about skydiving in particular to help them understand the issue. My top priority is my health and safety.

Saskia, thank you for letting me know that tandems will still be an option if all else fails.

I did tell my instructor, but he didn't seem concerned. He brushed it off, so I've sought counsel here while I wait for my doctor's appointment. The soreness is very minimal the day of jumping--it's the following days that it interferes with my abilities. Even then, I can move it every direction, it just isn't happy. I've grounded myself until the doctor's appointment and follow-up treatment. Fortunately, safety first was drilled into my head by a coach before I ever started AFF.

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I'd never make "Skydiving" recommendations on here. There are so many people here that are more qualified for that, but..

I've worked in Orthopedics for over 20 years so this is my area of expertise. This response is just opinion and you should only follow medical advice from a doctor that you are actually seeing.

I have a friend that is one of the top shoulder surgeons in the world. One day my shoulder was hurting and I had a small tear. I asked him how in the world I could have done this. He replied, "you're male and over the age of 21". Active people tend to make small tears in their cuff. And since you are a weightlifter, it is even more common.

In other words this is very common.

I agree with Andy, tell the doctor everything. Also if the surgeon's first instint is to do surgery, look for a second opinion. Many of these injuries will heal on their own. Conservative treatment should always be the first choice. You can always have surgery later, but after you've been cut, it has opened the door for more problems later.

Also, don't expect it to be perfect. EVER. It's only new once. But treatment can make it better.

If you do end up with surgery, find a doc that does shoulders on regular basis. If they don't do 50+ per year, find someone else.

Also, I'm sure you will have to go get an MRI. It will usually determine with extreme accuracy the extent of your injury.

Any shoulder surgery will probably sideline you from jumping for 2+ months.

Good luck and feel free to PM me is you need a translator after the appt.

Ryder
Take chances, just do it with all the information to make good decisions!!

Muff Brother# 2706 Dudeist Skydiver# 121.5

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Gradually over the years my right shoulder lost strength and would hurt for a while after I used it hard
like hammering or carrying lumber.
I started to jump at 57 and it nevered bothered me during jumping but might be sore for a few days.

I figured I had some rotator cuff problems but not worth seeing a doctor yet. Then last year I had a leg strap on exit and it funneled. Could not get my hand out before my arm was yanked real hard. Knew I was hurt under canopy but landed ok.

Had to quit jumping at the boogie, went home and waited. Had to put my other hand under my hurt arm's wrist to raise that arm up say to push the radio button in the truck. I waited 5 weeks and finally went to a doctor. Complete tear of cuff.

Had surgery and was back jumping in 61 days. Doctor said four months recovery at first. Shoulder feels great today and kind of glad it happened since now I have a good shoulder.

See a doctor and if you have surgery do the therapy.
Therapy is a pain in the ass but it produced results in my case. It's easy to do when you have to go to the therapist but in my case that was three and then two days a week. Had to get motivated to do it the other days twice a day.

Goodluck

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Find a doctor that's a skydiver or at least understands the kinetics. Some docs are totally overboard about the sport and tie that off with hyper-conservative tendencies (scared of lawsuits), you just can't win.

A great book for the cuff - Seven Minute Rotator Cuff Solution. More than just workouts, also discusses the anatomy and whys and hows of the workout.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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Agreed!
You will only heal if you do therapy exercises on a religious basis.
Just make sure you exercise under the supervision of an orthopedic surgeon and physio-therapist.
Exercising helped me to recover from two herniated (spinal) discs and a dis-located shoulder.
Recovering from the dis-located shoulder - including a ligament 3/4 torn - took a full year. It would have healed sooner, but I made the mistake of allowing some-one to bully me into doing a job that I was not strong enough for. That stupidity added five months to my healing process!
Exercise and patience are the only cures for weak shoulders.

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i had extensive rotator cuff surgery, it was torn from the bone in places. I was out of skydiving for 1.5 years. things i learned.
- avoid cortisone shots, they mask the pain while you do further damage.
-avoid bench press and push ups, very tough on the rotator cuff
-do rotator cuff exercises every day and before every work out.
-rest it if it's sore(or be forced to rest it for 6 month after a hellish surgery.)
-shoulder surgery sucks. avoid it at all cost, your shoulder will heal if you let it. i didn't believe all the horror stories, but an extensive shoulder surgery is not fun to recover from and very painful.

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Sorry for the delay in updating: The doctor, after an X-ray, sent me to a specialist who ordered an MRI. They still don't know what's causing the injury, though. There are no tears or cysts and the whole shoulder "looks great." There are two rotator cuff muscles on my right side that are very weak for no apparent reason. Up next, I will be tested for nerve issues. The doctor also said that I can jump again as it won't make the situation any worse (I think I'll try a tandem again first, just to see if the problem persists). She also said that she suspects the injury will just vanish in time. More info when they finally figure it all out.

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IM having shoulder problems too, my right shoulder seems to be pushed forward about half an inch so whenever i move it backwards or up it pinches a nerve and it hurts...geting physical therapy to move my shoulder back...looks like it got pushed forwards from wearing a rig all the time and being hunched over from wearing it!

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Quote

i had extensive rotator cuff surgery, it was torn from the bone in places. I was out of skydiving for 1.5 years. things i learned.
- avoid cortisone shots, they mask the pain while you do further damage.
-avoid bench press and push ups, very tough on the rotator cuff
-do rotator cuff exercises every day and before every work out.
-rest it if it's sore(or be forced to rest it for 6 month after a hellish surgery.)
-shoulder surgery sucks. avoid it at all cost, your shoulder will heal if you let it. i didn't believe all the horror stories, but an extensive shoulder surgery is not fun to recover from and very painful.




On the push-ups thing~

A good friend had the surgery, did all the therapy and was doing well until he discovered that he could once again do push-ups like he could 20 years ago...

Got to the point he'd act the fool and make stupid bar bets and knock out a hundred in a couple minutes...yup, ripped it to shreds again. :S










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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