Pullout shoulder injury

[JankyBob 0]

Last week an MRI showed a class II SLAP lesion of the labrum of my right shoulder. The only thing I can think of that caused this damage was switching to a pullout from a hackey about a year ago. I love the pullout, but I think I was extending my arm too far horizontally when I pull, thus giving my pilot chute time to catch air and pull my arm upward behind my back.

Has anyone had this type of injury before? I don't want to switch back to the throwout, but it looks like I am out for the rest of the year because of my impending surgery. Thanks for any info you might have.

Bob Ash
Team Jank

[craichead 0]

Both of my shoulder dislocations were at the last stage of flare. I had a SLAP lesion and had arthroscopic surgery to fix it. If my labrum were a clock face, the tear extended from 10 to 6. I'm in my sixth month of recovery and nearing the end of my supervised physical therapy. It has been a loooooong and very difficult process.

I still can't jump for another month, and even then, I'm going to take it really easy. The worst part has been getting my range of motion back--external rotation to be specific. Everything else is almost back to normal.

Do what your doctor tells you to do. And keep up with your exercises for the rest of your life! There are quite a few posts about shoulder injuries here. You might want to do a search. However, keep in mind that shoulder injuries tend to be wildly different from each other, so some advice may not apply to you.

Good luck!

_Pm

__
"Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

[JankyBob 0]

Thanks for the info! Sounds like I'm in for loads of fun. The longest I've gone without jumping is 4 weeks in the past eight years. I'll do a search as well.

Bob

[digitalamnesia 0]

jst curious - whats the differance between a pull out and throw out?

eddie

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if you wanna see the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain

[headoverheels 291]

I had shoulder problems about 12 years ago. MRI showed minor damage, but surgery wasn't suggested. Therapy didn't seem to help, so I just stopped doing any exercise with it. After a few months it got better. I was out for 6 or 7 months. Now it is never perfect, always there, sometimes worse. Freefall position seems to be the worst for it.

So, who's gonna coach me in freeflying now?

[koz2000 1]

Pull out the PC is packed inside the main container and the pin is attached to the "pud" with a small lanyard. You initiate opening by manually opening the container and dragging the PC into the wind. It's a very secure system and reduces some malfunctions. (and no it's not a Spring loaded system) . Throw out is the most common. The one with the spandex/spandura pouch on the bottom of the container (eg BOC).


Bob, how do you fly your hands when you're head-down? I used to have shoulder problems if I flew plams up (in relation to my head). If you fly palms down it relieves a LOT of pressure on your shoulder. Have someone push down on your hand when your arm is out. Then rotate it and see how much difference there is.

Hope you recover soon,
d

______________________________________________
- Does this small canopy make my balls look big? - J. Hayes -

[JankyBob 0]

Thanks for the tip on palms up/down. I actually do fly both ways depending on what type of flying I'm doing. When I'm playing or docking I try to fly very relaxed (palms up) but when we are training I tend to fly palms down to slow me down a bit (camera flying).

There is actually little pain or discomfort unless my arm is behind my back or at certain angles. That's what makes it frustrating.

Peace!

Bob

[JankyBob 0]

My description of palms up is in relation to the ground while yours was in relation to your body, but I think we're on the same page.

Bob

[JankyBob 0]

With pullout you are directly pulling your pin while with a throwout the pilot chute actually pulls the pin. Best thing about the pullout is that it eliminates the horseshoe malfunction. The problem I had was that I was pulling my pullout out too far horizontally so that the pilot chute had time to inflate before I let it go. Of the two options, I prefer the pullout despite my injury.

Bob

[ScottMcC 0]

The injury was probably not due to the pullout, although if you had pain on throwing it certainly could be related.

The most vulnerable position for your shoulder is the "boxman" position (abducted and externally rotated). This is the same reason that a lot of baseball pitchers have SLAP lesions--just look at what they do when they're in the stretch.

You can find my story if you search...but I had a SLAP lesion in addition to significant instability, but I'm back to jumping now--but I didn't jump for over 10 months as a result.

So see your friendly local orthopod and hopefully you get a good looking scar.

[jonstark 8]

I am familiar with exactly the type of injury you mean. My shoulder was subjected to the same thing until I made my own deployment system. It isn't recommended but it works for me.

[GravityGirl 0]

Bob! Come compare shoulder bumbs with me this weekend. I have a nice fluid sack on my right shoulder.

I contribute it directly to my pull-out. I had 1000 jumps on my pull-out. I loved it. I gave it up reluctantly.

In the begining, I think I was holding on to it too long before I chucked it. But after one good tweak, I got really good at flicking the f@#! out of that thing.

But every so often that p/c catches wind just so. I never really felt it until the monday or tuesday.

That is the long and the short of why I have a throw out now. My shoulder still hurts after a stiff pull.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[katzurki 0]

Ouch.

How do you prevent this from happening if you jump a pullout?

[GravityGirl 0]

Don't hold on to the pilot chute too long. Pop that pin and give it a good throw.

But obviously, I couldn't prevent it personally, so I switched back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[78RATS 0]

Hey Bob. I went to have surgery on my shoulder. (Rotator Cuff Tear). Very painful and my pullout would sting me sometimes as well.

Doctor talked me into trying Steroids before having surgery. One shot and I have been pain free for six months now.

I don't know if this translates to your injury, but maybe you should ask your doctor. If it might help, I highly recommend trying steroids before surgery.

On another note: Where do you stow the grommet on your pullout? Mine always looks like it wants to get trapped up in there.

Robert
Gravity Rats

Rat for Life - Fly till I die
When them stupid ass bitches ask why

[jumper03 0]

Quote

Don't hold on to the pilot chute too long. Pop that pin and give it a good throw.

But obviously, I couldn't prevent it personally, so I switched back.

so if I'm planning on getting a pull out - adding extra shoulder work into my work out routine would be smart?

Or do you think it's more to do with technique?

Scars remind us that the past is real

[GravityGirl 0]

Definately technique.

Put your arm behind your back and touch the small of your back. Now have a really big guy grab your hand and yank up as hard as he can. (JOKING)

But you get the gist. Your PC has a lot of drag. Your arm is already rotated when you reach back. Now the air catching your PC is trying to rotate your arm even futher.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[rscott 0]

I did 800 jumps on a pull-out. I loved the equipment design and the simplified emergency procedures. But shortly after I switched to pull-out, my right sholder started hurting, my incidence of line twists increased dramatically, and I had several cases where the pilot chute flopped around next to my head for a few seconds after pull. I found that if I kept my pilot chute very new and really worked on my throw technique that the PC hesitation problem could be controlled. Packing technique helped the line twists. After my second floating pud I reluctantly switched to a BOC. All the problems went away except the sore right shoulder.

[JankyBob 0]

I'll ask my Dr. about the steroids option. I hear there may be some of that floating around the Bay Area. I live within 5 miles of where Balco is/was.

Just as long as the USPA doesn't come out with a new drug testing policy. Who am I kidding, I'd be in trouble without the steroids.

As far as the grommet goes, I always make sure a small portion is exposed beneath the bottom of the right flap so if someone is packing for me I can tell its been routed properly.

Say hi to the other rats for me!

Bob

[diablopilot 2]

Never understood this. Don't hang on to the P/C. What is the possible reason you'd need to? When used properly a pullout can be used without injury for 10,000 + jumps.

Sitflying causes far more stress on the shoulders than a pullout ever will.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[karenmeal 0]

Quote

Just as long as the USPA doesn't come out with a new drug testing policy. Who am I kidding, I'd be in trouble without the steroids.

Hahah!

Hows it going Bob?

-Karen A.

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[speedyhogan 0]

You can get pullouts with the pad mounted at the top of the pc, same as a throwaway. Sort of eliminates the problem from base of pc mounted pads. Not that that helps now...

Smile, Get It Over With

[payback462 0]

Quote

Never understood this. Don't hang on to the P/C. What is the possible reason you'd need to? When used properly a pullout can be used without injury for 10,000 + jumps.

i agree, while i only have a few hundred jumps on a pullout (got my arm wrenched ONCE from holding on too long, but hasnt happened since)
i know quite a few people with a few more jumps (6000-9000) who have never had this problem

[JankyBob 0]

I said earlier I prefer the pullout system. Just don't try to make me feel like an idiot because I held the pud too long one time. It is the unique angle of having the arm behind the back when it got pulled upward that caused the tear. That is why I mentioned it here.

Now, go back in your hole JP.

Hey Karen! Hope to see you at the American Boogie. I won't be able to jump but I can still drink left-handed. I am making a video for Sharky for his "retirement" day next weekend and I was going through a bunch of old video and just last night I came across some of the jumps we did when you were first starting out. You've come a long way girl!

Bob

[78RATS 0]

Oh, its the ID 10 T key. Press it, you'll see. haha.

Rat for Life - Fly till I die
When them stupid ass bitches ask why