Rotator cuff tear

[benedmonds]

I have had a dodgy shoulder for decades, I can't really remember when it was great. I blame pull starting saws and climbing with a prussic. But for the last 5-6 months it has been totally buggered. Luckily (as I would not be able to) I don't do any real work or climbing these days. I got a physio appointment 6 weeks ago where the Dr diagnosed a rotator cuff tear. She sent me away with a load of exercises which have not helped. 

 

Has anyone  any experience/recovered from rotator cuff injury. There was no incident and my googling suggests it's wear and tear. It's really starting to piss me off. Went away with the sea kayaks to Scotland in the summer and didn't even take them off the roof. Currently on holiday in Morroco watching family surfing and even body boarding results in significant pain

 

[roys]

You have my sympathy, I have now had both my shoulders operated on, one year apart.

Before the ops my shoulders were agony when ever I had to raise my arm past the horizontal or try and get my arm behind me as in getting my wallet out of my back pocket😀

I went to NHS physio and it didn’t help, in desperation I went private, best money I ever spent after suffering pain for a year in each it was great to feel them getting better pain and movement wise daily. This was about 15 years ago and from memory 1st op was about £1k and was keyhole under general anaesthetic the 2nd was a different procedure cost about £700 and was done under a local and involved injecting saline into the joint to reposition the ball and socket rupturing the ligament scar lesions, at each press of the injection they take an X-ray to check movement, took 3 or 4 presses on the plunger to have the desired effect, quite weird feeling your shoulder joint moving involuntary.

Bit of rehab after each one 6 months first time one month second time. But as I say feeling it getting better day by day instead of worse or just the same relenting pain is just great.

Edited October 22, 2022 by roys
More info

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, benedmonds said:

I have had a dodgy shoulder for decades, I can't really remember when it was great. I blame pull starting saws and climbing with a prussic. But for the last 5-6 months it has been totally buggered. Luckily (as I would not be able to) I don't do any real work or climbing these days. I got a physio appointment 6 weeks ago where the Dr diagnosed a rotator cuff tear. She sent me away with a load of exercises which have not helped. 

 

Has anyone  any experience/recovered from rotator cuff injury. There was no incident and my googling suggests it's wear and tear. It's really starting to piss me off. Went away with the sea kayaks to Scotland in the summer and didn't even take them off the roof. Currently on holiday in Morroco watching family surfing and even body boarding results in significant pain

 

Yes . I have total wasting of the rotator cuff on my left shoulder as it is a metal joint and has very limited movement . Because of this my right shoulder does 99% of the work and , due to this , it has 2 snapped tendons . You have my sympathy .

Edited October 22, 2022 by Stubby

[benedmonds]

2 hours ago, Stubby said:

Because of this my right shoulder does 99% of the work and , due to this , it has 2 snapped tendons . You have my sympathy .

I was hoping for a positive story..🙁. 

It's a worry as there was no particular incident. I thought it was from using the computer and so got an ergonomic mouse and keyboard. I then thought maybe I was agravating it running as I did Snowdon and London marathons this summer. But been resting (cba) since London  and it's not improved.

[Grassyass]

Yes had the same injury down to years of hedge cutting ,I have had injections a few times in it  dose the trick for six months  ,physio doesn’t help much but rest  helps , 

[Haironyourchest]

3 hours ago, roys said:

You have my sympathy, I have now had both my shoulders operated on, one year apart.

Before the ops my shoulders were agony when ever I had to raise my arm past the horizontal or try and get my arm behind me as in getting my wallet out of my back pocket😀

I went to NHS physio and it didn’t help, in desperation I went private, best money I ever spent after suffering pain for a year in each it was great to feel them getting better pain and movement wise daily. This was about 15 years ago and from memory 1st op was about £1k and was keyhole under general anaesthetic the 2nd was a different procedure cost about £700 and was done under a local and involved injecting saline into the joint to reposition the ball and socket rupturing the ligament scar lesions, at each press of the injection they take an X-ray to check movement, took 3 or 4 presses on the plunger to have the desired effect, quite weird feeling your shoulder joint moving involuntary.

Bit of rehab after each one 6 months first time one month second time. But as I say feeling it getting better day by day instead of worse or just the same relenting pain is just great.

 

Curious to know did the operations "take" or did you ever have to go back? You mentioned it was 15 years ago?

 

Weird how some people's joints blow up and others not. Saw a thing on YouTube about an 80+ year old guy who still does big wall rock climbing every single day.

[woody paul]

Must be over 12 years ago at work could not move right arm away from my side, customers daughter was a physio and he booked me an appointment, saw her the night and them next afternoon and she said i had detached rotor cuff muscles. Anyway got an appointment to see doctor how then sent me to consultant how also said the same as others had and said i needed opp to put it right with no need for MRI scan, at that point i dug my heels in and said i was not having any opp with out a scan.

In the end he said ok but the opp appointment came first and i turned it down and the following week had x-rays to see if any metal in eyes and then MRI scan, turned out no problem with cuff muscles they only thing they found was i have a bone impingement 

So get a scan to find out if all telling you are right or not, from start to finish it was about 5 that said i had. Still gives me pain if i do something like flick a rope to get it to drop or use an axe or sledge hammer.    

[roys]

1 hour ago, Haironyourchest said:

 

Curious to know did the operations "take" or did you ever have to go back? You mentioned it was 15 years ago?

 

Weird how some people's joints blow up and others not. Saw a thing on YouTube about an 80+ year old guy who still does big wall rock climbing every single day.

Both operations worked a treat, I remember before my 1st I went to lift a fuse of the bench, probably weighed only about 1/2 kg but because of the angle I was at I couldn’t lift it. Anyway after the 1st op the main physio exercise was to lie on my back and just push my arm back as far as possible, day 1 I could get my arm up vertical but after that I was getting my arm back an extra 2 or 3 mm every day, after 3 or so months I could get my arm fully back with my hand touching the floor. Coupled that with some light dumbbell work and I was able to go back rock climbing after about 9 months.

2nd shoulder / op because the op was a lot less invasive the rehab time was a lot shorter, a few weeks instead of months.

Found this info on the web which I think must have been my 2nd procedure:

The hydrodilation procedure involves injecting a fluid into the joint space which expands the space breaking up scar tissue and loosening the joint.Imaging studies help guide the procedure.

To perform hydrodilatation, the skin over the joint is first cleaned and local anesthesia administered.The joint is then injected with a small amount ofcontrast substance to help visualize the joint. Under image guidance, a needle is inserted into the capsule that surrounds the joint and a fluid mixture consisting of saline, steroid and an anaesthetic is injected. The entire procedure takes about 15 minutes.You may experience some discomfort during and after the procedure which usually lasts no more than half an hour. You are advised not to drive or operate heavy machinery for at least 6 hours. Somepatients have immediate relief from pain with improved range of motion but it usually takes about 6 weeks for the treatment to takefull effect. 

Hydrodilatation is generally a safe procedurebut carries a small risk of infection, bleeding and failure to relieve symptoms.

Before I had the ops as well as physio I also had the cortisone injections they didn’t work, so I was a happy man when the two ops worked.

 

Edited October 22, 2022 by roys
More info

[Haironyourchest]

1 hour ago, roys said:

Both operations worked a treat, I remember before my 1st I went to lift a fuse of the bench, probably weighed only about 1/2 kg but because of the angle I was at I couldn’t lift it. Anyway after the 1st op the main physio exercise was to lie on my back and just push my arm back as far as possible, day 1 I could get my arm up vertical but after that I was getting my arm back an extra 2 or 3 mm every day, after 3 or so months I could get my arm fully back with my hand touching the floor. Coupled that with some light dumbbell work and I was able to go back rock climbing after about 9 months.

2nd shoulder / op because the op was a lot less invasive the rehab time was a lot shorter, a few weeks instead of months.

Found this info on the web which I think must have been my 2nd procedure:

The hydrodilation procedure involves injecting a fluid into the joint space which expands the space breaking up scar tissue and loosening the joint.Imaging studies help guide the procedure.

To perform hydrodilatation, the skin over the joint is first cleaned and local anesthesia administered.The joint is then injected with a small amount ofcontrast substance to help visualize the joint. Under image guidance, a needle is inserted into the capsule that surrounds the joint and a fluid mixture consisting of saline, steroid and an anaesthetic is injected. The entire procedure takes about 15 minutes.You may experience some discomfort during and after the procedure which usually lasts no more than half an hour. You are advised not to drive or operate heavy machinery for at least 6 hours. Somepatients have immediate relief from pain with improved range of motion but it usually takes about 6 weeks for the treatment to takefull effect. 

Hydrodilatation is generally a safe procedurebut carries a small risk of infection, bleeding and failure to relieve symptoms.

Before I had the ops as well as physio I also had the cortisone injections they didn’t work, so I was a happy man when the two ops worked.

 

Wow. But did it last the 15 years? I think you're saying it did, and the problem was sorted then, and is still sorted now, 15 years later - but I'm not sure? Was it a one-and-done permanent cure, is what I'm asking.

 

[roys]

Yip both shoulders been fine in the last 15 years, touch wood.