Rotator Cuff Trashed!

[BDAZ]

Just got back from the hospital after a head on with an iron pedestrian bridge at 20 MPH. I ht a patch of sand and it didn't end well for me or the bike. I was knocked out and I spent day in the trauma unit. To every ones amazement there were no broken bones in my 66 year old carcass. It does look like I have badly damaged my right rotator cuff and possibly my left as well., though not nearly as bad.

Has anyone had rotator cuff issues and how did effect your leather work? Especially tooling and cutting. I am backed up at the moment and this is all I need! I have had to cancel all my music gigs for the foorseable future!

Thanks!

Bob

[Hi Im Joe]

Damn that sucks. I hope you have a speedy recovery!

[BDAZ]

Thanks!

[dirtclod]

Mine has been messed up for 40 plus years. Yours maybe different as far as damage but it doesn't bother me much unless i try to throw something then it pops out of whack and i have to take my other hand and get it lined up again and i'm done for a few hours. Hurts bad is a understatment !! It's hurts so bad it makes me sick. I know some folks that have had the surgery and they couldn't do anything for a pretty good while. Good luck with yours.

[RavenAus]

Hope you recover fast man!

[bruce johnson]

Tough to hear that. I have had damage in both but have avoided surgery. It started out with my right shoulder. My doctor is a young guy andpretty sharp on sports medicine. He lined me out on some exercizes to strengthen everything and increase range of motion. He said he wanted me to do that before sending me to the surgeon and two things - either I wouldn't need the surgery or I'd recover and rehab a lot faster afterwards. No weight arm motions in different directions 50 reps each at a time 3X a day. Then step up to a 8 oz weight in my hand after two weeks, the 1# 2 weeks, then 2#. Never get my elbow higher than my shoulder the whole time. After 3 weeks I was thinking "This s**t is boring and it is NOT working!". A week later I was like "Whoa!, That twinged me when I started, this IS doing something after all". A two months I was good to go for the elbow-higher-than-my shoulder routine. No surgery and I am doing pretty good.

[BDAZ]

Thanks! I have been scheduled for sports medicine for next week. I was going to call my arm surgeon Monday (I had cubital tunnel a couple of years ago) but surgeons like to cut and if I can get an objective diagnosis that may avoid surgery, I'm up for that!

Thanks again Bruce, that's just what I needed to hear!

Cya!

Bob

[Billy P]

In November, 2004 my wife's rotator cuff blew out. She had surgery on Christmas Eve, 2004, ajnd the sorry so and so broke her collar bone while he was in there and still didn't fix the rotator cuff. After 11 mos. she still couldn't pick up a glass of tea with her right arm. In Nov. 2005 another surgeon fixed it and 2 wks. later she could do about what she wanted to do . I wore mine out with repetitve motion on the job I was working when I had to retire on disability. I have trouble at times, but have learned to do some light exercises, and in a little while I'm back in business. Good Luck and hope you get well soon. Billy P

[BDAZ]

Yikes! How did that happen!? I'm glad that she recovered.

Thanks all for the feedback. I have never had arm or shoulder problems and I am just starting to realize the enormity life changing event that happened on Saturday. I will have to completely rethink how I do leather work, play music, .almost everything I took for granted. Luckily my left shoulder, which hit the bridge first, appears just bruised and swollen, My right shoulder is severely limited and took the brunt of the fall. BTW I had a 3 way allen key in my jersey pocket and I got stabbed with it and required 4 staples. I should have stayed in bed!

I see the Ortho on Thursday and I'll know more afterwards.

Thanks again for the information and kind wishes!

Cya!

Bob

[dirkba]

Best wishes and a SPEEDY recovery Bob.

Remember what they say: "Don't make old people mad. We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off."

[Ed in Tx]

Been there done that.. the rotator problem not the crash part!! I have had more surgeries than I care to count, back several times, knees, etc. but the one that took me the longest to recover from was the rotator surgery. My rotator was torn and my biceps tendon was shredded, luckily I had a really good surgeon and he was able to repair the rotator but the biceps tendon was beyond repair. I woke up from surgery in a sling attached to my body and had to wear the damn thing for what seems like months. The bad part was when I started with physical therapy, they had to get things moving again and I thought I was going to pass out a few times. After about 2 1/2 - 3 months I had most of my range of motion back and was able to start doing things again. I am right handed and unfortunately it was my right shoulder that was messed up, wearing that damn sling for weeks on end was a hassle. Not to be crude but just think of some of the things you might need to use your right arm for on a daily basis. Start practicing with your left ASAP. Important thing is having a top notch surgeon that specializes in rotator surgeries, DO NOT use a jack of all trades who does knees, elbows etc. etc.

Best of luck to you and hope you have a speedy recovery.

[BDAZ]

Thanks! I have a meet with the ortho tomorrow..

The pic attached is my good shoulder that hit the bridge. I ten bounced off the bridge and slammed the pavement with my right shoulder...which is where the main problem seems to be.. By changing the way I hold my tools I have been able to work cutting, tooling and sewing, but it's tough reaching for items on the shelves and I am doing things with my left hand it's never done before heh heh..

Cya!

Bob

[doubleh]

After a fall from a ladder several years I had a right shoulder that looked exactly like the picture of yours. Thankfully it didn't damage my rotator cuff although I couldn't even lift a cup of coffee for several weeks. I had no idea at the time how lucky I was. Fast forward to 2010. I had been having a lot of pain in my left shoulder for several months and then I tore the rotator cuff in my right shoulder. I felt it let go but didn't really know what it was. MRIs showed both to be torn and in 2011 I had both repaired.

Just let me say that rotator cuff surgery and rehab is VERY painful and takes a long time to recover from. I hope you have an understanding wife as you are going to need lots of help if it is your rotator cuff. Hope it isn't the cuff and you have a speedy recovery.

[BDAZ]

I totally lucked out! I saw the ortho today and my rotator cuff is perfect. I suffered a separated shoulder and I just need to avoid anything that causes pain for 4-6 weeks. I was told that traumatic rotator cuff damage rarely ends well.

Thanks for all the information and encouragement!

Bob

[RavenAus]

Great news Bob, now take it easy for a few weeks!

[doubleh]

I haven't been on here in a few days but I'm glad it wasn't your rotator cuff. My oldest grandson suffered a seperated shoulder several years ago. It's isn't nearly the ordeal as recovering from a seperated rotator cuff is but it's no walk in the park either.

With a skilled surgeon, knowledgeable re-hab staff, and a willingness to do exactly what they tell you to do has a lot to do with rotator cuff surgery recovery. It took a year and a half for each shoulder to be pain free but I have 100% of movement in my right shoulder and 95% in the left.The head of the therapy department did say it is unusual to have that level of recovery.

[BDAZ]

I was able to play Sunday and I am heading out tonight. Carrying the instruments is tougher than playing!

Great excuse for not carting PA equipment! I wonder how long I can milk it?!

Thanks!

Bob

Edited May 28, 2014 by BDAZ