Dislocated ShoulderProperly Placed Shoulder
The Good and The Not-So-Good

Yessir, it’s been a year to the day since I had the labrum in my left shoulder stitched back together. Those x-rays above aren’t actually mine, but the one on the left is very similar to what mine looked like the three times it was out - tucked down under the shoulder joint, but mine actually sat closer to the ribs. And the one on the right is just for comparison’s sake to see what a shoulder should look like.

The Survey Says…
I’m pleased with how I’ve rebounded. My strength is pretty much 100% all around. From back squat, which I couldn’t even get into position on for months, to overhead press, all of my numbers are either even with or above where they were before the two dislocations last May. Flexibility and range of motion are above 95% of where they were a year ago. I still don’t feel 100% confident doing some things with it, but I’ve been skiing, played basketball, and am back to swinging a softball bat with full power. I think it’s less about the shoulder not being ready than about me just being leery of dealing with that pain again.

Ironically, until about two months ago when I had a scare playing basketball, I still had some lingering aching on the repair site now and then. Then I got my arm wrenched going for a rebound, felt three slight pops in the shoulder and thought, “Oh no! I just screwed something up.” For a couple days, it didn’t feel so hot. But once that tenderness wore off, all of my aches went away. I have a feeling that the wrenching tore a bit of scar tissue and is now letting things move properly.

To What Do I Owe The Pleasure?
And in the interest of giving some take-aways as to what I attribute my successful recovery (in no particular order)…

  • Youth
  • A Strong Starting Point
  • An Anti-Inflammatory Diet
  • Getting Back In The Game

I think these four elements help after any operation, not just shoulder surgery. Youth is both glaringly obvious and impossible for any of us to control. I was 27 at the time of surgery and us youngsters just have better functioning healing mechanisms, on the whole, than people twice our age. My strong starting point is referring to the fact that I was in shape prior to going under the knife. While it was still traumatic to the muscle, nerves, and connective tissues, the body understanding how to move and having a good level of strength and flexibility allowed me to make the most of my rehab quickly.

Third, my diet is full of important protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. I keep my omega-3 intake high, and kept it just as high or higher for 2-3 months after surgery, and I cut my intake of nightshade vegetables for about 3 months. I still keep my intake low, but it’s not a total avoidance. I did add some systemic enzymes for however long one bottle lasts; I believe they were called Wobenzym (calling Dr. G!). And I took a supplement called Toxic Relief Booster to help my liver clear out all of the medications.

Finally, I got back in the game as quickly as possible. I had surgery on a Wednesday. I started physical therapy the next Tuesday and went three days a week for about 6 weeks, along with doing exercises and stretches on my own at home. Then I was released and immediately started gently pushing the shoulder, forcing it to heal the muscles around the joint without going hard enough to hurt myself again. The body wants to move, so it’s important to get back in there as quickly as possible.

This combination of things, plus something I may have missed, allowed me to rebound quickly. I was doing light front squats, overhead presses, and deadlifts within a couple months of surgery, allowing the shoulder time to heal, but also showing it what was expected of it. Another lady in physical therapy had shoulder surgery in August 2006, a full 10 months before my surgery. She was probably double my age and very overweight and out-of-shape. The first day I was in there, I got my arm above my head. The first day I was in there, she still hadn’t gotten her arm above her head from her August surgery. I think there’s no discounting the value of youth and the value of being in shape. And of course picking a good surgeon helped too.

Things I Avoid
I learned three things after surgery. First, I learned that I’m not bulletproof and it isn’t worth destroying my body in the pursuit of a slightly faster time or bigger press. I’m not getting paid for being in shape, so whether I can do 25 pullups or 35 pullups is largely irrelevant. I still push hard, but it’s tempered now by the reality that I really don’t want to have any more traumas.

Golf SwingTwo, golf. I now avoid golf. Not because of my shoulder though. After surgery, I couldn’t swing a club for quite a few months and I realized that I hate the sport of golf. So I gave it up. The clubs are gone and a year later, I don’t miss it one bit. I decided to focus on doing things that I enjoy rather than doing things that leave me more irritated four hours later.

Oxycontin SucksAnd the final thing I learned? Don’t take oxycontin. My surgeon said, “Don’t call and tell me you’re in pain. I know you’re in pain. I’ve been there. I’m doing everything I can for you, but it’s going to hurt.” Part of “everything he could do” was 3 days worth of Oxycontin, 6 pills total (one every 12 hours), “only” 20mg each of oxycodone. Well, 20mg of oxycodone is equivalent to four 5mg Percocets every 12 hours. Let’s just say that for 3 days, I had very little in the way of pain. Course, I had to lay down for about 30 minutes after popping each one cause the room was spinning, but the pain was negligible. Then 24 hours after the last one came around. Headache, nausea, exceptionally tired, unable to sleep, hot sweat, cold chills…all hallmarks of Oxycontin withdrawals. Oxycontin works, but it’s serious medicine. Avoid it unless you absolutely need it. If there’s a next time, I’ll deal with the pain or take something lighter like Percocets.

So there it is…one-year of recovery packed into 5-minutes of reading.


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Shoulder Surgery and Sleep article

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