shoulder impingement?

[Lupe]

Any others experience this? Tips, suggestions, reasons for hope? Do's or don'ts?

This was sudden onset for me and seemingly spontaneous. I paddled last week on vacation 6 out of 7 days and felt great. Haven't been in my yak for a week, but woke Sunday in severe pain and unable to lift my right arm. Still can't lift my arm but thankfully through the wonders of modern pharmaceuticals, I'm no longer in intense pain.

I'm trying to remain calm and wait and see how things go (I'm on anti-inflamms, steriods, and pain killers), but the lack of mobility and severe pain minus the pain meds makes me feel this could be serious although the onset was so enigmatic.

Let me know of any important questions or options I should be asking my doctor or considering!!!

[Owl]

The most important thing is to see a good orthopedic doctor ASAP. If you need surgery, the sooner the better as some injuries become irreparable if too much time passes (I know this from personal experience).

Good luck.

[Jim Krueger]

Heather,

I think I'll certainly echo Brad's suggestions. It sounds like you haven't dislocated your shoulder but, with your discomfort I would visit with the doctor more. I completely dislocated my shoulder on the Buffalo many years ago and feel, with some drugs, follow-up care, and physical therapy all will be well. I'm sorry it's bothering you.


Jim

[davehoch]

Like Owl and Moose said, get this checked out quickly. :shock: If good ortho MD not readily available, get a PT referral. Although not able to order the MRI you may need, a good ortho PT will have a variety of special tests to diagnose your injury and educate you in how to proceed. Your shoulder is likely going to end up at PT in any event, good to get a therapeutic relationship started. Hope you can get better so we can see you on the rivers soon!

[Richard]

After getting a tick bite I ended up going to UAMS. I was delirious when I arrived and remember very little of the stay but I left UAMS with intense shoulder pain and found out later that while there I probably tore my rotator cuff as a result of having to be moved by attendants. I no longer have any pain but I am not able to lift much. What you are experiencing sounds very much the same.

And now it is my turn to echo what Brad and Jim have said. Timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment are critical to full recovery.

[okieboater]

Having been thru neck and shoulder pain for years - you name it and I have experienced it.

Find yourself a good muscleo/skeletal Doc, or sports Doc and get it looked at ASAP

Check around the little rock area as there is most likely several specialist Docs that can help you.

[Lupe]

This community is the best. Thank you so much to everyone who posted, pm'd and emailed me!

My dr wants me to wait, but I now know I need to get in to see a specialist sooner, not later!!!!

Thank you all for sharing. I've got to make sure this doesn't keep me off the water one day longer than needed, and I want to make sure I get it healed right as soon as possible!!!

Thanks again everyone

[Louiscov]

Best wishes on getting over this speedily, Heather.

Please do see an orthopedic doctor as soon as possible to get an assessment. Hopefully its bursitis related impingement and will work itself out 90 - 95% of the time. I got my second cortisone shot since spring in my left shoulder two weeks ago and have to lay off kayaking for 6 weeks. (Thank goodness I can canoe righthanded, my offside, but at least its some boating.) I was able to have a nice 4 day canoe trip in April just 2 weeks after my first shot with no problem, and I hate to say it but kayaking makes it BAD. At Rec School and the ACA school I could kayak OK most of the day but paddling made it much worse. I couldn't reach into either left pants pocket, put a tshirt on, or even take my life jacket off those weekends , and it hurt like heck at night plus even working at a computer and driving , especially turning the steering wheel to the left side.

Mine feels miraculously better two weeks after the second shot on July 14, but no kayaking :shock: until at least after Labor Day, maybe longer. Please try very very hard not to sleep on the problem side or with that arm under your head or over your shoulder while sleeping. Those place constant stress on the area and irritate the problem. You can do a subject search on paddling.net message board to see how others deal with it too.

I'm so sorry you're going through this, but please see the orthopedic, maybe ask for the injection for some relief. You'll probably be given some gentle stretches and limbering excercises and they help. Please keep us posted on your progress. Maybe some day we can tell shoulder impingement "war stories" while you're leading me down the Cadron!

Good luck, Heather,

louis c

[Cowper]

You've already gotten the good advice and are headed to the specialist, so I'll just add my "hope you get better soon!" to all the others.

[ebell]

if you don't already have a surgeon you might check out Dr. Jimmy Tucker at Arkansas Specialty Orthopedics.

A tree fell on me while logging ten years ago and the Dr. in Fayetteville could n't put me back together so they sent me to Dr. Tucker. He has done several knee and pelvic surgeries on me. I would highly recommend him.

eric

[Crane]

For shoulders, it's Dr. Gary Collins...

[Richard]

The right doc is critical. There are some quacks out there. I was tying down a canoe one day and heard a pop in my wrist and felt pain. The pain did not go away so I finally went to my doctor. He Xrayed and couldn't find anything. After 18 months and still hurting I asked for a referral to a specialist. The specialist said I had broken a bone in my wrist and put it in a cast. After 5 weeks in a cast I was hurting even more. I went to a specialist in LR and by that time it was now arthritic . . . no broken bone.

Lesson learned: The right doc makes all the difference in the world. I now have arthritis that will never go away.

[Victor]

Hey Heather, sorry to hear about your shoulders. I will be seeing a Doctor early next week about my shoulders also. I had hoped the pain would just pass but it keeps returning. We need to get it straightened out before the better paddling season starts. Keep us posted on you progress.

Good luck, Victor

[lalyle]

Before you get all into a bunch of meds to treat only the symptoms or into surgery which is costly and all-too-often unecessary and has its own pains and long-term consequences, please check in with Dr. Dwight Stewart (chiropractor) and Gena Woodward (excellent PT) at the Pain Clinic on W. Markham. Gina does great work and has helped restore my shoulder after a recent injury and Dr. Stewart is the most gentle and thorough doctor I've ever used in my 30 years of dealing with musculo-skeletal issues.

223-3314