Topic: Shoulder surgery

[Dane Hussey]

I had arthroscopic subacromial decompression procedure done last Wednesday. Turned out to be the A/C joint and a torn rotator cuff. If anybody is interested in the details and recovery aspects, let me know and I will post here or PM you. I go back to the doctor on Friday, and hopefully start physical therapy next week.

Another thing. I practiced for many weeks using my non-dominant hand (left) for most tasks.
I found out that all the practice in the world would not have helped.        

[Pete Church]

Dane,
Really sorry to hear that! Was this sudden or an ongoing problem?
Pete

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Dane,

I had a subcromial decompression back around 1993. I didn't have any tears that needed repairing yet though when I got it- just pinching that was making it impossible to lock out overhead. Man, that surgery was a lot of pain. I couldn't drive a car for a while (manual transmission and no power steering), had to sleep on my back which is pretty close to impossible for me, etc. I hope you are not having as bad a time as I did in the first few weeks after it.

Hang in there.

[Pete Church]

http://www.sportsdoc.umn.edu/Patients_Folder/Shoulder/subacromial_decompression.htm

Here is some decent info on the subject!

[Tom Phillips]

Dane,

I had a subcromial decompression back around 1993. I didn't have any tears that needed repairing yet though when I got it- just pinching that was making it impossible to lock out overhead. Man, that surgery was a lot of pain. I couldn't drive a car for a while (manual transmission and no power steering), had to sleep on my back which is pretty close to impossible for me, etc. I hope you are not having as bad a time as I did in the first few weeks after it.

Hang in there.

Ive had that exact op for the same reasons, it was 3 months ago now, can you remember how long it took you to get back to full lifting, ive just started doing power cleans today, been squatting and pulling for a while. I think it could be a bit longer before i can snatch or jerk.

thanks,

tom

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Tom,

I can't remember exactly but it was between 2-3 months before I could really jerk the bar (20kgs) and was something like 6 months before I was ~90%, with some pain upon jerking still of course. Now that I think about it, I had this surgery like a year before the 2000 Nationals/Olympic Trials (not 1993, that was the knee surgery), and at the Nationals, I STILL couldn't use my normal snatch grip and had to be out real wide for me since it was just too painful with my normal, more narrow grip. I bombed out at that meet, in large part because the shoulder just wasn't quite ready yet.

I hope it goes easier for you and Dane.

[Jeff Scott]

Dane,

What were the symptoms you were experiencing?

[Dane Hussey]

Dane,
Really sorry to hear that! Was this sudden or an ongoing problem?
Pete

Dane,

What were the symptoms you were experiencing?

Pete, Jeff,

I started to train in Oct 2004 after a 20 year "rest". No problems to speak of. I noticed a pain when raising my arm in Apr 2005. I went to two different orthopedic doctors between then and Oct 2005. The first, said it was an impingement problem, and gave me some exercises to do. Did not work. I was in constant pain between Apr 2005 and Oct 2005. Only did squats. I went to the second doctor in Oct 2005. Had an MRI done, which showed a degeneration of the A/C joint. He also gave me an injection of Synvisc, which immediately relieved the pain. Tried different rehab exercises, which worked up to a point. I could then do the O lifts. I also used the R.I.C.E. method ( rest, ice, compression, and elevation)
I then found my current doctor in Apr 2006, who was a team physician at the 1996 Olympics. Her specialty is shoulders and knees. She also knows what a snatch and C&J are. She tried conservative treatment which was fine with me, as I wasn't too thrilled about surgery. Her physical evaluation and the MRI showed the A/C joint degeneration, which is where the pain was localized. I tried physical therapy which did not fully relieve the pain, but helped, and was great to warm up the shoulder area. I also had two injections of Celestone Soluspan in Apr 2006 and Nov 2006. For these injections, I submitted an ATUE to the UDADA. Since there was going to be prohibited substance testing at the Pan Am Masters this year, I used the prescription (NSAID) drug Mobic for about three weeks before the competition, as the pain was back and the USADA could not tell me how long it would take to clear another injection. So, here I am. going back to the doctor this Friday, and should start physical therapy next week. I don't know when the rotator cuff tear occured, as it did not show on the Oct 2005 MRI. This is more of an age related/over use problem. Why doesn't my left shoulder bother me?
My goal is to be able to compete in the National Masters next year, even if I can only do the minimum openers required, 26kg. 
If not, then   

Jeff, good luck at the American Masters
Pete, I look forward to meeting you at the National Masters next year in Savannah.

Dane