Shoulder Problems Anyone?

Finally got tired of the pain in my shoulder and had an MRI done. Met with the ortho today and he went over the results. At least 3 different tears, bone spurs, and cysts, to go along with alot of other things that I can't pronounce.

I'm 46 and plan on fishing another 50+ years so I'm thinking its probably not going to get better on its own.

Looking out to you guys to see if anyone has had similar diagnosis, did you have surgery, did you follow the rehab, how are you today and was it worth it? Or do you wish you had just decided to tough out the pain?

Thanks.

I have my labrom torn in my left shoulder. I tore it in wrestling at school. I followed my rehab and am fine. Its a 180 degree tear but it only hurts a for a few things. It doesnt hurt for my daily routine or fishing though! So we are good. Id say just strengthen it back up. Try anything before the needle!

try not to use braid. Unless you really need to. I stopped flipping that stuff on Falcon. That stuff will tear your shoulders, arms, elbows and hands apart. Especially if you lean into a decent fish in the brush. Dam it hurts but feels good once you pull that hog out of the brush.

I tore my right rotator cuff back in 2000. Had it repaired this past January. There was only so much that rehab and PT was able to help with and when the pain started keeping me from sleeping, it was time. Plus it got to where I could only fish one day. I'm 48, had the surgery Jan 20th, and was back fishing by mid May. I could have started back sooner but there was no point in rushing. I still work on strengthening and stretching my shoulder and don't expect 100% recovery until this winter but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again and wish I'd done it sooner.

The best part is that I taught myself how to cast left handed while rehab-ing the right Now I'm bi-handed

I tore my rotator cuff pretty bad and had to have surgery. It got to the point that I would wake up at night if I rolled over on it. I'm a non-believer in pain meds, so I tried to live through the pain. If you do have the surgery, don't try and rush back into fishing. I tried to fish a few weeks after surgery and was back in the doctor's office to have it repaired again. So now, it was 1 year to total recovery. Don't think the shoulder will ever be "new" again, but it is not too bad!!!

Had a torn labrom in my shoulder also.

After a couple of years of "living with the pain", I finally went to an orthopedic and got the diagnosis. Had surgery (last Feb was two years) and for the first six months, I was wondering what kind of mistake I had made. Shoulder hurt more than before the surgery. Then ... almost overnight, the pain went away and shoulder is great! Haven't had ANY pain for two years now ... one of the best decisions I ever made.

My recomendation is ... get a good orthopedic surgeon, and follow his advice, whether it be simple rehab or surgery. Life is too short to not be able to enjoy your fishing to the fullest!

Surgery is often the only true fix. It may get better with various treatments but whether its one day or year later it will come back and the older you get the sooner it does.

Well, I have had 4 major shoulder surgeries, just had my last one 5 weeks ago. you cant go by what someone tells you that it was like several years ago because technique and technology has changed dramatically. first thing is if you have a full thickness tear it is not going to get any better without surgery. there is a difference between tears and a full thickness tear. your shoulder is not a very vasular area is why it has difficulty healing. second is you are going to be in a sling 4 to 6 weeks almost 24 7 that includes while you sleep. if you do not follow this you could reinjure your shoulder. after that you get to start rehab. total recovery 9 to 12 months depending on injury and if you smoke and what overall shape your body is in now. and up till my last injury I fished at least twice a week and was benching 405 so afterwards you will be fine. By the way I am 43. It will never be the same but you should be fine just long recovery. ALSO DO YOUR HOME WORK AND GET A VERY GOOD DOCTOR AND CHECK HIM OUT. almost all shoulder suregeries are done with a scope now days. feel free to PM me if you have any questions and good luck.

I'm 57 and shoulder not as bad as you, but I have arthritis in my left shoulder. Doc said when it gets to where I can't live with I'll need a replacement. Good thing is I'm right handed, so I cast, switch hands, and reel with my right. My PB is 7.4 and so far haven't had any problem with holding the rod. When I start cathcin' DDs on a regular basis, I met have to visit that doc again!

Robert, went to the doctor about 7 years ago due to shoulder pain when fishing. Thought it was a torn rotator cuff. Doc said he had some good news and some bad news. He said the good news was that although my rotator cuff showed considerable wear, I didn't need surgery. When I asked for the bad news, he said I have arthritis. He said if it hurts, don't do it. Well I just keep my elbow closer to my body when I cast now. I may look like a sissy, but I'm still fishing. I does hurt though...

What he said. Life is too short to be unnecessarily restricted by something that can be fixed. I too lived with pain from what turned out to be a torn labrum as well, finally got surgery and now can flip/pitch without wincing. Commit yourself to the post-op rehab exercises. They are crucial to a full recovery.

I have had both sholders cut on.R sholder 15 yrs,L sholder 10 yrs.Not a snap,however would recomend having it done.Full recomended rehab both sides and full recovery.good luck

Make sure you're casting with two hands. Use the other hand to pull the butt end and your dominant hand as the fulcrum. It really helps to strengthen the wrist too. The stronger your wrist, the less you'll rely on the shoulder to generate movement.

http://fishstrong.com/rice-digs-for-bulletproof-wrists/

Depending on how bad your shoulder has gotten, you made need surgery to clean it up, but if it's just mild arthriitis and minor wear, you could rehab it.

If you're interested, I can provide you some exercises that might help. Contact me.

I have 2 ruptured disks in my neck with arthritis and also disk degeneration, arthritis and degeneration in my middle back and ruptured disk and arthritis in my lower back at L5. So yes I have pain in my shoulder, arms and hands as well as everywhere else. Can't fish tournaments anymore but try and fish when I can and can relate what you're going through, just hang in there and FISH ON!!!!!

funny you posted this, I just left Texas Back Institute in Rockwall... They said my right shoulder muscle that attaches at my ACL area is very weak.. Going to try therapy, and if that fails the MRI will be next to see if it's torn. My whole back aches from one weakend muscle. The good news is my spinal cord is very clean and no degeneration! woo hoo!

I really needed this thread. Something about shared pain. Since January, I've been back and forth trying to figure out a middle back pain, shoulder, rib, hand issue. Dr finally had us researching Thoracic (sp?) Outlet Syndrome - pitchers get it sometimes so I guess fishing a lot of years equates. I still think Indiana Jones said it best, "It's not the years, it's the mileage."

I'm 46 and plan on fishing another 50+ years so I'm thinking its probably not going to get better on its own.

96 years old good luck with that.

I am 47 and everything hurts every day. Broken back in 1982, Bad ancles, bad knees, bad wrist, neck pain, etc.. If I knew I was going to live this long , I would have taken better care of my self. But when your in your 18 to 22 you think your invincable...... WRONG.

One thing you can do to promote healing and keep inflammation down is to stay away from sugary foods and take krill oil and/or fish oil. Check out these links.

Krill Oil
http://www.drugstore.com/source-naturals...msrch=krill+oil

Cod liver oil
http://www.drugstore.com/carlson-norwegi...h=cod+liver+oil

These products take a few weeks to build up in your system, but are very helpful for joints and help lubricate. Much safer than Naproxen and other drugs.

I think you mean AC (acromioclavicular) joint. The ACL is in your knee. Congratulations on the clean spinal cord!

Don't wait to long. I waited and guess what. I'm 58 and I waited until the pain got really bad. Went and had an MRI late last year and got the report that I did not want. I have a torn left rotator cuff. I only have two muscles still attached and the others have retracted and died. Nothing to stretch back and attach back. Two Doctors same answer. I now have to live with the pain. I will continue to fish, just can't quit. The Doctors said that eventually I will probably have to have a reverse shoulder replacement, ball and joint reversed. I have found that keeping my arm closer to my body does help some. What we do to keep doing the things we love. I take Extra Strength Tylenol or Extra Strength Bufferen when the pain gets real bad. DON'T WAIT!

No shoulder problems but I have developed "tennis/fishing" elbow in the last year and it kicks my backside when I fish!

yes, that one! LOL!

Pumadon is right, you do not want to wait longer than 3 months due to the tendon retracting and dead tissue very hard to fix and sometimes not fixable due to the shoulder not being very vascular. I wouldnt wait and the pain after the surgery is at a minimal due to them using the scope instead of large incisions. this last one involved reattaching the clavical, a full thickness tear in rotator cuff, multipile frays and small tears, bicep tendon work and some bone spurs removed and I was completely of pain meds in 48 hrs and i have only three small incisisions about the size of a pencil eraser. get it done now being fishing in the spring.

I have messed up AC joints in both shoulders, one ruptered or extruded disk and one herniated in lower back two messed up SI's and a muscle torn loose in the middle of my back which also causes me lots of trouble due to instabiliy.

i thought I was getting old! man! you guys sound like yall been beat up with a blender! no more whining from me! I can only imagine what pains yall have, as I get some pretty bad ones with just a minor deal.. ouch!

Sounds to me like fishing is a full contact sport with all the beat up fishermen here!!!

My aches started hurting worse seeing all the ailments on this board!!!

anyone have a P90X for sale? time to get in shape, i guess. lol.

I have had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders, as a mechanic it goes with the territory. Aggrevating them is just a bonus when fishing!

I am 72 and have suffered from arthitis for years. Had the left shoulder operated on 15 years ago by a leading surgeon. Did all the rehab too. Bottom line, some, but minimal improvment.

Now the right shoulder is killing me. My pain doctor said my xrays showed impingments the size of the first joint of the thumb!! (no wonder the damn thing hurts!) I tried a round of acupuncture. Am considering seeing a chiroprator---surprised n one mentioned that. The last resort is another surgery, but with my last results, I'm skeptical.

Interesting thread.

Wayne

Man this is scary...

I dislocated my shoulder 2 or 3 winter's ago when I slipped on some ice in the shade next to my car. I was headed in to work. I got laid off that week and didn't go to the doctor before I lost my insurance. I've dislocated it several more times and it was so bad once I went to the ER. I still put it back in place myself...but I think it was because of the drugs they gave me to relax. I still haven't had my shoulder properly looked at...but after hearing about dead muscle etc...maybe I should.

you'll know when it's time when it feels like someone has kicked you between the shoulder blades for the past 3 months every day.

I’m 42 and had a bad tear on my rotator cuff. Lost about 50% of the strength in my arm when it let go and could no longer use my arm due to the extreme pain. Had surgery June 17th. Stitched up the muscle and shaved some bone. Was in a sling for 6 weeks. I have a high threshold for pain and for the first six weeks in a sling, with all the non-stop pain, makes a grown man want to cry.

Week 2 started physical therapy. OH MY GAWD!!! I cannot believe that I was actually paying someone hurt me more!!! Six weeks of PT ain’t fun, but you gotta do it!

Went surf fishing Aug 18 and was a dumb decision….you know, can’t keep a man from the fish! I couldn’t put any power in a cast and my shoulder was aching horribly after the trip. Good thing I didn’t reinjure it.

It’s only been the past few weeks that I haven’t had any pain in my arm. Going to slowly get back into lifting weights and pushups.

My only suggestion is to get it done, take the physical therapy seriously, and ease back into working with your arm slowly.

I forgot to mention that with the disk problems sometimes I can't feel my left foot or it will tingle for days at a time which makes me very unstable on dry ground and even worse in the boat, last Thursday or Friday on Fork I set the hook really hard on a fish and missed it but did a back flip over my butt seat, my wife wanted to laugh really bad but she held it for a couple of days.

Dang Ironwill did they open you up or use a scope?

Had left shoulder surgery in 2000, in Chatanoogo Tenn. Rotator cuff tear with impingement 1 cm of acromium (bone) removed. It was hurting for almost 5 years before I pulled the trigger to get it fixed. The doc wasted no time moving it, one week later he gave me 2 perkacets and grabbed my arm and went through a full range of motion, I almost passed out. He said move it as often as I coulg tolerate so I won't get frozen shoulder. Today it still feels great!

Not shoulder but I get what I guess is like tennis elbow/fishing elbow...terrible pain in my right elbow that lasts for about a week at a time. Hurts bad enough it is hard to reach down and pick up a rod off the deck.

For the last 15 years I have had shoulder and elbow pain off and on. On the 30th I am going in to have two disk removed from my neck from pinched nerves due to bulged disks. The last three month have been painful so it is time... Turning 40 has sucked. The funny part is I dont have neck pain... I need to get back to fishing been out of it for a couple months.

I would have sworn it was a shoulder issue, but 2 MRI's and its not.

Lot of us in mid-40's and upward with the injuries showing up - no pain doesn't mean no injury. The loss of muscle and tendon strength has my attention since I've had multiple shoulder separations on both sides. At 17, I was on a full scholarship at the University of Tulsa in football. First, separated my should in fall of 83'. Went through rehab and on the 13th practice of spring ball felt the back of my shoulder rip. I got scoped and the orthopedic surgeon called me Kevin Lilly jr. - played for Dallas Cowboys briefly in 80's. He was a swimmer in high school and had damage in front and back - anterior and posterior.

I did NOT have surgery at the time since one player ripped the staples out of his shoulder during practice. I have occasional problems but not chronic pain. I make it a point to maintain good strength in all the muscles that support the shoulder. I don't lift heavy weights anymore either. I miss weighing 230 pounds, but will settle for 195 pounds at 46.

I ride a mountain bike for exercise and hyperextended my left elbow and damaged cartilage - took 1.5 months to recover. I was pretty lucky since elbow replacements don't produce full recovery type results.

I appreciate the post and will keep an eye out for tendon/muscle atrophy.

One last thing - a shoulder is not as cupped as a hip or knee. You can sort of put it back, but the muscles keep it in place with the ligaments. Once it torn, it will continue to fall out.

When I got scoped at in 83', the doctor released me without a sling. I had to stick my hand in my pocket to keep my shoulder from falling out of place - fun S**T.

I'm 43 and have been an insulin dependent diabetic since I was 7. I had shoulder surgery back in May. There were several small things that needed to be repaired. I'm 85% or better now. Trust me when I say this: Tour shoulder isn't gonna get better by itself. Surgery is only 1/2 the fix. You MUST go to rehab. Take rehab seriously. If you don't do rehab your shoulder won't heal properly. I'm not a big fan of pain meds either, but take them. Sure they knock you on your backside, but that will prevent you from hurting it again while it heals.

I was scoped... Got 5 "X" marks looping around the ol' shoulder. I tell the kids it's a shark bite..."Don't swim out too far"...haha! Fortunately, I had a great doctor. He did a good job. Pre-op he took into consideration that I'm still very active so he opted to do all out recon.

There's a fella that works in the warehouse at my place of leisure that had cuff surgery and they split him open like a banana. Looks nasty!

Interesting you mention the shoulder falling out. I kept have the same sensation at first. . Next, the joint just kept popping…kinda like popping a knuckle… Seems to be getting less and less each day…

Had surgery Mon Oct 24. I will be in a sling for a while, and start physical therapy Nov 15.

My bicep tendon was shredded, so he released it (cut it, did not reattach it). It had partially severed the labrum from the bone so he reattached it with pins and stitches. Source of all of the damage was most likely the bone spurs which he removed, supposedly took a wood sander to the bone.

They told me yesterday on post-op follow-up that the PT will last 12 weeks minimally. I am so looking forward to it. Right now going stir crazy sitting around the house doing nothing. Sleeping on the sofa amidst a pile of pillows. Slowly getting off the pain meds.

I am mentally prepared for the PT - I see sunshine on the other side.

Glad to hear the surgery went well. Yes, the first few weeks after surgery are a bear, sleeping on the couch with a mountain of pillows, etc... You'll never be so glad to be able to sleep in your own bed as that first night when your shoulder will allow it

Your PT will take every bit of that 12 weeks, and then you'll be doing it on your own at home and in the gym for a year after that. The first couple of weeks of PT are no fun and you may wonder why in the hell you decided on the surgery. But you'll make progress if you keep at it - the danger comes in when you start to feel like you're making real progress and you'll want to push it - be careful when you start feeling good!

Scope is for sissys..lol. I had the full khahona front and back with a six inch long incision and the pain was worse than anything I have ever been through.But I had come to the point I could not use my arm and had to get something done.

I've 2 surgeries this year & in September the Doctor recommended a total reverse shoulder replacement, I was all set to go & chickened out right before surgery, pain is getting worse & I will probably go ahead and have the replacement next year

btw cause of my shoulder problem was accident with a severe hit to the humerus

i think we all have them eventually, good luck on your surgery, they want to do both of mine, but I cant see taking 9 mos off of fishing right now lol

Hope your recovery goes well Robert and work hard on the PT. Glad to hear the surgery was a success!

It's my elbow that is bad. I have several small tears in it and can't get it well. Got a steriod shot and took 2 months off this summer and the first time I went fishing back it came.
I've been told surgery may be the only way to fix it. Sucker hurts all of the time now.

Edwin Evers had PRP which is non surgical. Said it cured him. Look it up on the net. Think about which motion hurts;then figure out a way to reduce that motion or stress on your elbow. Light weight reels(Steez)and lightweight,balanced rods(GLX 783c)helps. I Switch to spinning gear,from time to time, to change the stress. Previously drove manual transmission cars,now I drive autos cause it was painful to even shift gears. You might have to go to a line that has more stretch,lighter action rod,etc. Just try to ease the stress of what you are doing. I would check out the PRP,before I would let them cut me. Good luck.

I had a massive tear in my Rotator Cuff, that I had surgery on. Worst after pain, I have been through. Did all my rehab. Still don't have full strength, but I have use of it and it doesn't hurt, so I can't complain. Would do it again, as a matter of fact, maybe the other one eventually.

I am 68 and need a shoulder replacement I to live with the pain but will have surgery soon. I take Tylenol Arthritis it is time released and last for 8 hours.


Good Luck and keep fishing.

I found braided line and a heavy rod combined with lots of hooksets was horrible on my arms. Switched to a little lighter rod on braid and settled things down.

I have had both shoulders redone due to rotator cuff tears,specifically supraspinatus..one 13 years ago, and one 2 years ago..I have complete healing and use within normal limits, and zero pain..Burkhead at Carrell clinic did both of mine, and he is highly regarded among Drs around the globe...By the way, I am an Occupational therapist, and did my own therapy...The post above about the pain is correct..I had a broken pelvis when I tore the one 13 years ago, and my pelvis quit hurting...recovery is tough, but you will find ways to do most everything with modification and adaptation until you get healed up...It is no easy recovery, but well worth the price to get out of pain and back into functional limits...

I hear ya...I had my second Cortizone injection a month ago and it didnt take...Going in Friday to discuss surgery...Im not looking forward to this conversation.

Check out the PRP before you let them cut you. The Prp reportedly worked for Edwin Evers and Stephen Browning.

i went to texas back institute in rockwall a few weeks ago for a messed up shoulder. he found that i have one minor muscle that is weak, and a bone spur rubbing a tendon. sent me to physical therapy, and I did not go. Starting the P90X deal next week. been putting it off for a couple weeks now to get my diet started. He said once I strengthen the core muscles and lose some weight I will feel like a 20 year old again!!! My wife better watch out!!!

The P90X will not help your shoulder and could make it worse. Otherwise it's great for getting in shape.

Will do...Thanks!

What is PRP?

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20100310/platelet-rich-plasma-helps-tennis-elbow

I tore my right rotator cup in 2001 and it took about a year to where I could use it and then i tore my left in 2003. It will take about a year before you can use your arm half way decent. Still a lot of pain if I lift eith arm over shoulder. No surgery ever. That 1st year it really hurts to set the hook and you cannot hardly cast a crankbait or spinnerbait. Mostly just texas or carolina rig. Still to this day it hurts every once in a while when I try to make a long cast or set the hook on unexpected bite.

I've have Frozen Shoulder in both and still don't have full Range of Motion on them after 3 years. I did all of the therapy, but I am probably at 90%, but it was the most painful 2+ years I had every spent. I had to sleep in chairs, and steriod injections into the joints, etc.

I had a torn labrum with spurs also. Had orthoscopic surgery 1 1/2 years ago. Feels great now. Was also given the strengthen it option but got tired of dislocating my shoulder. Surgery was not bad at all but the rehab was horrible, and I dont think I could have gotten my range of motion back without it by myself. I think I babied it to much after surgery, kept the sling on 24/7 for six weeks before rehab and my shoulder was almost seized up, I could hardly move my arm. Saying that, I would do it again without a doubt, my left shoulder feels great no slop in it at all. Kind of feels weird left feeling new and tight and the right one feels alot looser. I can see me getting the right one down in the future but would start moving it alot sooner than the other. Something my doc told me that makes sense is "the longer you wait the more damage you do and I can't make chicken salad out of chicken mess." Do it, it will suck at first but well worth it. I started fishing with my sling still on, only cranks and spinners because I couldn't set the hook with the sling on. Soon as the sling came off I was back on the water full time just took a little while to get my hookset back but only stopped fishing for a couple weeks.