Thanks for rotator cuff advice

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Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic
Coldfinger

Mountain climber
Bethany, CT
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 25, 2008 - 09:10am PT
Sincere thanks to the 22 people who responded to my wondering if one could train your way out of a complete seperation rotator cuff tear (supraspinatus) and return to climbing. The universal agreement that surgery is the only fix, including accounts of two people who tried what I wondered about and had subsequent complicating injuries as a result, clarified my thinking. I think I have a good sports medicine surgeon, with an office full of photos of pro and semi-pro sports figures with grateful dedications to him. That is confidance inspiring. I'm waiting to get a date for surgery now. So I understand I am facing six hard months of re-hab before resuming easy top-roping. I've already missed Summer rock climbing, will miss Fall rock and Winter ice as well, hopefully back on the rock in early Summer next year. This is way more painful (and sustained) than any Alpine Epic I've been thru. But as I told my surgeon, If I can't climb my life is over.
Prod

Big Wall climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
Sep 25, 2008 - 11:58am PT
How old are you?

Just curious, as I am 38 and start getting bummed when I tink about not being able to climb for extended periods of time.

Prod.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Sep 25, 2008 - 12:16pm PT
Sounds like you are in with a good doc. Make sure you get just as good care for the physical therapy. If you find yourself in a place full of obese old people trying to walk, you might consider someplace more sport oriented. Good luck, you'll be fine in no time.

Insurance companies can be notoriously cheap when it comes to P/T. The Doc who did my shoulder called my insurance and told them to double my allotment, or I would be in for expensive follow up procedures. That usually gets their attention.
klk

Trad climber
cali
Sep 25, 2008 - 12:20pm PT
What KSolem said. One of the post-op issues is scar tissue, and you can end up with a shoulder as bad as before. You need the best PT you can get in yr area, and you may need your Doc to step in to make sure that your insurance pays for it.
quartziteflight

climber
Sep 25, 2008 - 02:31pm PT
good luck man!
guyman

Trad climber
Moorpark, CA.
Sep 25, 2008 - 05:15pm PT
I hope all goes well for you. Mine was done April 15th, I had the worst summer ever, followed my friends around at the crags, drank beer...12oz curls are good for you. I even went HIKING- oh boy- It's now fall, I can climb slabs and boulder some. It's all worth it.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Sep 25, 2008 - 05:58pm PT
hey there coldfinger.. say, i'll be praying for all to go well and for wisdome to come your way, after:

my dad nearly could have done damage after his surgery, as someone (a therapy person) had him starting up too much too fast, as to one of the exercises (i dont know which one it was, but i do remember he was worried, cause it didnt feel right) he got it all cleared up, and then did fine (oh, my----he would have done even better, but after awhile, i think he slacked off some, when he felt it was well)....


he was diligent when it seemed serious, in other words, and then, when it seemed he was out of the woods, he had other "LESS physical things to do"---meaning he's not much into exerciing, :)
noshoesnoshirt

climber
Sep 25, 2008 - 06:18pm PT
Best of luck.
Literally 10 minutes after waking up from my surgery I could lift my arm over my head for the first time in about a year.
Stick with the rehab program and it oughtta end well.
Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic
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