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Any Orthopedic Doctors/Anyone who has had shoulder surgery?

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elquintodeac

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I've been diagnosed with a Type 5 separated shoulder. MRI showed that ligaments = torn. But the orthopedic I saw says that I am in better shape than I should be considering my injury and that I "probably" won't need surgery. I asked him some questions about being able to play sports again and what the surgery entails and the recovery.

But of course, as soon as I left, I had some more questions and he is out of town this next week. If my ligaments are torn, shouldn't it be necessary to repair them to get back to full functionality? The ligaments aren't going to grow back themselves. The guy I saw seems to know what he's talking about but then again, I guess I wouldn't know otherwise.

Alternatively, should I try to avoid surgery? Anyone out there had shoulder surgery? How was your experience? Can it be like Tommy John surgery and I'll come back with an awesome fastball?

Thanks all.
 
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I actually was/am in a similar situation. I dislocated my shoulder senior year at WFU, and it healed over time on its own. When I was building my house and doing some heavy lifting, it started to get inflamed and sore again. I got a few steroid shots and it felt better, but it is still sore occasionally depending on how I move it. I also get some soreness and stiffness after I've done some manual labor.

I've been told I'll never do another pushup or pull up because my shoulder is still unstable, but he doesnt want to do surgery unless it starts to bother me much more than it does. I'll probably go ahead and get it worked on down the road.
 
I'm probably the least qualified to talk on this subject, but I know if you're young and can still do the things you want with time and a little PT, surgery is avoided on purpose. No need to go under the knife, get arthritis sooner, etc just to throw a ball a little harder.
 
I had a 2X2 tear of the rotator cuff and a detached labrum. I had surgery in Feb. of 2002. I had to keep my shoulder immobilized for 6 weeks after surgery and then did PT through November, 2002. It did not start to feel like 100% until early 2003. I had been experiencing pain for about three years and the docs told me that I would not do any more damage to my shoulder if I did not have the surgery. The pain got to the point that it was affecting my everday life, so I had the surgery. I am very pleased with the results.
 
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I dislocated my shoulder playing football in 2003. I sat out three weeks, did intense PT and wore a shoulder brace. I then came back and probably dislocated it upwards of 10 times the rest of the season. I then played basketball and probably suffered another 15-25 dislocations. It was only painful the first few times, after that it was uncomfortable and there was a lingering soreness after each time but not excruciating pain. It also would very quickly, and most of the time on its own slide back in place. The problem was all this eventually caused it to become so unstable I couldn't do much. Couldn't swing a baseball bat by the time season came around.

At this point it wasn't really going to get worse. I went to Wake and freshman year didn't do anything I should have for the most part. One of those things was work out and strengthen my shoulder. Because of all this it was dislocate in my sleep if I slept funny. I FINALLY had surgery to repair it during the summer between Frosh and Soph year. It was pretty bad. I slept in a recliner for about 3 weeks. I couldn't open a door with my left arm for about 12 weeks. Sounds dumb that that is one of the hardest everyday movements you make with your shoulder. I was actually able to do my rehab at WF in the athletic training facilities and it went very well and quickly. It didn't hurt that I had PT people whose primary responsibility is to get and keep 18-22 year olds on fields.

My unprofessional but experience opinion would be do the rehab, hope for the best. Unless you're going to play lots of contact sports or watersports (holding a ski rope would have been impossible pre-surgery) you should be ok. Worst case scenario you injure it a few more times and decide you need the surgery. At least for me the surgery was essentially the same as it would have been and the recovery time was the same. I just took the risk and hoped I didn't have to get it. I am like others said they were and will do whatever possible to avoid the knife.
 
Sort of same experience as above. I popped my right shoulder out junior year spring break skiing in Vermont. Went off a kicker, lost control in the air and !bam! landed right on the shoulder. Doc on the mountain popped it back in. I didnt have any ligament damage, but got opinions from two orthopedists, one from baptist and one from my friends dad from back home.

Both docs said that if I wasnt playing competitive sports like on a scholarship then I should probably avoid surgery. They said that if I continued to be active (ie play basketball, snowski, wakeboard) then If I got it scoped it would be 6-8 weeks of recovery/rehab and it would still have a 30% of coming back out with that lifestyle. If I had traditional surgery I would have a 20% chance of it coming back out after 9-12 weeks of recovery/rehab.

I did rehab with the athletes on campus for 4-5 weeks and it got better. It still comes out every once in a blue moon and I can pop it back in. It hurts pretty bad for a few days after. Doing bench press and shoulder exercises to keep the muscles around it tight is the best thing for it.

Im sort of glad I didnt have surgery b/c I feel like it would have still come out again.

One of my buddies at Wake played on the bball team and his came out before the season. He got full surgery and full rehab with D1 trainers and his still came out again (and still comes out now sometimes as well).

Once it comes out once, you are sort of F'ed.
 
They recommended no surgery on my rotator cuff after I tore it in h.s. pitching. Got cortisone shots and rehabbed for months, but it is now worse than ever and never fully healed. Really wish I would have had surgery back then.
 
Yeah, I'm 26. I'm not trying to any crazy sports stuff right now but I play softball, bball, golf, work out, and like outside stuff like rafting and whatnot. So that's what I want to be able to do.

I was/am confused because the doctor didn't recommend any PT or anything instead of surgery since the ligaments are torn. I understand the avoiding of surgery definitely. I get the sense from ya'll that surgery will always be an option but its better to try the PT route first.

The shoulder improved a lot from injury to week 2 but seems like its plateaued since then. It still gets sore pretty easily but I can swing a softball bat and throw lightly. The doctor did say that I should do what I can/normally do as long as it doesn't hurt/can take the discomfort.

I was joking about the Tommy John part and mostly wondering if anyone thought I should def go get a 2nd opinion (realizing that the doctor should know best) based off your own experience.
 
elquintodeac said:
The shoulder improved a lot from injury to week 2 but seems like its plateaued since then. It still gets sore pretty easily but I can swing a softball bat and throw lightly. The doctor did say that I should do what I can/normally do as long as it doesn't hurt/can take the discomfort.
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Whaaaat!?
 
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