Mystery injury, or, how I hurt myself doing nothing

[Andy Mink]

Yesterday my son and I were moving one of those Lifetime folding picnic tables. It was folded and I was on one end using my right hand/arm to carry it. No problem. As we set it down my LEFT shoulder, the one doing absolutely NOTHING, suddenly felt like fire/knife/bullet. I ranked right up there with PT after shoulder surgery, of which I've had two. After the initial zap and near tears, it calmed a little bit. My buddy who is a physical therapist taped it for me to help hold the humerus head in the cuff. He believes that I probably have a small tear that allowed the joint to separate just enough to make a nerve angry.

I've been having little "pinches" for several months but nothing bad and very inconsistently. Thinking back, the only thing I can recall that may have done anything was a fall at Sun Valley last season. It wasn't bad and it didn't cause a "OH CRAP" moment in my shoulder. Other than that I have no idea what may have happened. I've stayed upright on my bike this year; I even rode the day before on some chunky rocky stuff with no issues. Or was there?

I'm hoping a few days of rest on the shoulder which requires precise placement of the arm to avoid OWW! will be sufficient to get to where PT will be the cure. If not, back to the doc. I really don't want to do any surgery, especially this time of year with skiing coming up! Having these mystery injuries is really annoying!

 

[ADKmel]

Yesterday my son and I were moving one of those Lifetime folding picnic tables. It was folded and I was on one end using my right hand/arm to carry it. No problem. As we set it down my LEFT shoulder, the one doing absolutely NOTHING, suddenly felt like fire/knife/bullet. I ranked right up there with PT after shoulder surgery, of which I've had two. After the initial zap and near tears, it calmed a little bit. My buddy who is a physical therapist taped it for me to help hold the humerus head in the cuff. He believes that I probably have a small tear that allowed the joint to separate just enough to make a nerve angry.

I've been having little "pinches" for several months but nothing bad and very inconsistently. Thinking back, the only thing I can recall that may have done anything was a fall at Sun Valley last season. It wasn't bad and it didn't cause a "OH CRAP" moment in my shoulder. Other than that I have no idea what may have happened. I've stayed upright on my bike this year; I even rode the day before on some chunky rocky stuff with no issues. Or was there?

I'm hoping a few days of rest on the shoulder which requires precise placement of the arm to avoid OWW! will be sufficient to get to where PT will be the cure. If not, back to the doc. I really don't want to do any surgery, especially this time of year with skiing coming up! Having these mystery injuries is really annoying!

Sorry you're hurt, Sucks getting old.. arnica is my savior, ice and magnesium spray.. hope you feel better

 

[scott43]

Yesterday my son and I were moving one of those Lifetime folding picnic tables. It was folded and I was on one end using my right hand/arm to carry it. No problem. As we set it down my LEFT shoulder, the one doing absolutely NOTHING, suddenly felt like fire/knife/bullet. I ranked right up there with PT after shoulder surgery, of which I've had two. After the initial zap and near tears, it calmed a little bit. My buddy who is a physical therapist taped it for me to help hold the humerus head in the cuff. He believes that I probably have a small tear that allowed the joint to separate just enough to make a nerve angry.

I've been having little "pinches" for several months but nothing bad and very inconsistently. Thinking back, the only thing I can recall that may have done anything was a fall at Sun Valley last season. It wasn't bad and it didn't cause a "OH CRAP" moment in my shoulder. Other than that I have no idea what may have happened. I've stayed upright on my bike this year; I even rode the day before on some chunky rocky stuff with no issues. Or was there?

I'm hoping a few days of rest on the shoulder which requires precise placement of the arm to avoid OWW! will be sufficient to get to where PT will be the cure. If not, back to the doc. I really don't want to do any surgery, especially this time of year with skiing coming up! Having these mystery injuries is really annoying!

So this is basically my hip injury, for life. Possibly labral tear with possible impingement and nerve pain. Fortunately the shoulder surgery is far more successful than the hip surgery so if it fits become unbearable you have options. I hope it gets sorted. Best of luck.

 

[cantunamunch]

Shoulders are beasts.

*tapes up electrostim pads and cues up next Indian club video, hoping against hope that the stupid jeep road incident will go away already *

 

[Jenny]

If it makes you feel any better I hurt myself sitting in a chair for three hours yesterday. Went to get up and realized that the left lower quadrant of my back/hip area was now crippled.

I was doing good works, too - voter registration/education. Not fair!

 

[Philpug]

#whatdidRosssay?

 

[fatbob]

Getting older sucks but it beats the alternative.

 

[Paul Lutes]

Andy -
Could be worse: cervical vertebrae instability ....

Or did you have any peripheral neuropathy (pain/tingling) in your arm/hand?!?

Shoulders are no fun, said the side sleeper.

 

[Andy Mink]

Andy -
Could be worse: cervical vertebrae instability ....

Or did you have any peripheral neuropathy (pain/tingling) in your arm/hand?!?

Shoulders are no fun, said the side sleeper.

My hand seems to fall asleep a lot at night. A couple of shake and it comes back. I also get numb fingers while riding long bumpy downhill lines but I figured that's from impingement on my hands. Good times!

 

[Chuck danache]

My hand seems to fall asleep a lot at night. A couple of shake and it comes back. I also get numb fingers while riding long bumpy downhill lines but I figured that's from impingement on my hands. Good times!

All fingers or the smaller three. Pinching the ulnar nerve if the latter.

 

[tomahawkins]

Speaking of shoulders, anyone go through a frozen shoulder, aka adhesive capsulitis?

 

[bbinder]

Sorry to hear about this Andy. Most of my injuries occur when I am doing nothing. Sometimes I think that doing nothing is one of the most dangerous activities that I engage in. I do keep pushing the envelope, however, by doing nothing as much as I can.

 

[crgildart]

My back's been sketchy since I kinda wrecked it at age 17. Add in some other similar injuries over the years. But, it was after about age 45 that simply bending over to buckle my boots or stepping off a curb awkwardly can send it in to spasms that take weeks to clear up. I now keep a USB powered heating pad in my going to office work bag. Getting old does, indeed suck.

 

[Paul Lutes]

Speaking of shoulders, anyone go through a frozen shoulder, aka adhesive capsulitis?

Yes; took forever (10 months??) to return to normal. Lots of heat and moderate stretching. Tried a cortisone shot about a month in, immediate relief but only lasted for 2 days, just as bad as be fore the shot. No subsequent issues, however, so just be (really) patient.

 

[Bad Bob]

@Andy Mink , sounds a lot like another case of OFMP that most of us seem to suffer from.
Heal fast, if you can't do that adapt. Winter is coming!

Oh yeah; Old Fart's Mystery Pain.

 

[Andy Mink]

Well, knock on wood, whatever caused the angry nerve seems to have mostly resolved itself. A good tape job, vitamin I, and lots of rest have pretty much cleared up the pain and full ROM is back. There are still a few twinges so I'll be taking it easy for another day or two. Crazy.

 

[mdf]

It's never actually turned into anything, but I have always had a weird thing with my shoulders where reaching as far as I can at certain angles with an UNLOADED shoulder feels like something very bad is about to happen. (A little pain, a large sense of instability.) So far, immediately pulling back and trying to relax has resolved it. No issues when actually pushing or pulling.

 

[tomahawkins]

Yes; took forever (10 months??) to return to normal. Lots of heat and moderate stretching. Tried a cortisone shot about a month in, immediate relief but only lasted for 2 days, just as bad as be fore the shot. No subsequent issues, however, so just be (really) patient.

Mine was about a year and a half. Couldn't do much with my arm in that time. Super painful if I moved it wrong, especially at night. My issue was it went misdiagnosed as bursitis and I kept it immobilized for too long making it worse. Once diagnosed it took a lot of traction (hanging from monkey bars), heat, and patience.

Suggestion: If you tweak your shoulder, but then feel it get progressively worse with greater limitations to range of motion, ask your doc about frozen shoulder.

 

[Ogg]

Speaking of shoulders, anyone go through a frozen shoulder, aka adhesive capsulitis?

My wife had it really bad but managed to mostly free it up herself one morning doing her PT exercises. She heard a rip and it knocked the wind out of her for a few seconds. She realized what she had done when she got in the shower and was able to wash her hair with both hands again. Next time she saw her regular doctor she was asked when she had the surgery. The Dr. was shocked that she did it herself.
Both of my shoulders are pretty screwed up from doing construction. I'm pretty sure both of my rotators are a bit torn. The muscles around the right have been built up to compensate so that one doesn't bother me unless I've been humping plywood or sheetrock. The left has an obvious kink in the range of motion and hurts a little most of the time. If I sleep on it , I'm going to have a bad day.

 

[Tony S]

Yesterday my son and I were moving one of those Lifetime folding picnic tables.

Something.

Anyway, lots of sympathy. You can see that from the numerous "me too" responses.