Mystery injury, or, how I hurt myself doing nothing

[Andy Mink]

Something.

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

But it wan't with the arm that twinged! That arm was just...hanging there, doing nothing!

 

[Andy Mink]

She heard a rip and it knocked the wind out of her for a few seconds.

After my first rotator cuff surgery I had gone several months and was doing PT but getting back into "normal". I was throwing a football very gingerly when I felt/heard what you describe. A big "OH SH*%!" and hold the arm still, then start to assess. No pain, more range of motion. It must have torn some scar tissue loose. But, yeah, when it first happens it's an ALL STOP moment!

 

[Tony S]

That arm was just...hanging there, doing nothing!

Apparently you are mistaken.

 

[David Chaus]

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

Yup. Had issues for at least 20 years. Made it impossible to throw a baseball, swim with a normal crawl stroke (backstroke was fine), etc.

After doing PT for a MCL injury last year, I had some lingering shoulder pain and went back to the PT after Xrays indicated calcific tendinitis in my right shoulder, on top of adhesive capsulitis in both shoulders. The PT I went through on both shoulders actually helped a lot and for the most part I don't have the degree of impingement that I did before. All almost no pain now.

 

[cantunamunch]

Apparently you are mistaken.

Schrödinger's shoulder. Of course that's also the one the appropriate cat sleeps on.

 

[Jenny]

After my first rotator cuff surgery I had gone several months and was doing PT but getting back into "normal". I was throwing a football very gingerly when I felt/heard what you describe. A big "OH SH*%!" and hold the arm still, then start to assess. No pain, more range of motion. It must have torn some scar tissue loose. But, yeah, when it first happens it's an ALL STOP moment!

I was stretching my husband's shoulder after surgery when there was a loud clunk and then his arm hit the floor. All four of our eyes got really big, while he evaluated, then announced that it felt better. He didn’t have pain with it, though. Scared us both bad!

 

[Fuller]

I've been nursing a chronically sore shoulder ever since that snowboarder ran me over at Jay Peak 15 years ago. It took a while to get better then I started swimming every day which was OK at first but eventually it wore me out. I'm out of the water now due to other reasons but I started doing a lot of body weight calisthenics this summer including pull ups. My YMCA has a machine that will offset some of your body weight (cheating) but I've been working my way to full body weight and my shoulders feel way better. I'm much stronger now and have better range of motion and no pain. Start slow and ease into it.

 

[Jenny]

I have to do voter stuff again tomorrow and while I’m not incapacitated anymore, my hip is still sore. Remembering to take my lumbar pillow and to stand up occasionally had better help!

 

[Jim McDonald]

I had frozen shoulder about 15 years ago. For months I could only sleep by wrapping my arm around a cylindrical pillow. Fixed it finally with two weeks of gradually turning up the hot water on it after a shower until the whole area was glowing red, then slowly raising and extending a couple of dozen times.
My wife got it maybe 10-11 years ago, and was bothered for a couple of weeks until we went skiing and she fell on it. Screamed in pain for a second and said she felt something rip. We skied gingerly down to the cafe and went in, after about 10 minutes: "Oh, it feels better, much looser. I can move it."
Personally, I think my cure is worth trying before you go to the "rip it free" method.

@Andy Mink Best wishes for a fast recovery (from whatever it is).

 

[Andy Mink]

I had frozen shoulder about 15 years ago. For months I could only sleep by wrapping my arm around a cylindrical pillow. Fixed it finally with two weeks of gradually turning up the hot water on it after a shower until the whole area was glowing red, then slowly raising and extending a couple of dozen times.
My wife got it maybe 10-11 years ago, and was bothered for a couple of weeks until we went skiing and she fell on it. Screamed in pain for a second and said she felt something rip. We skied gingerly down to the cafe and went in, after about 10 minutes: "Oh, it feels better, much looser. I can move it."
Personally, I think my cure is worth trying before you go to the "rip it free" method.

@Andy Mink Best wishes for a fast recovery (from whatever it is).

Whatever it was cleared up in a few days. A little residual twinge but not bad.

 

[cantunamunch]

In other news my shoulder regimen is losing one leg of the tripod - my MMT is moving house and closing her clinic location.

Ooof.

 

[Lorenzzo]

When I hear about shoulder injuries occurring seemingly without direct cause I wonder about muscle imbalance. Stretches and isolating the relatively weak back of the shoulder can really help and even resolve. You might consider revisiting or even changing physical therapists.

 

[doc]

OK; I'll play. Had L4, L5 and S1 (I think) lumbar decompression surgery plus a fusion on Wed. of this week.
Friday I woke up with a very painful and swollen left knee which accepts no weight-bearing which compromises the recovery from the back surgery. Feels and looks distinctly like the torn patellar tendon I had years ago in my right knee, but obviously unsure how that happens during bedrest. Waiting on an orthpedic specialist to take a look. In any event my target April 1 return date to skiing looks to be at risk.,

 

[Jenny]

OK; I'll play. Had L4, L5 and S1 (I think) lumbar decompression surgery plus a fusion on Wed. of this week.
Friday I woke up with a very painful and swollen left knee which accepts no weight-bearing which compromises the recovery from the back surgery. Feels and looks distinctly like the torn patellar tendon I had years ago in my right knee, but obviously unsure how that happens during bedrest. Waiting on an orthpedic specialist to take a look. In any event my target April 1 return date to skiing looks to be at risk.,

Gonna make them doubt whether you were really resting? Bummer that it's going to hurt the healing process for the back, too.

 

[Jerez]

That is a very big surgery. Hope you have a ful recovery.

 

[Jerez]

I had frozen shoulder about 15 years ago. For months I could only sleep by wrapping my arm around a cylindrical pillow. Fixed it finally with two weeks of gradually turning up the hot water on it after a shower until the whole area was glowing red, then slowly raising and extending a couple of dozen times.
My wife got it maybe 10-11 years ago, and was bothered for a couple of weeks until we went skiing and she fell on it. Screamed in pain for a second and said she felt something rip. We skied gingerly down to the cafe and went in, after about 10 minutes: "Oh, it feels better, much looser. I can move it."
Personally, I think my cure is worth trying before you go to the "rip it free" method.

@Andy Mink Best wishes for a fast recovery (from whatever it is).

Oof. I had one of those.. a year of PT and they finally put me under a general anesthesia and manually ripped it like what your wife did by accident. The doc said that it took two strapping orderliness to hold me down before he could get the thing to move.

 

[dan ross]

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

Interesting. Just prior to my 7 hour cervical laminoscopy 3 years ago, I suddenly developed “ trigger finger” - essentially the locking of the fingers , usually when trying to release your grip. Initially the problem went away after surgery the problem went away as quickly as it appeared but it came back about a year ago along with hand pain and tingling. What I have realized is there must be a connection between the hands and neck - when I sleep with a lower neck angle ( thin pillow) the problem goes away. I’m still chasing the cause/remedy with my Neurosurgeon but I’d try the thin or no pillow approach to see if that helps.
Yes, getting old sucks - I ran like a top until almost 50 despite years of moguls, road running , soccer, tennis and running hurdles in high school. I could easily touch my hand held over my head with my toes until about 3 years ago. Now, with screws in 5 cervical vertebrae and both hips replaced ( recovering from #2 presently) I’m no longer OEM but thankful I live in an era when this can ( mostly ) be “ fixed”.