nadgered shoulder (medical advice content)

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nadgered shoulder (medical advice content)

24 posts & 18 voices | Started 5 months ago by kayak23 | Latest reply from cinnamon_girl

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kayak23 - Member

Rather than actually go and see a qualified medical professional, I thought I'd garner opinion here first.

About 2 months ago, during an uplift day at bringewood, I stacked on a steep and rooty section and went otb landing full force into my left shoulder. Winded myself and had a groan moment (you know the sort) after the crash.
Collected myself up and rode to the bottom and called it a day from there.

The pain got quite bad after that, putting the bikes in the car was very painful and my gf had to drive home. Went to A&E when home as we suspected a broken collar bone but following x-rays I was told nothing was broken so went home to rest and go about my life.
Could they have missed something? I broke my leg a few years ago and didn't even get an xray but was told to try and walk on it...(a week of intense pain took me back)

I had a lump come up on the top of my shoulder immediately after the crash in the collarbone area and was in a lot of pain with quite restricted movement for a week or so.

so, it's been over two months, i do not have so much background pain present but get twinges every now and the during certain movements, but I still have this sticky-out-bit coming from my shoulder and I can still not lay on my left side in bed, movement is not 100%.

I'm 38 now so reluctantly have to accept that healing is starting to take longer, but should I suspect they've missed something?

Am I normal?

Posted 5 months ago #
Andy R - Member

AC joint separation.

Posted 5 months ago #
hugor - Member

probably the above but you need to see a surgeon

Posted 5 months ago #
kayak23 - Member

Thanks, that really does sound like the most likely after reading that.

WARNING - If this injury is neglected and allowed to heal out of place this could increase the wear and tear on your joint causing you problems in the future

Hmmm, best get off to a real doctor then I suppose. Is this not something they should have spotted right away in A&E?
I know they get busy, but actually they weren't on this occasion.

Posted 5 months ago #
hora - Member

Firstly are you still riding? If so I'd lay off anything technical for a while.

Two things - I came off (no idea how to this day) onto a rocky trail and caused a rotor cuff injury -still getting round that.

Another was a wierd old one- some cartledge stuck out of my shoulder, painful and wierd and only a Osteopath basically jumping on my back managed to finally get it back in again properly. Sore for a few days but its not popped out since.

Get it seen to. Don't do the man with old war wounds silliness.

Posted 5 months ago #
mistermouse - Member

Could be a separation . When my brother had his shoulder X-rayed after a prang he was told nothing was wrong until he asked about the large gap between the bones and then they decided something was wrong.

Posted 5 months ago #
ianv - Member

I have exactly the same. I thought I had rebroken my collarbone but the physio said no and reckons it is just soft tissue damage. I doubt you will get any milage from seeing a surgeon yet. It might be a damaged bursa but it dosnt sound like anything major. I was told to treat it with hot and cold to try and get the inflammation down and to take anti inflamatories and if the problem persists then think about asking for a cortisone.

You will probably find that you can ride ok on it even though the lateral movements and sleeping on it hurt. It's just one of those evil injuries that take ages to heal unfortunately.

Posted 5 months ago #
kayak23 - Member

I was told to treat it with hot and cold to try and get the inflammation down and to take anti inflamatories and if the problem persists then think about asking for a cortisone.

The prominent lump in my shoulder doesnt seem to have any 'give' so I'm not so sure its inflammation. The dramatic side of me likes to think its a misplaced bone-end or something.

Posted 5 months ago #
_tom_ - Member

What you've done sounds just like what I did last August. Went to A&E and my GP and they said its just soft tissue damage and would heal in a few months.. Its only really in the past month or so I've noticed a big improvement in the range of movement and pain, I've been doing stretches from the physio since January. Also had that lump on my shoulder for ages, does feel like bone! I never got an x-ray (hospital said it's not worth it) so not sure what it is exactly.

Posted 5 months ago #
hora - Member

Can you show us on an internet pic whereabouts it is? My cartledge was near the shoulder blade at the back.

Posted 5 months ago #
mrh86 - Member

if it is an ac joint separation, that lump will be the end of your clavicle

Posted 5 months ago #
Neil S - Member

You've got a separated AC joint I'd say.

I did the same 6 years ago.

A&E took the same stance with me, I went to my GP and got a referral to a consultant.

I didn't have surgery as the recovery is supposed to suck so I'm soldiering on with a lumpy shoulder.

It's a bit unstable sometimes and aches occasionally, but touch wood it never gives me any real pain.

Posted 5 months ago #
Andy R - Member

As above, but because I'm really hard, I'm soldiering on with two lumpy shoulders, both caused in the same crash about three years ago.

Both only grade 2/3 so not too bad but although I was back riding inside a couple of weeks it's only in the last year that I've stopped noticing any aches and twinges.
It was bloody painful at the time though - the left hit a big tree (hard) and then I ended up landing on the right side. Luckily I was on my own, so nobody to hear me cursing and crying.......

Posted 5 months ago #
_tom_ - Member

Can you show us on an internet pic whereabouts it is?

Cant speak for kayak but this is where mine is and has been for ages (mines just a bit less pronounced). Is it even worth bothing going back to the docs? As they checked me over and said it was nothing to worry about, but I thought AC things were more serious than just soft tissue damage.. Still aches to lift things above my head and put guitars on their walls on the hangers, and sometimes get shooting "electric shock" type pains through that shoulder.

Posted 5 months ago #
kayak23 - Member

The picture above looks about right, but the gentleman in the photo is perhaps a little more...ahem...defined than I.
But yes, that positioning looks about right.

Posted 5 months ago #
hs125 - Member

I did the same thing this summer and have a lump just like the picture above, where the clavicle has not gone back flush onto the shoulder blade. I landed with my full body weight on the right shoulder on just a small drop.
A visit to A&E later that day meant a long wait as it's not exactly life threatening, but I was then X rayed from all angles to prove no broken bones as my shouler and arm were very swollen. I was then diagnosed as having seperated the AC joint, given pain killers and a sling and referred to a physio.
After a few days in a sling the Physio said it was best to move the shoulder as much as possible to stretch and then strengthen it.
After about 3 weeks I was back on a bike, but very gentle rides on road. It took about 6 weeks before I could lie on that side or do a gentle off road route.
Despite having had a good few months to heal, I still feel the odd twinge every now and then, and I'm very weary of coming off again and ripping the same joint again.
I was interested in the link saying you could get future problems if the joint does not go fully back together. I was just told the lump would probably never go, and have since met a number of people who have done the same, and have the same small lump.
My advice to the OP is get your GP to refer you to a Physio.

Posted 5 months ago #
birky - Member

Did this too about 10 years ago. Just thought I'd given myself a hard knock so didn't go to the hosp or doc and tbh didn't notice the lump till much later. It's never given me any trouble since.

Posted 5 months ago #
Tracey - Member

Did mine 4 years ago at Wharncliffe. Its got worse over this time and the end of the bone is wearing away. Hospital have now decided to reconstruct it just waiting for a date then 6 weeks in a sling

Posted 5 months ago #
vondally - Member

GO TO A DOCTOR................or /and osteopath.........worse case scenario wear and tear leading to surgery, just goto the docs still free

Posted 5 months ago #
crazybaboon - Member

hora, hows the rotator cuff injury coming along?
I'm waiting for a op to repair my rotator cuff after getting knocked off and breaking my humerus nearly 3 months ago, unfortunately the rotator cuff tear wasn't spotted at first.

Posted 5 months ago #
jedi - Member

cut it off, put it into a rocket into space and nuke it, it's the only way to be sure

Posted 5 months ago #
MikeWW - Member

Did something similar 18 months ago but a bit more severe. Couldn't move my arm at all-had surgery inside 2 weeks but took a year to heal
Reckon yours is a minor (grade 2/3 ACJ)
Likely to get some physio and you should be fine within 3 months
They do not tend to operate until you are in grade 4/5 territory

Posted 5 months ago #
Janesy - Member

I did this 4 years ago, type 2 AC seperation. Tore 2.5 out of 3 ligaments. My left shoulder looks just like that photo. Doctor put arm in sling for 4 weeks.

Not alot doctors can do for type 2/3 as said before.

Posted 5 months ago #
cinnamon_girl - Member

Another one with AC joint separation! No memory of accident on road bike and was taken by ambulance to hospital so had xrays done. Bloomin' painful it was too and will have an MRI scan in a few weeks.

Will need an op with metalwork but am concerned about my collarbone which was broken around 10 years ago and always hurts.

Posted 5 months ago #