Had a small crash at the FoD mini enduro the other week which resulted in a very sore shoulder the next day – to the point where I could hardly move my arm forwards or to the side. It’s been a few weeks now and although most of the movement has returned there are still some points in moving my arms which result in sharp pain.

Is it worth going to the GP? Is there anything they can really do, or is it just a case of waiting for it to heal? I’m pushing 38 now, so injuries take much longer to recover from, but I would have expected this to have almost healed by now 🙁

Go see a physio as first port of call. Generally the GP’s are not that great at diagnosing these injuries. Mine went on for ages, and all they gave me were steroid injections, which were very painful.

Physio in the end wrote a letter confirming I needed surgery.

The physio can give you a list of movements and work outs you can try to strengthen the area, usually using a variety of large rubber bands.

If you do not feel confident with it riding, try one of these; http://www.jensonusa.com/EVS-Sports-SB03-Shoulder-Brace

I’d go to a physio rather than the GP.

Soft tissue injuries can take months to sort themselves out.

I had a rotator cuff tear last year and it started to heal over the course of about 6 weeks (good movement but not strength). I then started to lose movement and get pain moving in certain directions.

After about 3 months I had very restricted movement and absolutely excruciating pain (going whey faced and having a sit down) if I knocked it at all. Turned out I’d developed a frozen shoulder. This was fixed with manipulation under a general anesthetic and cortisone injections into the joint.

It’s nearly a year from the original injury – I have most movement back now and probably about 80% strength.

Bottom line: give it time, do stretching and strengthening work under supervision, don’t overdo it and keep an eye out for secondary problems.

Tore my rotator cuff last summer. Bypassed the GP and wen’t to the NHS walk in centre, had my shoulder checked an x-rayed, confirmed that nothing was broken.

Referred to the shoulder specialist, who in turn sent me to the physio and for an MRI scan. Physio was good and made progress and the MRI scan revealed that I’d both torn and pulled a piece of bone of the top of the humerus (where the supraspinatus attaches).

10 months later and am almost back to normal. If I go to somewhere like Revolution bike park or Antur Stiniog, then it aches a bit the next day.

Would strongly recommend getting it sorted properly.

Mine is about 3.5 months in now and still not 100%.

I’d guess about 90% now which isn’t bad.

Do a search on this forum, there’s some good stuff on rotator cuff injury, not much that’ll cheer you up though. I’d definitely get it looked at and don’t do anything to aggravate it in the meantime.

I injured mine quite a while back and let it try and fix itself, it took a couple of years and still isn’t quite right.

Put a small tear in my supraspinatus which was painful and led to a massive amount of weakness. Consultatant didn’t want to operate to decompress the joint. So passed from physio to consultant and back for 12 months before I got bored fine now, bit of pain after a long/harsh ride. But it’s taken 15months.

I’ve used mega cissus in the past which has helped greatly. I bought it in bulk and added it to my daily protein shakes.

Here’s a quick google search: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mega+cissus&rlz=1C1ASUM_enGB635GB635&oq=mega+cissus&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3208j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Just to echo the other sentiments –

go to a physio.

If youre in the Northumberland area I can recommend a really good one.

I had a very minor off resulting in a sore shoulder that wasnt getting any better. I left it thinking it wuold, then eventually went to a physio. I was diagnosed on the first session, rubbed and manipulated to ease the symptoms and given a set of exercises to do.

Im far from 100%, and even though its been over 6 months, the morning after a big day on the bike can be rather uncomfortable.

Lugz

This was discussed at length a while back

HERE

Lots of us have had the same injury, so you’ve got plenty of peoples experiences on there. If its any cosolation, I’ve had no lasting effects from doing mine. Healed 100%. And I’m an old codger compared to you, you young whippersnapper 😉

I damaged mine a few months ago. Fell heals over head down the stairs, put arm out and rotated it over my head further than it happily goes. Pain peaked over the 4 days after I did it and then started to settle down. Very restricted movement though, felt like what you’re describing OP. It was only about 4 weeks though until I was happy enough on the bike to ride what I normally would and about 8 weeks before I would say I was 100% back to normal. Mine does now feel like a cement mixer when I rotate it though.

For an exercise, you can use an old inner tube. Cut, then place one part under your foot, then grab with the hand of the bad shoulder, then raise slowly from your side to the horizontal. Will work the muscles you need.

June last year I had a SLAP tear/rotator. I was fast tracked to the Gold standard surgery service after MRI/etc. I said stop. I need to think as it was pretty drastic stuff proposed and your not guaranteed you’ll be better than before.
So they discharged me to the normal NHS.

This week I did 10pressups. My first since June.

I’ve continued to ride but had to adapt my riding style and I even did a 2week solid physical course too so it wasn’t ‘bad’ just very uncomfortable alot.

Good luck OP.

My advice based on my experience of this exact injury is go to the hospital, I went to docs three months after injuring it and self diagnosing a rotator cuff tear….that was June last year…..had antiinfoamatories (pointless) no X Ray no MRI…no movement behind my back and still a lurching shoulder and pain and feeling of gristle tearing.
Fast forward to an MRI in March as I had to be referred back to specialist because physio wasn’t happy.
Turns out I’ve snapped the rotator tendon at the back, the big one at the front is torn three quarters of the way across and in danger of snapping completely too, the end of my collar bones in more than one piece as is the small shield of bone that the tendons pass beneath…….its proper knackered and I’m on the list for a rebuild………and my GP is an ex orthopaedic surgeon 😯
Not a happy bunny!!

The thread Binners links to helped me – I knackered both shoulders within a fortnight of each other. You need different exercises / stretches depending what damage you’ve done. It can seem like it’s never going to heal, and seem that way for some time, and still get back to 100%.