I dislocated my shoulder for the first time, luckily surgery isn´t needed. Is there anyone who dislocated his shoulder too and continued playing? how does your shoulder feel? I´m scared I won´t be able to keep playing without hurting my shoulder every game. Is there anything I can do ( after the rehab) to prevent and strengthen my shoulder?? Thanks
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shoulder injury
- Thread starter manuel
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yeah i dislocated my shoulder . separated the ac from the rotator cuff by 9mm. one more mm and it wouldve required surgery. first you gotta wait till it heals and it can weight bare.
then do strengthening targeted exercises. i didnt go gym but i am a cheap skate. i used weights at home.
took me out for a whole season but i'm all good now.
you'll recover, just look after it and dont over stress it . its a slow heal but will heal completely
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Equally I played with a couple of guys whose shoulders kept dislocating and ruined their playing careers. Invest a little bit of cash and see a physio to get some advice specific for you. And make sure it's someone who understands there's a difference between everyday function and contact sport.
ALJ
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The advice above is absolutely spot on imho and I wish I'd been given the advice Mania is giving.
I dislocated my shoulder when I was 31 (having never suffered any shoulder problems in 25 years of playing), it never healed properly and although I played on for another couple of years, it kept happening and it basically ended my career.
I know it sounds obvious but also make sure it's fully recovered and properly strengthened before playing again. We all have that temptation to go back as early as possible but you just can't take that risk with a shoulder injury.
I don't know what position or how you play but the other thing I would say (and this is what I never learned to do) is when you're back playing and making tackles, initially at least, pick the aggressive ones you make a little more carefully than you might have done in the past - if you're not quite positioned properly, bring the player down without trying to level them.
Or to put it another way, don't steam into a tackle unless you're sure it's the right tackle to be doing so.
It can be difficult - I would manage to get it right for a while but every few games, I'd make the wrong choice and that was the shoulder screwed again.
A couple of years ago, after ten years of retirement and no shoulder issues in the interim, I played a charity game to see how the shoulder went (with the idea that I could turn out for the vets if all went well). My shoulder collapsed under the very first tackle I made and this time it took nearly 18 months to recover including physio (being old(er) sucks
).
The point being to reiterate the advice about recovery - don't mess about because if it becomes a weakness, you have a problem that could cause you to stop playing altogether.
Good luck.
I dislocated my shoulder when I was 31 (having never suffered any shoulder problems in 25 years of playing), it never healed properly and although I played on for another couple of years, it kept happening and it basically ended my career.
I know it sounds obvious but also make sure it's fully recovered and properly strengthened before playing again. We all have that temptation to go back as early as possible but you just can't take that risk with a shoulder injury.
I don't know what position or how you play but the other thing I would say (and this is what I never learned to do) is when you're back playing and making tackles, initially at least, pick the aggressive ones you make a little more carefully than you might have done in the past - if you're not quite positioned properly, bring the player down without trying to level them.
Or to put it another way, don't steam into a tackle unless you're sure it's the right tackle to be doing so.
It can be difficult - I would manage to get it right for a while but every few games, I'd make the wrong choice and that was the shoulder screwed again.
A couple of years ago, after ten years of retirement and no shoulder issues in the interim, I played a charity game to see how the shoulder went (with the idea that I could turn out for the vets if all went well). My shoulder collapsed under the very first tackle I made and this time it took nearly 18 months to recover including physio (being old(er) sucks
).The point being to reiterate the advice about recovery - don't mess about because if it becomes a weakness, you have a problem that could cause you to stop playing altogether.
Good luck.
I had myself a problem with dislocating shoulders outside the game.After i started playing it happened twice in one year,only once though leaving somewhat of a problem.I can say rugby in my case helped shoulder getting stronger connection.I was out with another injury from training and the problem of random dislocation,just by common movements remerged. Each individual is completely different in such cases,so dont be afraid to consult a doctor.Just keep in mind that some pain is inevitable and of course after your carreer is over,you might have some foible,imho thats part of the sport we love.
Have patience,time heals,if u rush your return things may get worse.
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Sorry, I must have missed this post back in May.
The advice above is fantastic; and what I'm about to give is fairly one-size-fits-all.
Give it time - it's going to take 18 months to approach full healing; but it will feel better ebfore then.
Initially, you'll need to give it a good 4-6 weeks before starting rehab; and when you do, I'd advice to be overseen by a pro.
Don't wear the sling TOO much; and feel free to use taping to support it instead; but if you do keep it too stationary for too long, you risk developing frozen shoulder as well. This bit is a tricky balancing act though, and I would very very strongly recomend professional tailored advice here.
# Rehab Phase 1 Is going to be isometric exercises; so bringing the arm forwards, backwards, outwards, inswards, rotate in and rotate out - but without changing the length of the muscle; so using a wall to stabilise against; nothing actually moves, you're just contracting the muscles.
Do those movements of the shoulder against a wall, with a folded towel to cushion between the wall and yourself. Start with about 10% of maximal effort; contract for 5 seconds, and repeat 10 times - remember that nothing actually moves. If the contraction hurts; or if it feels unstable, then back off on the amount of force. Over time, build that up to 90% of maximal force for 5 seconds, 10 Rep.s.
You can combine this phase with companion mobility (use a broom handle - the uninjured arm guides the injured arm through the movements - the injured arm just sits there and is moved - no pain, no instability.
You can include manual therapy (manipulation / mobilisation) away from the shoulder with this phase - so treating the neck, upper torso, low back and wrist. Taping can be useful for support and pain.
# Rehab Phase 2 Is going to be isotonic exercises; so using resistance bands. This means that the amount of resistance is (close snough to) the same, regardless of where in the range of motion you are (unlike free weights). You'll be doing the same movements as with Isotonics; but this time movement is happening, and it is about controlling that movement - smooth motions throughout, no jerking; and againdst the resistance of the band. More like 20 reps of each movement; and progress up through the level of resistance the bands are giving.
You can combine this phase with more active mobility, some light stretching, some massage, and the same companion exercises, but this time with the injured arm helping out with the movements, not just coming along for the ride. I'd also add wall angel exercises for mobility here.
You can bring more massage into this phase as well; continue with less frequent manual therapy towards the spine. Taping should be much reduced.
# Rehab Phase 3 Is going to be adding challenge - so free weight exercises, and starting to challenge the stability a little more. Those same movements as previously, but this time with free weights in your arm - again, you're looking for control of the movement, and maintaining stable, smooth motions. This time you'll need to really change your body positions more, as gravity will be a constant. Progress is in the form of weights - you'll want to do both low-weight, high-rep AND high-weight, low-rep with the free weights.
You can combine this phase with a more active stabilising challenge, such as using a gyro-ball; keep most of the movement towarsd the wrist/fingers though for now. Wall angels can become more stabilising now, concentrating on the muscles holding the scapula to the spine; rather than just going through the motions.
Massge is likely to become more brutal in this phase; and pretty much replace the rest of the manual therapy. You chouldn't need any taping anymore (unless it's become a psychological prop).
# Rehab Phase 4 Is going to be more active challenges - so more functional movements, catching, throwing (underarm, overarm, rugby pass), shoulder rolling etc - all with empty hand, normal balls, medicine balls and gyro-ball.
# Rehab Phase 5 Is going to be much more specific - more challenging passes, tackle bag training etc; Phase 6 normal training and eventually to playing.
If you want me to go into more detail on any of this, let me know.
The dodgy parts are the first few weeks when you need to balance mobility with immobility to let the tuissue recover; and the latter stages where you feel strong and mobile but aren't yet.
The advice above is fantastic; and what I'm about to give is fairly one-size-fits-all.
Give it time - it's going to take 18 months to approach full healing; but it will feel better ebfore then.
Initially, you'll need to give it a good 4-6 weeks before starting rehab; and when you do, I'd advice to be overseen by a pro.
Don't wear the sling TOO much; and feel free to use taping to support it instead; but if you do keep it too stationary for too long, you risk developing frozen shoulder as well. This bit is a tricky balancing act though, and I would very very strongly recomend professional tailored advice here.
# Rehab Phase 1 Is going to be isometric exercises; so bringing the arm forwards, backwards, outwards, inswards, rotate in and rotate out - but without changing the length of the muscle; so using a wall to stabilise against; nothing actually moves, you're just contracting the muscles.
Do those movements of the shoulder against a wall, with a folded towel to cushion between the wall and yourself. Start with about 10% of maximal effort; contract for 5 seconds, and repeat 10 times - remember that nothing actually moves. If the contraction hurts; or if it feels unstable, then back off on the amount of force. Over time, build that up to 90% of maximal force for 5 seconds, 10 Rep.s.
You can combine this phase with companion mobility (use a broom handle - the uninjured arm guides the injured arm through the movements - the injured arm just sits there and is moved - no pain, no instability.
You can include manual therapy (manipulation / mobilisation) away from the shoulder with this phase - so treating the neck, upper torso, low back and wrist. Taping can be useful for support and pain.
# Rehab Phase 2 Is going to be isotonic exercises; so using resistance bands. This means that the amount of resistance is (close snough to) the same, regardless of where in the range of motion you are (unlike free weights). You'll be doing the same movements as with Isotonics; but this time movement is happening, and it is about controlling that movement - smooth motions throughout, no jerking; and againdst the resistance of the band. More like 20 reps of each movement; and progress up through the level of resistance the bands are giving.
You can combine this phase with more active mobility, some light stretching, some massage, and the same companion exercises, but this time with the injured arm helping out with the movements, not just coming along for the ride. I'd also add wall angel exercises for mobility here.
You can bring more massage into this phase as well; continue with less frequent manual therapy towards the spine. Taping should be much reduced.
# Rehab Phase 3 Is going to be adding challenge - so free weight exercises, and starting to challenge the stability a little more. Those same movements as previously, but this time with free weights in your arm - again, you're looking for control of the movement, and maintaining stable, smooth motions. This time you'll need to really change your body positions more, as gravity will be a constant. Progress is in the form of weights - you'll want to do both low-weight, high-rep AND high-weight, low-rep with the free weights.
You can combine this phase with a more active stabilising challenge, such as using a gyro-ball; keep most of the movement towarsd the wrist/fingers though for now. Wall angels can become more stabilising now, concentrating on the muscles holding the scapula to the spine; rather than just going through the motions.
Massge is likely to become more brutal in this phase; and pretty much replace the rest of the manual therapy. You chouldn't need any taping anymore (unless it's become a psychological prop).
# Rehab Phase 4 Is going to be more active challenges - so more functional movements, catching, throwing (underarm, overarm, rugby pass), shoulder rolling etc - all with empty hand, normal balls, medicine balls and gyro-ball.
# Rehab Phase 5 Is going to be much more specific - more challenging passes, tackle bag training etc; Phase 6 normal training and eventually to playing.
If you want me to go into more detail on any of this, let me know.
The dodgy parts are the first few weeks when you need to balance mobility with immobility to let the tuissue recover; and the latter stages where you feel strong and mobile but aren't yet.
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