missing too many wavez - shoulder strain

shaheeb

OTF status
Feb 24, 2013
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Ever understimate the power of the ocean?
I recently got humbled trying to exit the water when a small rush of water flushed over the reef where i was trying to exit. The slippery 15ft dash was just too far as the day of the winter was on. Jan 16th was pumping!!, but i've paid a pretty price. basically strained my shoulder (rotator cuff area i was told- 1st time shlder injury) The healing process has in my mind been to take it easy, no moto, no mtb, definetly, no surfing, do light work, i cant do workouts or excercises in spandex :eek:, I'd rather build trails or dig jumps or somthing like that.
The Doc suggested I'd be out two weeks, 2nd week still didnt feel that good, so went to get a shot of ozone in the shoulder cavity hoping for speedy healing. 3wks so far to the day now and I decided to try and paddle and maybe surf, you know, day at the beach, tag team with the wife, we take turns watching the kids - didnt want to miss my turn so off i went. thankfully it was only waist high and overcrowded with about 15 3rd graders. long story short, the shoulders talking to me when reaching for the next paddle, doesnt hurt on the pull of the stroke- just the placement of a stroke as you lift your arm up and out after finishing one if that makes any sense. Its nice and sensitive semi sharp pain

I'm curious what the surf docs think is the norm for a middle aged wanker on shoulder healing ? def not ready after 3 weeks. maybe feeling 70/75% light cycling is no problem but surf season is now. hhaha. soo lucky the waves were sh!t for about 2 weeks in.

only 3 wks but getting impatient and starting to lose it, need to get focused again.

cheers
 

GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
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West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
Mine started with a swing of a golf club with no warm up. Felt like I'd been stabbed. At its worst I couldn't push myself up with my left arm to pop up. Like you, the pull stroke paddling was no problem but the return stroke hurt like hell. Basically any movement reaching with my left arm felt like an ice pick was getting shoved into my shoulder.

I had a combination of an inflamed injury combined with a posture issue that helped keep the injury inflamed.

I suffered for well over a year before I found something that got me on a path to recovery and then a good six months to get strong and pain free. The solution for me was hanging from a pull up bar several times a day, swinging heavy dumbbells palms foreword, and leaning into a doorway with my elbows at shoulder height to stretch the chest muscles.

Look up impingement.. Had I found the stretches I listed above three weeks after the original injury I probably could have saved two years of pain and struggling to surf. Good luck.

 

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,122
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Ever understimate the power of the ocean?
I recently got humbled trying to exit the water when a small rush of water flushed over the reef where i was trying to exit. The slippery 15ft dash was just too far as the day of the winter was on. Jan 16th was pumping!!, but i've paid a pretty price. basically strained my shoulder (rotator cuff area i was told- 1st time shlder injury) The healing process has in my mind been to take it easy, no moto, no mtb, definetly, no surfing, do light work, i cant do workouts or excercises in spandex :eek:, I'd rather build trails or dig jumps or somthing like that.
The Doc suggested I'd be out two weeks, 2nd week still didnt feel that good, so went to get a shot of ozone in the shoulder cavity hoping for speedy healing. 3wks so far to the day now and I decided to try and paddle and maybe surf, you know, day at the beach, tag team with the wife, we take turns watching the kids - didnt want to miss my turn so off i went. thankfully it was only waist high and overcrowded with about 15 3rd graders. long story short, the shoulders talking to me when reaching for the next paddle, doesnt hurt on the pull of the stroke- just the placement of a stroke as you lift your arm up and out after finishing one if that makes any sense. Its nice and sensitive semi sharp pain

I'm curious what the surf docs think is the norm for a middle aged wanker on shoulder healing ? def not ready after 3 weeks. maybe feeling 70/75% light cycling is no problem but surf season is now. hhaha. soo lucky the waves were sh!t for about 2 weeks in.

only 3 wks but getting impatient and starting to lose it, need to get focused again.

cheers

My 2 cents- I assume when you say you got a shot of "ozone" you meant cortisone? I think I would always use that as a last resort. It stops the pain but does not address the underlying issue and even slows down the healing process.

Also, I know how hard it is to miss the surf. I just missed the best part of the winter because of a lacerated finger. But my healing process was prolonged when I prematurely tried to exercise and reopened the wound. I don't think you can rush the healing process.

 

shaheeb

OTF status
Feb 24, 2013
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Patience looks like the key right now, along with being careful. would rather wait a month or so now vs a year or two due to impatience....

Actually it is 'ozone' it is supposed to speed recovery by using the extra o2 molecules from the ozone. seems like need 2 treatments. about 100$ each shot 15cc worth
 
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shaheeb

OTF status
Feb 24, 2013
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Interestingly the Doktur didnt see the need, range of motion was really good all around without too much pain.
 

SurfDoc

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Dec 19, 2002
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Shoulders are complex and tough to determine exact source of problems sometimes. I'd say rest 2 to 3 weeks, range of motion "exercises", and if pain persists give it a good 6 weeks. If the shoulder starts freezing up get to the shoulder specialist.
 
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