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Just wondered if anyone on here has had surgery to repair a 'SLAP lesion', and if so, how long did it take you to recover?
I managed to fracture my humerus and tear my labrum and biceps tendon about 9 weeks ago. Luckily covered by my wifes employers private health scheme, so have had MRI, assessment by surgeon and loads of physio.
According to the surgeon, the tear is comparatively mild, and he said that if I can get back to full function by early January, he won't operate. Fracture was non-displaced and healing well, and the physio is really pleased with my progress with range of movement & strength - but there are one or two specific things that aren't improving, so from what the physio has said, it's looking likely that I'll have to have arthroscopy to repair the labrum. Both the physio and surgeon said they expect that my recovery will be at the quicker end of the spectrum - but I don't know if they're just saying this to cheer me up:)
So, if anyone can give me an idea of their recovery times, that'd be much appreciated (er...or maybe not if we're looking at 6+ months;) )
Oh, FWIW I had my first off-road rides in 9 weeks last weekend (Dalby green & blue....stop s****ing!) and got on really well - only thing that felt a bit 'oo-er' was when trying to lean the bike over on flat corners.
er...anyone?
Nobody will give you an answer because nobody knows - not even the surgeon or the physio.
Nobody will give you an answer because nobody knows - not even the surgeon or the physio.
Ha ha, aren't internet forums great!
I do realise that recovery times are going to vary, but just trying to get some idea of the range.
Mate of mine had the muscles re-attached,4 of them screwed back into place,that was in July,he won't ride Untill May next year,doesn't even know iff he'll be able to work to full capacity again,he is a joiner,after care has a lot to do with these ailments.
Could be anything from 6 weeks to 6 months to be honest. It all depends on the extent of the damage, how they repair goes and your medical state.
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00627
I had both shoulders dislocated in a freak accident. One need a bone graft on the humerus under pinned with screws. 9 months later I struggled to complete one length of a 25meter swimming pool.6 months after that I managed 3kilometers at open water venue with an impressive time.
Listen to your physio.
Do your exercises.
Nobody will give you an answer because nobody knows
Most inaccurate forum post of the day goes to wanmankylung! 😉
Out of interest WML - is the lung issue related to smoking?
Most innacurate post of the day goes to gofasterstripes more like. I've seen many SLAP lesion repairs and very few stick to the predicted timescale.
The lung issue was related to a dose of pneumonia I had earlier this year. Never smoked never will.
Haha, sorry dude, my meaning wasn't clear - I mean this is an internet forum, people write stuff they know nothing about* all day every day 🙂
This is a more serious case, maybe I shouldn't have cracked a joke about it!
Friends again?
*Case in point, I know nothing about the subject at all, though I wasn't actually writing about it, I opened the thread as good friend has an issue with a shoulder that keeps dislocating. He had it repaired, but for the first time in a couple of years he did it again recently.
I know, I was just hoping for a bite. 😀
I'm know Orthopaedic consultant or physio. But can safely say everyone's different recovery wise. Two of my patients both had total hip replacements. One was 85 year old another late 50's. The older patient was out of hospital within 4 days, transferring short distances the day after.
The younger one took a week to get from bed to chair and spent three weeks in hospital.
Everyone recovers differently.
Got the very same Op in Jan. Have been told the following by various physio and surgeon's with the obvious caveat of "everyone's different":
6 weeks in a sling, no driving.
Further 6 weeks to complete healing.
Physio for as long as it takes from as soon as you can.
When asked how long until I climb again he pulled a plumber's face and said 6 months.
I've had a lot of pre-hab to try speed things up and trying to live a little "cleaner" as I tend to pile weight on. I'd like to be back at work in 3 months (Fire Fighter, a colleague with the same injury achieved this) I'll probably have a year off climbing and get proper cardio fit. Want to swim a lot and may even try a triathlon. I'd like to be back on my annual Font bouldering trip in Easter 2016.
HTH
Cheers for the feedback fellas. Good to hear about the full recovery for swimming, as I'd miss not being able to swim properly.
climbingkev, that's really useful info, thanks - sounds like we're in the same boat. I'm self employed, so keen to find out how long I'm going to be 'earnings free' for! The physio mentioned the 6 weeks in a sling/no driving, and I was a bit stunned TBH. Exactly the same as you with the pre-hab (have never been so thorough with physio's exercises as I am now!), and I've also had to adjust my food intake and upping the amount of CV that I can do to try and keep cardio fit.
Hope your Op goes well, and all the best with training for the Tri - and Font (Good to have something to look forward to! (well, that's what I told the wife when I provisionally booked our trip to the Italian Alps in Sept 😀 )
Two of my patients both had total hip replacements. One was 85 year old another late 50's. The older patient was out of hospital within 4 days, transferring short distances the day after.
The younger one took a week to get from bed to chair and spent three weeks in hospital.
Ours are usually out of bed and walking on day one, stairs on day two, home on day three. But aye, the younger patients do tend to take longer because they can be a bit precious and they're frankly a bit soft.
Good luck mate! This site, and case in particular, is worth a read:
http://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk/article.asp?article=198§ion=199
I've read up a fair bit and the golden rule seems to be keep off the bicep but try to maintain range of movement.... It's a bit of a balancing act!
Just to drag this one from the embers I had my SLAP repair done Monday.
I can safely say that it is currently in a lot of pain, but it was when I tore it in the first place, and it got better.
Anyway, here's a still from camera that was inside my shoulder.
[img] 
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and also some of the bits taken from my collarbone that were floating about courtesy of the initial crash
[img] 
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Sorry if you are just sitting down to tea.
I've been told 6 weeks in sling and go from there.
Also had a SLAP repair on Monday, it seems all the cool kids are doing it! 😀
Surgeon almost talked me out of it following my pre-op on Friday as my symptoms and pain level appeared so mild they almost outweighed the risk of the op, frozen shoulder, infection etc. So I gave it a thrashing over the weekend, found my ceiling, which was a lot lower than I'd like and the instability/reliability was the biggest concern for me. Decided to have the op.
However, post op debrief the surgeon was shocked at the actual damage which included a tear down the bicep as well as a huge SLAP which needed anchoring back down. So, glad I went through with it in the end. I'm in very little pain at the moment, am wondering if the nerve block is yet to wear off?
Lower arm movements are fine and the stiffness/discomfort/pain increases as movements get closer to the shoulder, as expected. Had the dressings changed today - all good.
For me any information on the op from those who'd had it was really useful and comforting (I was bricking myself, especially as it could have all been for nothing!) so I'll try to remember to post back as I hit milestones. Email in profile if you got any questions.
Kev
We tell the rugby players they'll be out for 3 months post op. Heal well.
had a grade 3 A-C joint repair and SLAP lesion op november 2013.
6 weeks very light moving (to keep the shoulder free) with light physio.
after that intensive physio (20+ sessions on health insurance) over 6 months. First ride out was in May last year and stopped physio in October. Proper back to riding in july.
Still doing regular stretching and strengthening though but got 95% movement back with some stiffness at times.
the main thing you notice is how weak the muscles get, takes a lot of physio to build these back up.
the SLAP tear was only picked up when they went in to do the shoulder so was glad i went for the op.
it is a slog but keep doing the physio as much as you can and you will get there