[Closed] Talk to me about recovery from posterior sholuder dislocation?

I am a special type of idiot and managed to dislocate shoulder and snap head of humerous off to doing it while trying to ride bike down the "worlds most dangerous road" in Bolivia whilst hungover...

It's a good sign that surgery wasn't needed i would of thought, and that they were able to relocate normally, but 3 days out is a large trauma to ligaments and tendons supporting shoulder.

Only advice i can give is to get a good spots physio on board from the off, NHS are great, but waiting lists and shortage of time mean you will just get exercises from them often, not actual treatment normally. Plus try and mobilise it as soon as you feel comfortable, often just moving it in small circles whilst sling takes weight etc, so shoulder doesn't freeze.

Plus whenever i break a bone or dislocate something, i always up my protein and calcium intake which has seemed to help.

Thanks, good shout on the physio. Might try and discuss with the consultant on my return visit.

That's another plus point: I seem to be able to move in all the ways I couldn't while it was out, and I've been wiggling it an inch or so within the brace reasonably often...

I dislocated my shoulder (anterior) in lockdown and would echo the comments about a good physio and mobilising as soon as you’re able.
My first physio was very cautious and I ended up with a frozen shoulder which delayed things a bit. The second one was much more keen to get me doing stuff and that really helped.
Obviously, follow the advice of your consultant rather than random bloke off the internet. I am not a doctor!

Thirding/fourthing/xing the 'get a good sports physio asap' talk.

If you dislocate it more times, then surgery could yet be in your future. Do not rush anything, especially at the more unstable positions (e.g. arm above or shoulder height, exterior rotation), do not push through pain. I've never had one dislocated for three days (what happened on the day, did the hospital try to get it back in?) but I'd have thought after three weeks you might be comfortable enough to not use the sling. You'll probably be quite ginger with it and should try not to get too boozed up as that'll make your joint more relaxed in general and your care for it drop.

First exercises are usually about getting mobility going, and then very lightweight moves to bring back muscle tone and strength.

what happened on the day, did the hospital try to get it back in?

No, hospital on the day (Saturday) looked at x-ray said it wasn't dislocated, then rang me on Monday saying they suspected posterior dislocation after another look / second set of eyes and to be examined locally. Got some more x rays in A&E then manipulation and thought it was back in Monday, but still couldn't move it. Called back in Tuesday for another x ray, at which point I ended up being seen by the specialist consultant who got it back in,

I have read that 60% of these dislocations are missed, so this does not seem unique.

That's interesting, the way mine have gone (several times each shoulder over the years! But pretty well sorted now thanks to surgery and a continuing gym programme) I couldn't imagine not being at least 99% sure, maybe that's one of the differences between anterior and posterior dislocations. Good luck getting it back to normal, anyway, I'm sure if you do it right you'll be fine.

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/shoulder-reconstruction-any-good-news-stories/

I smashed mine to bits a few years ago. It has been a long road, with weekly private physio/massage. It doesn't hold me up too much now and I have about 80% mobility back. Strength ok apart from a few angles if reaching out or above. Swimming has been great for my rehab - I do about 3k a week

I have read that 60% of these dislocations are missed, so this does not seem unique.

Yeah being missed is not uncommon for posterior ones, tends to be very rare for anterior.

Having done mine posterior a few years ago... As above, good physio post haste, listen to them.

I also broke off the top off the socket (glenoid lip) they considered surgery but they have it a 50/50 of fixing it or making it worse, so we decided against it. it fused well enough but may contribute to it not being quite right now.

Mine was immobilised for about a week or so. I was back the mtb bike but only on road after about 4 weeks. Drop bars and lumpy were months before I was comfortable.

It's never fully recovered - it was about back to "normal for normals" which is to say about 80% mobility for me after about 6 months but never improved from there (I can link fingers between my shoulders, but can't get my fingers up to my head anymore), physio was very pleased with that amount of recovery.
Its come out about several times since, most recently about two weeks ago at the gym, previous to that doing things as varied as yoga or turn a page in a book. At least the third and subsequent times it's made its own way back.
Certain motions and loads just make it go, the difficulty is it's not always the same ones, it seems to settle differently each time it goes back so things which were fine now are not and vice versa. (wrist rotation seems to be the common factor).
I can't swim anymore, I've tried twice and it's not a nice feeling when it pops out in a pool. MTB is generally fine though unless I've recently knackered it.

it’s not a nice feeling when it pops out in a pool.

God yeah, that brings back an unhappy memory. I was out of my depth at the time; got myself to the wall somehow and Mel Gibsoned it back in, which drew a bit of a funny look from the one person who noticed.

I also managed to do it while bodysurfing in in quite a big swell on holiday, got turned over several times and did not enjoy it one bit. Sat quietly on the beach for the rest of the day!

Had what's called a 'Laterjet procedure' on it since and along with the rehab it's now stronger than ever with pretty much full range of motion, I did always have a little bit too much mobility anyway. I still feel really carefully aware about certain positions and motions.

My other shoulder had a simpler keyhole procedure 23 years ago, that has briefly re-disclocated a couple of times since which tends to keep me from slacking on the gym stuff.

Thanks everyone, some sobering reading abut quite what an impact clipping one root may have had 😐

Some hope though, sounds like initial recovery may be speedy enough to enjoy wedding at least 🙂 . I take the point about not getting carried away, though.

I'll ask the consultant about physiotherapist when I see him. See what he is offering and whether there's anyone in particular he'd rather I went to. I appreciate sooner the better, but presume they can't actually start while I'm immobilised?

I came off my bike and snapped head of humerus off, at the time they said they didn't think it was dislocated but I do remember a specialist at the place I got an MRI later saying "you sure this wasn't dislocated?".

My mobility is about 99% fine now but I have a significant clunking and clicking off the joint. Its audible enough that people can hear it across the room. It occasionally gets over extended and hurts but most of the time it's just a niggly pain.

I'm strong enough to shoulder press and bench press etc in gym but physio never managed to stop the clunking so I'm currently just living with it.

Reading this thread makes me wonder if I've had a dislocation missed.

Posterior dislocation for me was about 13 years ago. I had to walk a few km out of the forest and got to a&e about 6 hours later. Yes, very difficult to see on x-ray, apparently because the ligaments etc pull your shoulder back in, albeit not in the socket. Since been told phone Mountain Rescue asap, because of possible trapped veins and nerves causing more damage. anyway, I had long term loss of thumb and forefinger feeling/strength, 18months. but physio is your friend, long elastic band things and an oversized clothes-peg to exercise thumb and forefinger. I still have occasional pain usually after splitting logs with an axe.

I have done both shoulders once, first time skiing, second time kayaking. I am not sure which way they went but there was zero doubt they were out - pain was utterly insane.

The first dislocation I was in a full cast (it was austria) for 3 weeks. The second in a sling (uk). The cast led to a massive loss of mobility which I subsequently had to work hard at to regain, but did. I was doing pull ups within two months although the NHS physio wasn't too impressed. Overall it has been fine since

The second dislocation was slinged and subsequently I had more mobility from the start but had lots of neck and general muscle problems as a result of the sling. I had an excellent private sport physio who had extensive experience of shoulder injury and worked hard to get back to normal - kayaking again hard in 3 months. Physio was very much theraband based and also mobility stretches from a lying down on my back crucifix position. I still do this exercise from time to time although overall it is fine. I would say I was pretty motivated and spent long hours doing exercises at home.

Longer term there is the mental aspect to think about, ie the fear of doing it again. I think that lasted maybe six months, now and again i'll do something daft and get a twinge but it's always a reminder to do some exercises. The injuries were both nearly 30 years ago and I was in my mid 20's

My advice echoes above - get a good physio, work hard at the exercises and importantly you'll avoid the prospect of a second dislocation down the line