Pre-season shoulder surgery

bmaze91

Member
Tore my labrum and have to get surgery on Monday. Doc told me to keep it immobile for 6 weeks then another 6 weeks of PT. This puts me at full strength by mid/late December but he also said I should make it a mellow overall ski season and wait til next winter to go hard again. Just curious if anyone else has had the same surgery and how it went? How quickly did you feel 100% again? Any effect on your ski season if you did it around the same time?

Thanks for any feedback!
 
Had the exact same surgery. I had a little more complications though, because my bone was also fractured a bit, but the recovery time is the same. I dislocated my shoulder a few times over the course of a year or so, and it got to a point where it kept popping out whether I was working out, and just lifting my arm over my head quick. Got surgery late February, and started pt 4 weeks later. I believe I ended pt around mid July, and then I was pretty much good to go by the ski season. Just really stay up on pt, and do everything the doc tells you to. When he says to immobilize your arm, don't move that shit at all. The sling sucks, but trust me, just wear it. I had a great recovery, and that's really all that matters. Get it over with once, don't fuck it up again
 
The fun thing about shoulders is surgeons are still not totally sure what the winning formula is. Dr. James Andrews even says that fixing labrums, capsules, cuffs and really any soft tissue in the shoulder is really guess and check, With a labrum who really knows how you will recover. All you can really do is hit the PT hard, and let it heal FULLY before taking a hit hard enough to pop it out.

That is where a lot of people have issues. they try and come back when the shoulder feels good doing all normal activities but not healed to a point where it can withstand impacts and weird toque angles. If you dont want to have issues the rest of your life, play it very, very safe.
 
13136365:the_armidilo said:
your real concern is whether or not you can still masterbate

You get real good doiong things with the opposite hand: drive, beat it, wipe, lighter, drink, fork/spoon, mouse, soap yourself, hold yer dick when pissing etc
 
I had the surgery, but they told me it would be a full year. Being immobile really sucked, I started PT at 2 weeks out though (still had sling for 6), so that gave me something to do. Progress for me was quick in the beginning, then it took a while once I started doing things with weights, like a few months of what felt like really slow progress. This summer I got back in the gym though, stronger than I've ever been and I was able to get strength/size back very quick (+18lbs in 2.5 months, lost a little fat too). I used to ice it for a while, now it isn't too bad, but I do either low weights or a machine for over the head stuff, I don't max for bench (dumbbell press in stead usually, but thats temporary), and they said not to do dips. I have been slacking a little lately on stretches, but I would say that I'm essentially fully recovered (there's just a little more progress I can make). Good luck with the surgery/PT, from what you posted though it sounds like you should be able to bounce back a little quicker. Post here or message me if you have questions.
 
Thanks for all the responses, I appreciate hearing your guys experiences! I'm hoping that since I don't have any bone damage and it is just the labrum I'll be able to recover quicker. We'll see what happens but it's definitely not gonna be a season for pushing myself this year.
 
I had my surgery on June 26. This was after almost 4 years of dislocating or sublaxating my shoulder almost every time I went skiing. I had the labrum repaired and the surgeon also attached my rotator cuff to the head of the humerus to fill in an area that had been chipped from going in and out of the socket so many times. I was in a sling for 5 weeks and started pt 3x per week after that. I should be 100% in January (assuming there are no complications) but I have already made the decision to take it easy this year, especially through january and february.
 
I had a bankart repair/SLAP, which is a slightly more significant surgery than a typical labrum repair from what I understand and takes longer to heal. I had the surgery in June, 2013, the timeframe for a "full recovery" for mine was 6 months, so I took everything easy up until January. In January I was expecting to ski hard, but the doc said I should take the rest of the season easy. I think that was what he was thinking from day one but didn't tell me because I would have been upset. Looking back I am fine with skiing easy. Yes the tremendous amount of pow in CO helped, but I still really enjoyed my season.

I realize this story isn't incredibly helpful, but now, 15 months out, my shoulder feels great, I have taken some nasty falls biking / on the trampoline and had minimal issues with my shoulder (no dislocations). The key for me was doing rehab like crazy during the first 4 months. 90% of that rehab was at home with a theraband and 3-5 lb. weights, just the simple exercises your doctor/therapist will tell you to do. And since 4 months out, I have been in the weight room.

But I think you can definitely be skiing hard by Jan/Feb. I think Torin-Yater Wallace had the surgery you will have almost the exact same time of year, and was skiing in December. Google Torin ....... shoulder surgery for more info.

Good luck!
 
Thanks again for all your words! Hopefully my situation is similar to Torin's and I'll be on skis again in December. I'll post again with progress later on in case anyone is interested or is in a similar situation.
 
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