# Dislocated Shoulder/Nerve Damage



## justbob (Jan 26, 2004)

Two weeks ago I crashed and dislocated my shoulder pretty severely and fractured my humerus. I am experiencing a lot of numbness in my arm and hand. The arm was out of socket for around 3 hrs. And yes, it was incredibly painful. After I was discharged I couldn't even move my fingers. Now I can move my fingers but have hardly any strength. The ortho said that the nerves had been damaged but will eventually heal on their own. If I recall correctly he described my condition as brachial plexus palsy which can also be described as f*cked.

Anyone had a similar injury and what was their experience for recovery?


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## sodak (Oct 10, 2006)

I have had a shoulder issue for about 3 years now. It started long ago from boxing. But as of the past few years my shoulder has been dislocatating regularly. This may sound obsurd, but usually one or two time every ride. My shoulder dislocates forward and has since caused some intensive damage in there. My roommate and riding buddy has become a pro in re-setting my shoulder. I can usually do it myself with the help of a tree. But anyway, I am scheduled (finially) for the surgery to repair my shoulder and fix a glen labrium tear. I am super sketched to get this done becuase it means I will be off the bike for a long, long time. ugh.. So once you figure out how long it takes to recover, let me know. I hope you shoulder gets better soon. Everytime mine dislocates, it hurts like hell until I get it back in. But after that the relief from the pain is so awesome I just continue to ride. But the next day, whoa, it hurts like no other. Usually with numb fingers and loss of strength. That lasts for about three days.


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## The Squeaky Wheel (Dec 30, 2003)

sodak06 said:


> I have had a shoulder issue for about 3 years now. It started long ago from boxing. But as of the past few years my shoulder has been dislocatating regularly. This may sound obsurd, but usually one or two time every ride. My shoulder dislocates forward and has since caused some intensive damage in there. My roommate and riding buddy has become a pro in re-setting my shoulder. I can usually do it myself with the help of a tree. But anyway, I am scheduled (finially) for the surgery to repair my shoulder and fix a glen labrium tear. I am super sketched to get this done becuase it means I will be off the bike for a long, long time. ugh.. So once you figure out how long it takes to recover, let me know. I hope you shoulder gets better soon. Everytime mine dislocates, it hurts like hell until I get it back in. But after that the relief from the pain is so awesome I just continue to ride. But the next day, whoa, it hurts like no other. Usually with numb fingers and loss of strength. That lasts for about three days.


you SERIOUSLY need to consider getting your labrum repaired before you suffer permanent nerve injury


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## Jerk_Chicken (Oct 13, 2005)

Wow, horrible stuff I'm hearing. If I'm not mistaken, Brachial Plexus "stretching" and damage is also associated with Erb-Duchenne's Palsy (or a better name for it), which typically happens to children during childbirth, resulting in that classic "Waiter's tip" pose with the arm. I don't know yet if the adult injury form has similar manifestations, but of course, get all your **** fixed.

I can't imagine also going for years and dislocating the shoulder every time I ride. That's insane. What took so long? Sadism? Insurance?


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## sodak (Oct 10, 2006)

Jerk_Chicken said:


> Wow, horrible stuff I'm hearing. If I'm not mistaken, Brachial Plexus "stretching" and damage is also associated with Erb-Duchenne's Palsy (or a better name for it), which typically happens to children during childbirth, resulting in that classic "Waiter's tip" pose with the arm. I don't know yet if the adult injury form has similar manifestations, but of course, get all your **** fixed.
> 
> I can't imagine also going for years and dislocating the shoulder every time I ride. That's insane. What took so long? Sadism? Insurance?


Just plain stubbornness, (that is really how you spell that word, I looked it up) lol... I couldn't fathom being off the bike for so long. I still can't fathom how I am going to be able to sit on the couch doing nothing for so long. It is going to drive me nutts.

But anyway, yeah am glad to finally get it scheduled, but at the same time I don't want to do it because I am looking at a long time off the bike. A long time from doing anything really. Watch out SMT, here I come!

Honestly, my shoulder dislocates so frequently I am kind of used to it. The other day I was "snapping" or shaking a pillowcase out to put the pillow in. And as soon as I made the motion of snapping with my arms, POP, out goes the shoulder. It is to the point now that it is almost comical. If I reach behind me, above waist level, it is guaranteed to pop right out. The worst is when I am riding. Perfect example; if I land with my rear tire first, the force of the bike pulling forward to get the front tire down, ALWAYS pops that sum bytch out viciously. Trying to ride out of a drop of launch with a dislocated shoulder is intense. But yeah, sorry to ramble here. I am getting the surgery soon so hopefully all will be will. I figure that with the confidence that my shoulder will not pop out, it should increase my riding ability. I am excited to try a jump, launch, or drop and NOT have to think of my shoulder first. hmmm...... its gonna be nice.:thumbsup:


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## Jerk_Chicken (Oct 13, 2005)

Good luck and keep us posted.

Quick question, not that it reverses actual mechanical damage to the joint, but are the muscles about your shoulder strong, or have you tried to strengthen them to help stabilize the joint a bit?

Winter is a good time to get surgery. You could potentially be back by summer on light duty. It also won't stop you from a trainer to at least ease the insanity.


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## justbob (Jan 26, 2004)

Back in 2005 I had my labrum repaired on my other shoulder. I also had a small fracture in the socket part of the shoulder. I too was having issues with instability. When it partially came out I was able to put it back in by punching it. Yes, what a relief.

Regarding recovery, I had surgery on mid September and was road riding by Halloween. Went on my first baby mt bike ride in December and first real mt bike ride in January. I think my recovery was longer due to the fracture repair. Otherwise I would have started PT immediately, instead of 3+ weeks after the surgery. 

My current status with my latest injury is I have more movement in the fingers. But they are still quite numb. I see the ortho on Friday and the nerve specialist on Feb 10. So for now no biking and lots of hiking.


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## mlepito (May 1, 2007)

Recovery time on this type of inury is not set. Nerve damage heals different for everyone. Some people get full function back in weeks, some it can take over a year. And some don't heal all the way ever. So I will be hard for anyone to tell you how long you will be out. And you are correct about the humoral fracture complicating things. Is it a chip fracture (hatchet) or a spiral fracture down the shaft? A spiral fracture would be really bad. 

I will give you this advice. This will not be the last year you ever ride. But if you rush the rehab, ride too early and take another bad fall; it might be. Be patient. It sucks not to ride for a season. It sucks more not to ride ever again.


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## The Squeaky Wheel (Dec 30, 2003)

justbob said:


> Back in 2005 I had my labrum repaired on my other shoulder. I also had a small fracture in the socket part of the shoulder. I too was having issues with instability. When it partially came out I was able to put it back in by punching it. Yes, what a relief.
> 
> Regarding recovery, I had surgery on mid September and was road riding by Halloween. Went on my first baby mt bike ride in December and first real mt bike ride in January. I think my recovery was longer due to the fracture repair. Otherwise I would have started PT immediately, instead of 3+ weeks after the surgery.
> 
> My current status with my latest injury is I have more movement in the fingers. But they are still quite numb. I see the ortho on Friday and the nerve specialist on Feb 10. So for now no biking and lots of hiking.


Recovery time following a labral repair is HIGHLY variable and dependent on a number of factors

For a big repair, expect to be off the bike for much longer than 6 weeks - and listen to your surgeon/PT's advice very carefully. It is not worth rushing this process and suffering premature reinjury.

JC....if the labrum is sufficiently shot and the Hill-Sachs lesion large enough, rotator cuff stabilization exercises will do nothing. I suspect this applies to sodak06 based on his description.

As a personal point of reference, I was a recurrent dislocator and my labrum was completely torn from the glenoid in a number of places. Plus, my humeral deformity was huge and I had additional SLAP tears. I was completely immobilized for a month and only then began PT. I was not released to road riding until 3 months (and I was considered to be a "fast healer". I was allowed to MTB/Ski after 4 mos - but only with a highly restrictive brace which prevented ext rot/abduction. After 6 mos I was released to full activities and I've done great since that time (although my risk of recurrence is still far higher than the average Joe's)


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## justbob (Jan 26, 2004)

_And you are correct about the humoral fracture complicating things. Is it a chip fracture (hatchet) or a spiral fracture down the shaft? A spiral fracture would be really bad. _

it is a chip fracture. And it is aligned pretty well so no surgery. Saw the ortho today. he said 6-8 weeks for the shoulder fracture. To get full recovery it will take much longer for the nerves. Next week I start PT and can start doing minor raising of my arm. It will be nice when I have enough hand/finger strength to road ride. For now it's lots of hiking.


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## Red PeeKay (Oct 3, 2008)

justbob said:


> Anyone had a similar injury and what was their experience for recovery?


Dislocated my left shoulder 3 times, first in my teens then twice in my twenties. Last time lost feeling to my left thumb and the area around the base of my thumb for about 6 months (thats how long it took for all the feeling to return, it sort of just crept back over time with more areas regaining sensitivity). Only rehab was weights and swimming, still played waterpolo etc. Back then it was a pretty major op to fix. So stick with it mate, do the rehab and it should all come back in time!! Good luck.


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## ProfGumby (Feb 27, 2008)

Yikes!

Guys, take care of yourselves! being stubborn or lazy may cost you the ability to ride!

I am awaiting the results of an MRI on my left shoulder. The result of a car crash before Christmas to see what's still messed up in there. This is also holding up my buying a new bike for next season right now. I am not going to trade in my current bike and buy a new one if my shoulder is toast!

I will be severely bummed if I cannot mountain bike again!


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## AntonMBR (Apr 4, 2007)

*Hi justbob*

How are you doing? I've recently done myself a similar injury (dislocated shoulder, was out for around 3 hours) and now have some bad numbness and tingling in my wrist and hand. Been 3 weeks since the accident and I was wondering just how long it normaly takes for the nerves to heal.

Guess I'm asking "how long is a piece of string" as everyone is different


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## justbob (Jan 26, 2004)

AntonMBR said:


> How are you doing? I've recently done myself a similar injury (dislocated shoulder, was out for around 3 hours) and now have some bad numbness and tingling in my wrist and hand. Been 3 weeks since the accident and I was wondering just how long it normaly takes for the nerves to heal.
> 
> Guess I'm asking "how long is a piece of string" as everyone is different


I am MUCH better now. My timeline was: 
accident on Jan 11; clouldn't move my hand or arm at all initially; major numbness in the ouside of my shoulder.
later in the first week started getting some feeling back in the fingers
early March I went skiing
continued to make progress; by late March I could road ride
by mid-April I started mt biking easy
in May I started jumping again
in late June I hit the Northstar Bike Park
in late July I went to the Whistler Bike Park

As of today I still have a slight numb feeling. My deltoid strenght is coming back, but is still deficient. SO I am better, but not all better. May never get all of the way there. With nerve injuries there is nothing you can do except be patient. If you have motor control with numbness the numbness will likley go away.

Good luck - Bob


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## justbob (Jan 26, 2004)

here is a link showing how my shoulder worked at Whistler:
http://gallery.me.com/shreddined#100082


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