# Anybody dislocate their shoulder and just let it rest without going to see ortho?



## brainhulk (Jun 14, 2013)

I endo'd june 2020 and dislocated shoulder. The emergency room physician knocked me out with propofol and popped it back. He suggested seeing an ortho physician for follow up. I never did and just let it rest on my own. It was absolute hell for the 1st month. But I felt it kept getting better on it's own. So I just let it ride and kept doing daily stretches. I've been riding for a month now and my shoulder feels great. Anybody else just let it rest?


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

better have it looked at, now, in case anything can be repaired

in 10 years that can be a daily unstoppable pain almost hooking you on opioids, for realz
because almost everything will make it hurt if it decides to heal up wonky (holding head up, sleeping...etc)

[the story for thousands of people...]

so if you can get it checked and MRI, do it asap
and start a proper recovery on it

possible outcome: if this is first time it should heal up fine, it's the second time it happens which can rip stuff apart...and now it's gonna be prone to doing it again if you knock it hard


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## jimglassford (Jun 17, 2018)

I am not sure why you would be asking medical advise on a bike forum. The medical expert already told you to see a specialist. Probably the same as any medical professional would say. If I were injured in a car accident, I surely would not ask an auto mechanic about my whiplash.


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## LewisQC (Jul 3, 2013)

After the first one (hope for you it's the last) it is mandatory to do physical therapy or at least specific exercise to re-enforce and stabilize your shoulder. The problem is if you're young and active, the chance of dislocation after a second episode are exponential and you're almost guarantied to end-up in surgery at some point. So you want to do everything to avoid this second one... In Canada, unless there's some anomaly at physical exam or sign of bad healing or instability, we don't do MRI to all patient.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

There can be damage to the glenoid and/or labrum called a bankart lesion that will cause future dislocations. Glenoid damage would show up on the x-ray, so if that bone is intact you may be able to get by doing PT to stabilize the shoulder. Lots of info out there on the subject. However, lots of other damage can occur as well and I agree that you should see an Ortho. Or should have... 

However, if it's been this long and everything is improving, no further issues, then maybe just keep stretching and working those muscles, I'd make sure you hit all of the rotator cuff muscles with band exercises on both sides and I'd incorporate this into your routine as strong shoulders are important imo. If you're functionally ok there's little chance you'll qualify for an MRI right now.


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## JulioBTLL (Dec 12, 2008)

A long time ago, I used to whitewater kayak. It was common for paddlers to dislocate their shoulders running the gnar, pop them back in and keep paddling. "Doctors are for pu..ys" was what us young tough men would say while self medicating our pain. Now those guys are in their 40's and 50's and are miserable. None of these tough guys paddle anymore and are fat, out of shape, and always in pain. Sprinkle some addiction issues around and that's what you get for not properly taking care of yourself.

By all means don't go to the doctor if you want to quit doing sports as you get older and become a fat angry old man that can't do anything due to constant pain.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Yes, go to the doc.

(Coming from the guy that took out his own stitches because he doesn't like doctors offices lol)

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## JulioBTLL (Dec 12, 2008)

I forgot to add....

I injured my hip snowboarding a few years ago, a hospital visit, light pain killers and rest. There was to be some consultations later about the injury, but I let it rest and skipped the consults. For a while, I was healing and thought everything was fine, but never really got back to 100%. Didn't stop me from pushing my self harder ignoring the pain warning signs. Now I need to think about replacing a hip. 

Go to the consult


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## Jehosephat (Nov 29, 2011)

If it feels stable now, that's great. For some people it's a "one and done" kind of situation. Along with stretching there are simple exercises you can do to strengthen the area. If it happens again, I'd be sure to get a consult, assess the damage and do what the doc recommends. You'll be happier in the long run.

To add on to @JulioBTLL's experience, I did in fact dislocate my shoulder kayaking way back when, couldn't afford proper rehab and wound up dislocating it fifteen or so more times. I did it doing kick ass things like throwing a paper airplane, shutting a car door, or reaching under a stack of laundry.

If you can do the consult and follow up rehab, do it. You'll thank yourself. Also, I know **** happens on the trail you'd never expect, but consider learning how to ride so you protect that shoulder, such as learning how to fall, doing on the fly risk assessments, etc. Eventually that stuff becomes second nature and you can still ride hard, do fun stuff, etc.


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## jiujitsuallen (Mar 23, 2021)

Looks like you had an anterior dislocation which is the most common type. I own a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school and over the years of training I've dislocated both my shoulders over a dozen times at least. You'll mainly want to make sure there is no nerve damage. I've spoken to several orthopedic surgeons over the years and that is the main thing they are worried about. If there was nerve damage you would probably know by now because of a numbing sensation or loss of touch. I've had so many shoulder dislocations that I already know the technique on how to pop it back in each time. But I've avoided shoulder surgery because I've had knee surgery to have my PCL/MCL/LCL replaced and that recovery was no fun and extremely long. Unfortunately once your shoulder pops out once it'll be prone to future dislocations again. One piece of advice - make sure you do plenty of rehab exercises to strengthen your shoulder. 🤙


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## Marty_99 (Jan 5, 2021)

I've dislocated both shoulders. One mountainbiking and the other skiing. I've had them both looked at and have done a lot fo physio to restore stability and strength. It would be good to at least have a physiotherapist look at it.


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## Scott O (Aug 5, 2004)

I'm not too far away from getting a shoulder replacement. I've done a lot of damage to it over the years and arthritis is now winning the battle. Once I get it replaced I'll need to find new hobbies like bridge, bird watching, and white water kayaking. Get it looked at and if you do PT do exactly as they say. Keep it strong and flexible at all times.


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## spaightlabs (Dec 3, 2011)

Prior to hip replacement 2 years ago my surgeon was reviewing MRIs and X-rays and asked when I'd broken my femur and pelvis. I'm too smart to seek medical attention if a bone isn't sticking through the skin so was kind of surprised by those diagnoses but know when I did them while riding motocross.

Also fractured 2 cervical vertebrae in a skiing accident and got that diagnosed 4 years later, so you know I am the kind of guy you should seek medical advice from on a bike forum.

You'll be fine. Go with the flow, hope the next dislocation doesn't occlude the artery. It probably might not. Hopefully you won't be more than 10 to 12 miles away from transport to get you to the clinic. A ride out with one hand and in searing pain will be a great story to tell later in life.

If you have full function and are pain free, good deal. Consider that if you think you have full function and are pain free you might be guarding/lying to yourself and a quick PT eval will tell you a lot re the actual functionality of the joint. Probably worth checking out, but since I am approaching 60, need a second hip replaced, probably both knees in the next 5 years and both of my shoulders hurt, I'm getting pretty conservative.


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## r-rocket (Jun 23, 2014)

It is not scientifically possible to 100% recover full shoulder stability through just rest and stretching. 

That is like training for enduro pro races by riding to your corner store. The work needed to rebuild the muscle strength and stability just isn't going to happen with rest and stretching.. It takes actual hard work and correct exercises to rebuild the small muscles that stabilize the shoulder. There aren't any shortcuts.

Riding and normal exercise will give you a false sense of recovery. It will only give your shoulder strength in limited directions, and leave your shoulder weak and vulnerable to re-injury when stressed at odd angles or under heavy stress.

Have you ever seen a muscle builder who fixates on just upper body, but has thin girly pencil legs? That's what's going on in your shoulder right now. You lost muscle due to the injury, rest, and time off. Now you are rebuilding only the major muscle groups, and not all the stabilizing muscles that require targeted PT in weird directions. You will think you are getting strong because you can support your weight in one direction when you ride. But a good PT eval will expose where your muscles are actually weak in all kinds of other directions you don't even realize.


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## r-rocket (Jun 23, 2014)

Being realistic:

If a doctor's advice, a month of pure hell, 8 months of being off your bike, and looking at that x-ray wasn't enough to convince you to go in, all of our advice and sarcasm probably won't do it either. You will probably find some people on the internet somewhere to validate the decision you've already made not to go to a doctor or get professional PT.

So here is the compromise.

Google isometric shoulder exercises and do those every other day for 2 weeks.
Google shoulder PT resistance band exercises, buy some bands or cut up some old inner tubes and add that in.
Google stuff like "wall ball PT" and "IYT PT exercises" and start adding those in every other day.
Google shoulder PT weight exercises only after the isometric, bands, wall ball, and IYT's become easy.

Nowhere near as good as actually going to a professional. But realistically, that ship probably already sailed months ago since you've already decided not to go in the last 9 months. And even self-directed PT will make your shoulder feel much better and work much better in a few months compared to doing nothing and not seeing professionals.


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## Iceman2 (May 15, 2020)

my my we got a lot of experts here.

Lets start with some education. I'm going to assume you are about 25-45 in age, please let me know if you are not.

typically when the humeral head (ball part of the arm bone) dislocates, the glenoid (socket on your shoulder blade) impacts the back of the head. this tears your labrum (soft tissue structure that helps stabilize your shoulder) called a "bankart", and leaves a divot in the bone in the back of the humeral head, a "hill sachs lesion". The labrum may or may not have healed on its own. we wouldn't know without an MRI. Sometimes some bone comes off the glenoid with the labrum as well (conveniently called a "bony bankart"), which it doesn't appear to have happened to you from this single Xray. The divot can be big or small, sometimes it can be seen from another xray view. As the divot and/or the labral tear gets bigger, the risk of re-dislocation increases. once you rotate back enough, the back lip of the glenoid engages the divot and out you go. The younger you are the more likely you are going to re-dislocate. Along with pain, strength and range of motion, which seem to be fine with you, these are the things someone who fixes these things would probably consider talking with you about.

If you have full, symmetric range of motion, full strength and no apprehension (meaning you can't find positions where you place your arm and you feel like it might start coming out), that is great. What we can't see is how big the divot is or how bad the labral tear is.

Some dislocations go on to be fine, don't have surgery and never have pain and never dislocate again. these people are in the minority. if you're under 30 and male there's about a 60-70% chance you redislocate. If you're over 30 its a little lower, but not much

People who like books more than bikes like to argue about whether first time shoulder dislocations should automatically get surgery. The younger you are, the more likely people are to recommend it. The bigger the divot, the more likely people are to recommend it. Most do not recommend surgery for first time dislocations in general. * but this is a year old so we don't even really need to have that conversation. *the cat is out of the bag, but it sounds like you're doing quite well.

once you dislocate a second time most everyone will recommend surgery (if you are healthy and don't have risks for having surgery.) * If/when this happens, go see a surgeon.* it will end whatever season you're in and take a few months to recover. Please don't turn into some of the people on this thread that are seemingly OK with having their shoulders pop out all the time, as you just grate your cartilage (the stuff we can't fix or grow back) off with each event.. the concept that it is even a remotely plausible pathway for you to walk down is inappropriate and misguiding. One of my first seasons of real road biking, I was maybe 18 or 19, I came across a brotato chip that was 92 years old working up the last little kicker at the top of vail pass. thats what I'm aiming for. not a lazyboy and pills at 70 because I didn't take care of preventable things.

See an orthopaedic surgeon (ideally one who did a sports or a shoulder fellowship):

If you dislocate a second time, which you are now more likely to do after dislocating
if you have persistent pain (likely would be in the front of your shoulder)
if your range of motion or strength doesn't return to at least 90+% of the other side. You would be doing a rotator cuff stabilization program in PT (half stretching, half band strengthening) which is eminently you-tube-able.
if you're concerned enough about your long term health of your shoulder and an office visit and possibly an MRI with your insurance/financial situation isn't an excessive burden

*If it were my family member, I would see an orthopod and if they wanted an MRI, I would get it*. They probably won't want an MRI if its been a year and you're doing well, and if your motion and strength are symmetric they likely won't even prescribe therapy. You wouldn't know without seeing a professional.

Since this is the internet and no one can see you in person, examine you, or see all of your imaging, we are just relying on your non-professional interpretation of things. this could lead to *incomplete/inaccurate* advice and there is certainly something you may not appreciate as valuable that an orthopod would pick up on in an office visit that could change recommendations. insert lots of small print font here absolving me of any risk. and point to the bold italics saying I recommend you see someone.

For future people referencing this post - if you're old(er), lets say retirement age give or take and dislocate you're more likely to have a rotator cuff tear, so its more important to recognize that.


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## r-rocket (Jun 23, 2014)

side note on MRI costs (if it goes there) --

Even if you have insurance, sometimes the Uninsured/Cash price at some locations can be cheaper than your price with insurance and deductible. There are also different types of MRI's with different quality images. Prices vary wildly. Some places put their prices right on their website, other places you have to call.


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## sturge (Feb 22, 2009)

Just from experience...
Mid 20's dislocated running slalom gates in a ski race. It popped back in, hurt like hell for a couple weeks, never saw a doc. This was around '84. I was pretty active and played lots of basketball back then. Over the next 3 years it came out multiple times but always popped back in. Sort of became routine and I just lived with it until it started happening in my sleep. Had surg to repair around 87 which was successful and I was able to do whatever I wanted following recovery. 

Fast forward to age 58 about 3 years ago. I did an OTB and suffered separation of same shoulder (Grade 3 with the 'bump' and all). Got it checked out and no surg recommended. It healed fine and this shoulder is pain free. Strangely, my 'good' shoulder hurts all the time and I'm considering getting it checked out and possible surg to corrrect it. But that will have to wait until I recover from Ankle replacement surg this weds LOL.


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## Iceman2 (May 15, 2020)

Good luck with the ankle surgery. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Your shoulder story is pretty typical. Most people will fall into your category, where the shoulder is pretty rock solid after surgery. Unless you do any activities that consistently put you at high risk, it will take a pretty big hit to dislocate. Everyone responds differently though, you may have had an excellent result but a similar person with similar injuries may need an early shoulder replacement for arthritis. It's very difficult to predict. 

The takeaway for most people is after 2-3 dislocations, the writing is on the wall, and if you want to remain active you will need a stabilization surgery. It's not emergent and doesn't need to happen asap, but doing it sooner rather than later is better for the long term health of your shoulder. Knowing this can help you plan when to have the surgery based on your athletic seasons, job, insurance deductibles for the year, family life, etc. Shoulder surgeries have a long recovery period after them so its really helpful to have it at the right time of year. 

A point of clarification for people following along. Shoulder "separations" are a totally different injury than a shoulder "dislocation". Its not actually the shoulder joint, but your AC joint (acromioclavicular), or the joint between your collarbone and the acromion of your scapula (part of your shoulder blade). These rarely require surgery and most people have no long term issues from them. If they do become painful the surgery to resolve is simple and quick with high success rates, minimal recovery and no functional limitations for most all athletic activities. So its a much different/better injury to have than recurrent shoulder dislocations.


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

I've mildly separated both of my shoulders. The first time, I got it checked out, the second time I didn't. Took a long time to feel normal again. But what surprised me was after I broke my collar bone and scapula, they x-rayed my "good" side (the second separation that I didn't get checked out) for comparison and saw a bunch of scar tissue, asked me what had happened to it and said I would probably be getting arthritis in it.


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