Diary of an injured Adventure Racer - AC Joint

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13 years 7 months ago #5081 by Rightarmbad
I used to do a lot of sculling until I could get my arm above the shoulder.
Kept my swim pace right up there...

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13 years 6 months ago #5082 by AR_convert
Rightarmbad wrote:

I used to do a lot of sculling until I could get my arm above the shoulder.
Kept my swim pace right up there...


Had some experience with that in May, was roped into doing the team swim in a half ironman without any swim training for about 4-5 months :dry: , but had been paddling 3 times per week. ;) Was only a few minutes slower over the 1.9k distance (35min) than when I am training in the pool, so as you say the muscles employed are pretty much the same B)

Always looking for the next boat :)

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13 years 6 months ago #5322 by AR_convert
Well I'm back on the water :woohoo:

Went out for an easy 4km yesterday to just give the shoulder a test and despite feeling tight and sore there was no pain and today I have pulled up feeling no worse, so thats a big step in the right direction.

I start rehab with a sports physio recommended by my surgeon on Tuesday which I'm hoping will loosen me up lots, especially my lats.

The Augusta Anaconda adventure race orientation day is next weekend and I am quietly hoping that by some miracle my shoulder feels up to getting on the water with the other 100 + paddlers just for the fun of it but we'll see how the shoulder progresses this week.

Always looking for the next boat :)

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13 years 6 months ago #5333 by AR_convert
Okay Physio gave me a good going over this morning.

Some of my accessory muscles have wasted away, I could actually feel the difference when he was pressing on both sides at once.

We went through some range of motion stuff and while I thought I had nearly full ROM this is far from the truth, so swimming will be left alone for a while, trying to swim (while possible) with my current ROM is inviting injuries in other muscles/joints due to improper/misaligned technique.

So I have a whole range of excercises with elastic bands to strengthen my rotator cuffs and stretches to get back the ROM I've lost. He reckons about 6 - 8 weeks and I should be good as good as new.

That'll take the recovery from date of injury out to almost 4 months :dry: and thats just getting my body right before I can get racing fitness back.

I'm allowed to keep paddling but need to take it easy, evidentally if your rotator cuffs arent well developed there can be movement of the shoulder within the joint and it can cause you longer term problems.

So I'll paddle a couple of times a week but keep the intensity down and just focus on technique and time in the seat.

Always looking for the next boat :)

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13 years 6 months ago #5337 by Rightarmbad
I wonder if my never repaired AC joint is going to create problems in the future.
It really piisses me off that I was never even offered the repair such as yours.
I can't imagine you having a full range of motion while ever the metal is still in.
Is it going to stay?
My shoulder used to ache when running in the cold.

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13 years 6 months ago - 13 years 6 months ago #5339 by AR_convert
I can't imagine you having a full range of motion while ever the metal is still in.

Well, the physio I saw is from the "sports medicine" dept of the centre in the same building as my surgeon. There is also a seperate physiotherapy practise in the building as well so I guess they are specialising in different areas.

The way the physio talked I got the impression he was expecting that I would get back full ROM, I guess it's really up to whether I get any impingement which is so far so good ;)

The physio was quite familiar with what I had done, this place seems to specialise in dealing with athletes and getting them right.

I knew this partly because he was interested to know if he had to get me right for a particular event/race?

I told him I had written off competing seriously in anything involving the shoulder this summer and just wanted to get the body right, but as I have stated earlier this surgeon got an ironman sorted for Kona (Hawaii) 6 weeks after the same op, so I guess it depends on how hard you want to push your rehab and what risk you are prepared to take on your long term health. Aussie rules footballers are classic examples, just look at them later in life when they are hobbling around :dry:


Is it going to stay?

The surgeon wants it in for another 6 months but he is flexible and was happy to leave it in longer if I wanted to time the op with other commitments. ;)

I guess in your case it couldnt hurt to go see someone like this and have the shoulder assessed, they may be able to recommend excercises that will lessen the likelihood of long term wear and tear :dry:

Always looking for the next boat :)
Last edit: 13 years 6 months ago by AR_convert.

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