Where is the Next Update?
Thanks for reminding me Phil!
So, thankfully, I?ve gotta say the rehab is going really well. The first 6 weeks were dreadful, then from 6 weeks to the 3 month mark it felt like the shoulder was starting to get normal function back, i.e. not feeling like it?s hanging out of socket, being able to use cutlery and do day to day things etc.
I?m now over 4 months, and between lots of deep tissue massage therapy, stretching etc, I?m at the point where I?m able to do some light weight twining again (dumbbell presses, dumbbell rows, lateral raises, shrugs, internal and external rotation exercises and arms).
I found using a pull up bar really helpful, as you can gradually squat into it to increase resistance. This seems to help alleviate the discomfort round the front of my shoulder, under the bony bit near your collar bone (sub-acromial medically).
Anyway, I?m delighted to say that I?m now able to hang with full body weight (which isn?t exactly trivial lol) and can ride again.
I?m not able to ride like I did before the accident yet, partly because I don?t have the strength in the shoulder, but partly because there?s an element of ?fear of leaning? at present. I?m confident I?ll fully get my MoJo back in the coming months, but for now if there?s any hint of wet roads my brain just screams ?DANGER!!!?.
Overall though, when I think back to how my shoulder felt after the crash and for weeks after the operation, the difference is profound. My shoulder when resting or just doing basic stuff feels, ?normal?.
Having had two orthopaedic surgeries now, the thing that blows me away, is how bad you feel after the operation vs where you?ll be several months down the line. It?s like you go from somewhat hopeless ?maybe I?ll need to get a PCP on a sports car in future? to ?bollocks to that, what bikes coming up next lol?.
All that being said, I?m very lucky that in both cases where I?ve had surgery, I?ve had very experienced single joint specialists do the job, which undeniably plays a role in how these things go.
So yea, not sure what else there is to update on, I think I?ll probably update again in another few months or so, maybe even the 1 year mark just to see where it gets to. At this stage it feels like progress is slowing massively, I reckon the strength will come back, but getting that last chuck of mobility back (external rotation in particular) is going to take some doing.
Anyway, thanks again everyone for all the supportive comments, it really means a lot! [emoji41]
Oli
Photos: As you can see, I can get extra range of motion when hanging vs if I just lift my arm up under my own power.