hello everyone. I'm 9 weeks out PO surgery for a SLAP repair (1 anchor) and an AC joint resection. I injured my shoulder from overuse while surfing back in September '07. A second opinion from a different OS nearly a year later finally discovered the SLAP tear. I couldn't perform daily tasks like hold a phone up to my ear, write, use a computer, drive a car, etc. so I feel for those who had a larger tear than my own.

Anyways, I wanted to see how my shoulder would handle a little bit of computer use so I figured I would say hello. Hopefully I can offer some advice for those of you behind me in rehab. And for those ahead I am anxious to be where you are. Take it easy.

Tristan

Hey Tristan,
It must feel good to know your on the track to recovery....My surgery is tomorrow : /...I have a slap tear too. I also injured myself from overuse, but from doing gymnastics not surfing. I have no advice to give you , because I'm not there yet lol, I can only give encouragment. I hope all goes well with your recovery!
LIFE IS LOVE~Lana Paige : )

Hey there! Overuse here too -- kickboxing and karate. Geez, now I know why they say martial arts are dangerous! Anyway, I'm 3 weeks postop and things are going well. Out of sling pretty much all the time now except when I go to kickboxing or karate (the chick in the sling doing kickboxing is now a source of amusement for everyone at the gym -- I should sell tickets). Start PT in about 3 more weeks but have been gently working ROM while I'm waiting. I will tell the PT that my arm may be injured but my feet still work just fine so don't hurt me!

Was the weakness you refer to before the surgery or are you talking about after? I had profound weakness on the injured side (which is what drove me to the OS in the first place) and I still haven't heard an explanation of why this particular injury caused such weakness. Hmmm... Anyway, not a lot worse now that I've had the surgery so I can only move forward from here!

the weakness i refered to was from before surgery although I am still experiencing it now but not as bad. Its interesting to note the different spheres of thought for recovery though. It seems you are already out of your sling at 3 weeks but don't start PT for another 3 weeks? I had to wear my sling for 6 weeks but started PT 5 days after surgery.

Yeah, ten buck says I'm wearing that dratted sling again after I start PT!

I was lucky that light tasks are not affected but lifting or carrying anything on my bad shoulder is very difficult and my arm has little upper holding strength. For example a few weeks ago I went to carry our rolled up Zodiac inflatable dinghy to the car (about 55 lbs) which I've done for years. When I got it on my shoulder (which is now difficult as well) it just rolled off my shoulder because my arm has no holding strength on that side. We were traveling a few weeks ago and carrying suitcases with my right arm is a fraction of what I used to be able to do. But on the positive, my OS says that I can expect a full recovery and I'm 52, so that's very cool. I'm hoping that they don't find too much damage next week.

Goals:
Hopefully this is realistic - I'd like to Run an 8K in March (I should be 12 WKs Post Op by then)
Then... Windsurfing by Summer

Mike