Hello,
Looking for help with rotator cuff pain. I have trouble with both shoulders at times. But I am ok. Strained the left one 3 days ago. Doing ok. Lifted batteries yesterday, not over my head of course. Just straight arms down carried some batteries around. No probs. This morning I cannot even wipe with my left hand. Apologize for the pain description but it is an accurate way to describe the level of pain. Now…what can I do to aid this situation as I go on the already paid for fishing trip? I don’t think you exercise the shoulders when you are IN pain. And I do not like to take pain pills, and therefore do not have any. My question is:
How can/should I handle this shoulder for the next 8 days…and still get to fly fish? It is the left shoulder and I cast right handed…reel and control line left handed.
Any help or suggestions would be extremely appreciated. Hate to have a fly fishing trip on the famous San Juan… ruined by bad luck with my shoulder. I don’t get to go on many trips as it is. In fact, this the only one that is a real fishing trip…that I have ever gotten to do.
Jim, See a doctor. That level of pain should not be ignored. If it wil not cause more damage to fish a physicain can also give you something for the pain.
I tore my right shoulder years ago, so I feel your pain. No pun intended. Your lucky you cast right handed and it is your left shoulder. I suppose you have already gone to see the doctor. If not I would. If it is not torn too bad he will tell you to rest it and give you some pain medication. Eight days of rest just might help. If you have not and intend not to, then I would take some Advil or Alieve and try and rest that shoulder as much as possible.
Do your rotator cuff exercises, rubber bands and door jambs. If you don’t have a regimen, see your doctor and a physical therapist. My pain was bad and getting worse. The exercises worked for me, both shoulders.
It is very helpful to be able to cast with either hand, practice with your off hand and get good enough to place the fly within a 2 area. When your strong hand shoulder gets to bothering you go to your off hand. That is helpful to do anyway, for instance if you are sitting in the back seat of a drift boat, being able to cast with either hand is great. Also, do the old Joan Wulff trick and make like you have a dollar bill placed between your elbow and your side, in other words, don’t cast with your shoulder or upper arm, that can really save the shoulders. Get some anti-inflammatories and start taking them a day or two before your trip, and while you are on your trip. Cool packs then hot packs, back and forth, in the evening help out. A little Yukon Jack never hurt either .
Enjoy your trip. Pain will be forgotten in a few days, but the memories of your trip can last a life time.
Probably improve my casting tremendously. Thanks for the help everybody. Especially the “exercise” now…not wait for the pain to go away. THAT was something I wanted to know. I do have a regime of exercises and the rubber band. Just don’t do the exercises and now pulled it. I know to do the exercises while having the pain. So I am good to go on that one. Thank you for telling me to go ahead with the exercises. That is very very helpful.
I was hoping for some home remedy or snake oil treatment of some kind. I will need to start the exercise regime today. Leaving day after tomorrow. Will be fishing Sunday.
I have a hip that will act up on me once in a while resulting in pain on the level you described and I use those air activated heating pads. Thermacare is the brand name. If heat helps, take a few of those along. They work for me.
By hook or by crook Jim, have a wonderful trip. Alternate heat and ice, about 30 min. each until you are sick of doing it. The pain will probably be a lot better by then.
I’ll prefex this first by saying it needs to be assessed by a physician.
Based on your discription “over time” and without exam and past history information, I would suggest it is a chronic tear which develops over a period of time more so than an a acute tear which tends to happen as a result of a sudden, powerful movement. Cronic tears usually occur at or near the tendon, as a result of the tendon rubbing against the overlying bone.
Ladyfisher advise is as good as your going to get in the next 5-8 days and add a sling, unless you are open to having a steriod injection which will enhance healing period.
A person should not treat themselves, when there is a injury that prohibits them from carrying out normal body movement functions. That is what medical doctors are for! See your family General Practiioner, it is he/she, that will determine what is wrong, and if you need to see a specialist/ specialists. Get qualified medical help, do not try to treat something that you have no knowledge of, and by treating yourself and procrastinating seeing your family doctor, you have a greater chance of making the injury worst than better. Your health is more important than going on vacation…
My daughter boyfriend is going in for surgery this coming week, because of numbness in his finger tips, for repetitive injuries from keying on a computer keyboard as part of his job with Comcast. Hopefully the surgeons will be able to correct the problem. Otherwise they will have to then do more radical surgery that is more dangerous, but will have to be done, otherwise he will lose all feeling in his fingers forever
Do not treat yourself, you have a fool for a patient, and a someone unqualified as a medical Practiioner! !~Parnelli
right now, use ice after use. before use use heat. the only thng you can control now is the inflamation in the joint and that’s what the ice will do. the heat is to loosen the tssue so as not to aggravate the joints as much and thereby causing more inflamation. the allday heat pads can also help keep things loose. i would also suggest motrin (ibufrofen)sp? to help keep the inflamation and pain down. so even if it feels good after a day of fishing, ice your shoulder down as sson as you can. but in the long run you need a dr. to examine and prescribe a plan maybe even surgery.
Celibrix, Baclofen, T3’s and what everybody else said, The fist three have enabled me to fish and not put a bullet to my head, after two hours.
I am not saying to use any specific med, just see your doc and get what is right for you!
I have had my R shoulder operated on , my L Knee operated on, Broken my R wrist in two places, 2" of my left calf torn out, R knee has petalla Femoral syndrome, AO of my lower spine, Bulging disks and parts of the disks broken off, Both feet have Planter Facitious and Pes Planus, and I just broke my ring finger in 3 places 4 weeks ago, had it operated on and 2 Lag Screws, 15 + stitches and 24 years in the Army…
All that to say see the Doc get fixed and carry on with life, if you delay then that is just time NOT WELL SPENT!!!
Well, trip didn’t happen. Went to pick up friend and head out and he couldn’t go. Family problems. Bummer.
Anyway, I still am in need of the rotator cuff problem information…so thank you everyone for the suggestions and information. I surely needed the information, and still do. I am going to have to face this repeating rotator cuff problem once and for all.
Thank you all again for the help. Very much appreciated.
Sorry about your big fishing trip. See a doctor but before you go get some more education on the condition with these two sites that I use often: http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?sourceType=undefined&query=rotator cuff. I like the Web MD site and the Mayo Clinic site here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/search/search. The links should take you to the search results for rotator cuff on both sites. Again, use the sites WITH your doctor’s apt. Many times by reading before you go you will have the knowledge to ask the right kinds of questions. Make a list of what you want to ask BEFORE you go to the doctor. My wife is usually in the driveway leaving the doctor’s office and says, “and I wanted to ask him …” The list will help you get organized and will save you some money by not having to set up another apt to ask what you should have asked the first time around.
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