Yesterday

[Sore Thumbs]

I see how it is - get a little shoulder injury and that's when the top water bite starts.

Seriously, rotator cuff damage on my rod arm makes even the thought of spooking painful. The doc plunged steroids in the joint and wants me to rehab for 3 weeks before he sends me to the shoulder cutter for a MRI and decision. If the rehab does not work I'm guessing I'll need a fix. I suspect some of you have had the same problem. How long did it take for the pain to go away and the strength and flexibility to come back?

Hey RPS, I know several people who have had rotator cuff injuries in the past. Unless procedures have changed in the last ten years I would tell you to rehab and live with it. Surgery has a long recovery and your rotator could hurt just as bad after the surgery as did before. My freind had it done and said if he had to do it all over again he would not have had the surgery. If the procedure now a days has small insision that helps. My friends was huge at the time of his surgery. I would avoid surgery at all costs. If surgery is the only solution I would make sure and follow Doctors rehab insructions to the letter. Good luck to you I hope a little rest is all thats needed.

[flipper]

I see how it is - get a little shoulder injury and that's when the top water bite starts.

Seriously, rotator cuff damage on my rod arm makes even the thought of spooking painful. The doc plunged steroids in the joint and wants me to rehab for 3 weeks before he sends me to the shoulder cutter for a MRI and decision. If the rehab does not work I'm guessing I'll need a fix. I suspect some of you have had the same problem. How long did it take for the pain to go away and the strength and flexibility to come back?

I know how bad those hurt! My experiance is that those injactions have to be exactly in the right place . First time I had no relife second doc got it right no more problems unless I over do it . B.T.W. side arm cast don't hurt as bad.

[glennL]

Rps. Surely you hurt it pulling in those 10+ walleyes. Just tough it out and every time it hurts, just think of those walleye and surely the pain will go away. Time to learn to cast with the other arm. Heck, all reels are on the wrong side of the rod anyways. Now you won't miss a second switching over after each cast.

[NuB2TR]

As with any injury, recovery will depend on severity, so recovery time "may vary with use". I had rt. shoulder rotator-cuff surgery a year ago January. Since the surgery was minor by comparison, it was done arthroscopicly. I was told it would take one year for the joint to return to the same flexibility I had prior to surgery, and they were dead on. Rehab will certainly help (I'm told). I am either too macho or too stupid (poll to be published soon) to go to therapy. I went once to learn the exercises and did them at home.... sometimes.

Good luck with yours. I have not been sorry I had mine scoped, as I am now pain-free and able to "cast again". I just need therapy on where to cast!

[Fishinbluedog]

I see how it is - get a little shoulder injury and that's when the top water bite starts.

Seriously, rotator cuff damage on my rod arm makes even the thought of spooking painful. The doc plunged steroids in the joint and wants me to rehab for 3 weeks before he sends me to the shoulder cutter for a MRI and decision. If the rehab does not work I'm guessing I'll need a fix. I suspect some of you have had the same problem. How long did it take for the pain to go away and the strength and flexibility to come back?

I have had a bad one since 94, got it over throwing a softball with my kids on Easter. If I baby mine and be careful it gets better and better. There are exercises you can do to help, check into it but only after you nurse it back to almost normal. I fish hard and I work in construction so it does flair up time to time. Do not forget about it once it feels better. The worst is playing volleyball or throwing anything overhand. They wanted to operate back then but I opted out as I prefer not to be carved if possible. My sister and my son half both had it repaired thru surgery and do seem to be normal but admit it can still be aggrevated by some actions. And yes it is a long recovery time after surgery. I have also learned to throw my lures just a little differently, you dont want to let your arm snap and the end of the cast. Good luck to you

[rps]

Actually, it isn't the throwing arm. It is the arm I use to hold the reel/rod and to work the bait. I say it was spooking that injured it, but it could be a leftover from the old days that has flared into something. As hard as I used the frame for so many years, odd things crop up from time to time to remind me there was a price. Regardless, the way I extend my arm and snap down to walk a lure may have to change. What really frustrates me is the complete lack of strength for raising my arm, much less raising something like a grocery bag onto the counter.

I have an appointment on the 27th with an orthopedic. I am hoping it is an inflamed bursa and fixable without cutting. Otherwise ... we will see.

BTW, thanks for the responses.

[jay bird]

If it was not a traumatic injury and just started hurting over time u may just have shoulder impingement syndrome. If this is the case rehab should help, you can get shoulder impingment from a couple of different things, but the one u really worry about is bone spurs (this can cause a sawing like motion that cuts through the rotator cuff tendon). If you do have to have surgery they have come a long way in the last 15 years , but the whole process does take about 12 weeks. I work in rehab and we have these come through the clinic all the time with really good results. They may also do something called a shoulder decompression so that there is more space for your rotator cuff.(So it does not get pinched) If they do the MRI and there is no tear on the rotator cuff and the Doctor wants to do this surgery u are only looking a 4-6 weeks of being out. If you have any questions please just PM me I would be happy to help in any way I can.

Jason

[rps]

Thanks Jason

[techo]

Going through shoulder stuff myself RPS. Had the MRI last week. Feel your pain literally. PT seems to help in the long run but hurts like hades day of. I am stalling off on surgery because I just plain old don't have time for it.

I fish left handed so maybe together we can......never mind too weird!

[rps]

You are right. Too weird.