RRC Archives

Cool. Thanks, Jesse. I have a hard time turning down work though--that might be the toughest part!

I've had surgeries on both shoulders now to repair torn rotator cuffs. It runs in my family* - I've had eight (count 'em) relatives, all on my mother's side, who have had similar problems, though a couple of them were able to get by with PT rather than surgery.

Both surgeries affected me in pretty much the same way. My arm was basically useless for a month, followed by a month of limited use, followed by a slow return to climbing. My last surgery was in February, and my shoulder has been 100% since May or so. It now feels better than it did before the surgery - which is the whole point of doing it.

Don't be afraid of surgery if the Dr. says you need it. It sucks for a couple months, but in the end it really is worth it. My surgeon both times was Dr. Gregory Konrath, who works here in Lafayette. I would recommend him to anybody, because in addition to being a good surgeon he is also a climber. He totally understands what we do. It is on his advice that I've begun lifting weights: he says that if you do nothing but climb, the muscles on the back of the shoulders will become much stronger than the muscles on the front of the shoulders, which can lead to imbalance, which probably contributed to my problems.

* Oddly, Dr. K insists that my problems are not congenital and therefore shouldn't run in families. Go figure.

I know another guy who has had shoulder surgery and he now climbs V13s regularly. He even sent the Mandala. After his surgery he asked me how long it took me before I was climbing again. I told him to take it easy for a month or two and to do lots of stretching and massaging. Evidentally he is doing fine now...

ynot wrote:Give it some time. We'll climb again someday. A few months ago I couldn't put my own socks on. I'm painfree now. It's tough to slow down and tell people"no I can't do that" but thats what it takes for awhile.

I can't put my on socks on either but that is because someone use them for toilet paper.

Yeah, I've been told that my shoulders are rolled forward as well.

I'm resigned to thinking that if it's going to fix me I might as well suck it up and do it. and now is the time as work is slow...

Rags, always get a 2d opinion. Joel's doc sounds like a good choice.

My surgeon was awesome too. Dr. Hagan in Lafayette, Indiana.

Thanks...I don't think my health insurance would allow me to travel out of state to see a specialist but thanks anyway. Surgery is scheduled for the 2nd week of august.

Do you have any idea how hard it's going to be for me to keep my shoulder immobile for a month? I admit it: I am a workaholic and presently have several projects going on and this is the slow period. This is going to be really tough.

my wife is reminding me that it's only arthroscopic...

Damn, Rags...I'm so sorry. We're here for ya, if you need anything.

Hell, if it's arthroscopic then you'll be healed in no time. (I had an arthroscopic shoulder surgery the first time).