Shoulder injury?

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pat_courchesne

ArboristSite Lurker
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Hello,

I am currently experiencing shoulder pain. It's been going on for several months now and I'm seeing a physiotherapist, Chiropractor, and a Message Therapist. In order to get better. I was wondering if anyone ever experience this before. I've had x-rays, ultrasounds, and waiting on MRI results. I was told that i have some torn muscles in the shoulders and biceps. My neck is also hurting i guess from looking up so much and performing overhead work. I dont have an actual diagnosis from my doctor since he's not sure what it could be.

I would like some input, or suggestions from anyone in the arboriculture trade. I have been a full time climber for 3 years now. And I would really hate to be forced to leave the trade. I love it too much.
 
I think that everyone who climbs experiences some type of issues after time with their shoulders. Try using foot ascenders and friction savers if you're not using them. Your legs are far stronger than your arms.
 
I had shoulder problems about 3 years ago.Went to the doc but never got MRI.
I told the doc"it hurts if I hold my arm up over my head"He agreed and said "Don't do that until it quits hurting." Gee..thanks sawbones!

I am currently suffering with a case of self diagnosed tennis elbow.
Pain at the top of the elbow,where forearm muscle meets the elbow.
It hurts to even pour a cup of coffee.Pot feels like it weighs 50lbs.
It started the first Monday after Christmas on a really simple TD.
Has ALMOST healed twice now,but then keeps getting re-aggrivated.The shoulder
was the same way.Dealt with it around 3months as best as I can recall.

Hope it's nothing serious and you feel better soon.
 
I had a dislocated shoulder, along with several other injurys from an accident on the fire line many years ago. Over 20 years later I am still in pain and can't throw over hand, and it hurts to look up for long times but I still climb every day. To lots of climbers pain is just something you learn to live with as you get older.
Some times taking some time off to let everything heal will help. I find stretching exercises also help.
I don't have much faith in doctors and stay a way from pain meds.
 
Sounds like a possible rotator cuff tear to me. "Months of pain" is a long time for soft tissue damage. The results of your MRI will most likely confirm that it is some type of ligament damage. PT for a rotator cuff is simply resistance bands at varying strengths until you get back to close full strength. Do you know how the injury happened?
 
If you are having trouble climbing. Try the DLRW or double line rope walker. I can't explain just go to youtube and search DLRW or YouTube - DLRW To make the climb easyer use a chest box roller and good luck.
 
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If you are having trouble climbing. Try the DLRW or double line rope walker. I can't explain just go to youtube and search DLRW or YouTube - DLRW To make the climb easyer use a chest box roller and good luck.

That looks pretty sweet.

As far as aches n pains and injury goes....well I went once to the Doc n told him my back hurt . he looked me over alittle and then asked me some questions. When he asked me what I did for a living n I told him he just kinda stopped right there and said ,"well ...u should just do something else" LOL...ya ok doc..thx man. I went just last year to a orthopidec doc for my achen knees. I thought mayb it was time for cortisone shot but doc said they really aren't that bad. He also asked me what I did for a living and when I told him he said ....."You better make as much money as you can in the next five years" (I am 40) LOL...once again..THX DOC
 
You mentioned you have pain in your neck. Do you have numbing and tingling, and pain down arm and into you fingers?

Seems simple, but I was treated for shoulder injury for 3 months, before I spoke to a friend and it was explained could be nerve issues, which is bulging disk or disks in neck. I was classic case, but all depends on who treats you.
 
Hello,

I am currently experiencing shoulder pain. It's been going on for several months now and I'm seeing a physiotherapist, Chiropractor, and a Message Therapist. In order to get better. I was wondering if anyone ever experience this before. I've had x-rays, ultrasounds, and waiting on MRI results. I was told that i have some torn muscles in the shoulders and biceps. My neck is also hurting i guess from looking up so much and performing overhead work. I dont have an actual diagnosis from my doctor since he's not sure what it could be.

I would like some input, or suggestions from anyone in the arboriculture trade. I have been a full time climber for 3 years now. And I would really hate to be forced to leave the trade. I love it too much.

When I do overhead work for an extended period of time I get sore shoulders too. If I pull on too many branches in a day, the same thing will happen.
My only suggestion is to try not to work with your arms above your head (very hard to do in this business) and/or give your shoulders a rest. Torn muscle takes a while to heal.
A good acupuncturist will do wonders for you as well. Good luck.
 
I was just thinking, if it was me I might try a sport medicine dr, they are used to people overworking their bodies. Maybe they could help if you have one close.
 
Gee, at 3 years I would have never admitted to the pain, nope, I would have waited at least a decade and now at 20 just stay outta my way.

A constant regiment of hardcore stretching is what to do.
 
I feel your pain. Just had an MRI today. I have constant neck pain that radiates down the left shoulder. If I look the wrong way (sleep too) I get numbness in the shoulder and face. Had an issue with C6-C7 degenerative disc in the past. I'm sure it's just worse now. I did a lot of research on repetitive motion injury. Unfortunately tree climbers are very susceptible to it. The last thing a climber wants to do when they get home is work out to strengthen and develop the muscles that get under utilized while climbing.
 
Hello,

I am currently experiencing shoulder pain. It's been going on for several months now and I'm seeing a physiotherapist, Chiropractor, and a Message Therapist. In order to get better. I was wondering if anyone ever experience this before. I've had x-rays, ultrasounds, and waiting on MRI results. I was told that i have some torn muscles in the shoulders and biceps. My neck is also hurting i guess from looking up so much and performing overhead work. I dont have an actual diagnosis from my doctor since he's not sure what it could be.

I would like some input, or suggestions from anyone in the arboriculture trade. I have been a full time climber for 3 years now. And I would really hate to be forced to leave the trade. I love it too much.

Wait for your MRI results and don't be hesitant to ask questions on best recovery method and preventative therapy. Each injury is unique and it sounds like you have more than one area irritated. Everything from proper nutrition, changing work positioning, strengthening surrounding muscle play a big part in avoiding repetitive stress injuries. Best luck with your recovery
 
I had shoulder problems about 3 years ago.Went to the doc but never got MRI.
I told the doc"it hurts if I hold my arm up over my head"He agreed and said "Don't do that until it quits hurting." Gee..thanks sawbones!

I am currently suffering with a case of self diagnosed tennis elbow.
Pain at the top of the elbow,where forearm muscle meets the elbow.
It hurts to even pour a cup of coffee.Pot feels like it weighs 50lbs.
It started the first Monday after Christmas on a really simple TD.
Has ALMOST healed twice now,but then keeps getting re-aggrivated.The shoulder
was the same way.Dealt with it around 3months as best as I can recall.

Hope it's nothing serious and you feel better soon.

Hey I have watched buddies suffer and go through months of therapy for tennis elbow. Like you the the coffee cup weighed a ton (both arms injured at the same time) and I couldn't stop working either. went to a friend who is a chiropractor and had ultrasound for a few minutes every day then every other for two weeks and wow! healed. You might want to give it a try
 
I suffered from what my doctor thinks was a pinched nerve in my right shoulder. That was about four winters ago. I could hadly do anything for two and a half months or so. I think I got it from sleeping on the couch wrong. lol.

It came back mostly, but the mussle gets like hot feeling in the shoulder sometimes (undernieth, by the arm pit) and my fingers get numb sometimes.. particulary when I'm leaning over the computer typing..
 
My vote says a torn rotator cuff. Been there done that. If you have the choice between surgery or physical therapy, try the physical therapy first. You are looking at almost a year to be back at 100% after surgery. An MRI will show just what you have. Does it hurt too much to sleep on that side and you just can't seem to get comfortable enough to make the pain go away? Hurts to raise your arm?
 
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My experience with shoulder and the associated neck pain from two separations is that it takes a long time to heal, especially if you are stressing it on a daily basis as it sounds like you are climbing.
 
I have had shoulder pain for years.I have been to doctors and chiropractors nobody could tell me what it was much less fix me. 3 years ago it got so bad I couldn't lift my arm above my chest. My employer told me to try his chiropractor who applies kinesiology to his practice. He made me do some things with my diet, take large amounts of vitamins and see him every week. I was 60% better in a month and as good as I get in 3. The reason (he says) is that due to my diet and lack of vitamins a mussel in my chest shuts down and and makes the mussels in my shoulder over work. He is not a doctor but I was hurting bad enough to try anything. I would never have gone and was talk into it . Glad I did.
 
My knees and shoulder get painful every so often, they have been troubling me on and off for over a decade. When I start to "feel" it I take glucomisin (sp?) tablets, one or two a day for a couple weeks.

I only take them when I need them and know quite a few climbers who swear by them.
 
Many years ago, I suffered from chronic tennis elbow; right & left. Nothing helped; wrist bands, daily aspirin, ibuprofin, elbow braces & pads...

Then I tried drinking some green tea. HATED IT! But all the soreness went away in about one month, and if I don't drink any green tea for a few weeks, it will start coming back.

This is absolutely a solution for my problem. I have at least 8 years of green tea therapy, and if I quit...it comes back. It's not for everybody, I'm sure, but it works for me and my tennis elbows.

Sadly, it doesn't get rid of all my aches and pains, just the bursitis and a general improvement in mobility.
 
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