This is for any health care workers or people who have experienced this. I took a bad fall on my right shoulder, thought sure it was broke but the x ray said otherwise. Thing is I can’t use it. Can’t cook, clean, play guitar, let alone work out. But do try to do what I can. I worry that maybe I’m pushing it too hard. It ended up being bruised all the way down to my wrist. Googled and you tubed the heck out of it and I keep hearing 6-8 weeks. Any thoughts, suggestions would be most welcome. Been 18 days now.
You do need 6-8 weeks recovery time but if you feel things are still not right maybe you could ask your doc for another evaluation or some PT. If the Xray showed your bones were OK, have the Doc check your muscles. Perhaps there is an injury there preventing your movement. Is the lack of use due to weakness or pain?
yes it feels like its getting worse. But the swelling has gone away and the pain has moved more into my upper arm. But still mostly located in the shoulder joint. and yes a lot of weakness and pain. Its all I can do to lift a cup of coffee. Is it best at this stage I use it as little as possible? .
Were you told your shoulder is separated? Grades 1-3 can be likened to a sprain, Grade 4 involves tendon and ligament damage that requires surgical repair.
Use the shoulder as little as possible, but exercise your hand and elbow as much as you can. Typing, writing, etc. For the shoulder itself, if you can handle NSAIDs, take them. Use an arm sling. Heat may help.
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Medical advice belongs in IMHO.
Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion.
Did the doc give you a cortisone shot? That really helped me when I overextended my shoulder.
Sounds like you went to the ER for the x-ray. As others have indicated you could still have muscle and ligament damage. You should go see an orthopedic shoulder specialist. They can properly diagnose you. At a minimum you will probably need some physical therapy rehab so they can teach you the proper exercises to get your mobility and strength back.
Have you had an MRI? Soft tissue injuries are much more frequent than fractures of the humerus. In my unprofessional opinion it sounds like a rotator cuff tear.
Yeah this. The shoulder is the craziest joint! Or sets of joints. There’s all sorts of shit going on in a shoulder.
I fell on the top of my shoulder while improperly doing a forward roll in karate and nothing got broke or messed up too bad. No swelling, just pain. But I still had a hard time doing basic movements with my arm and ended up going to see a specialist and having to do PT and I had pain in it FOREVER. And it was mild compared to what it sounds you got going on.
Don’t even bother with your GP, unless it’s to get a referral to a specialist.