Reinjury during rehab for shoulder dislocation

[rdf1987]

Hi everyone, I'm Robb, 23.

2 months ago I suffered an anterior shoulder subluxation after a fall from a sledge going some speed onto my outstretched right arm. I reduced it myself within 20 seconds by bending at the waist. There was no pain while the humerus rested on the edge of the glenoid rim, just a feeling that something was out of place. I rested it without a sling and started to regain strength and ROM quite quickly, but after 10 days, I felt a tear/click and an instant of pain when I reached for a towel. Instability, and just a very odd feeling throughout my entire arm followed and I went to A+E 3 days later. I had weakness, altered sensation in my hand and loss of proprioception, plus instability with the arm by my side. The X-ray showed no bone abnnormality and I was sent away with a shoulder immobiliser to be worn for 2 weeks. I started physio after this, and for 4 weeks things went great.

10 days ago I felt a sudden pulse of pain in the front of my shoulder just by moving my arm forward while my hand was still in my jacket pocket. I then tested my arm behind my back. Through flexing and internally rotating my shoulder, and protracting the scapula, starting from a position of hyperextension, I felt a large click around my AC joint and an instant of moderate pain in the front of my shoulder. I had immediate but slight weakness and again just a feeling of oddness. I went about activities fairly normally, but after a day, I felt like the shoulder shouldn't be used and I had slight discomfort in the front, plus marked weakness in any movement. The altered hand sensation also came back and the odd feeling of the arm. Is this due to inflammation interfering with nerves or did I catch a nerve?

I used the shoulder minimally for a week, revisited A+E but was just given a sling. I also saw a GP a few days later, but they don't know what I might have done. They advised to keep using the arm but gently so that the joint didn't freeze up. The mild discomfort, oddness and burning sensation went, and I started pendulum exercises and very light wall presses and extension with bands. Strength and ROM is returning again, but the burning sensation has returned today and I'm worried. Is this burning associated with healing?

What could I have injured in the way I described? I assume the initial injury was stretching or tearing of the joint capsule, possibly MGHL, or IGHL, and labrum. So have I reinjured the scar tissue that healed those things or did I catch or tear something else due to poor movement of the scapula associated with the weakness and stiffness from immobilisation?

Thanks for any thoughts. I'm getting down about this, even though I know it could be far worse. Sorry for the long explanation.

This site looks great and the knowledge base is very impressive.

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[Aneed333]

Hello ,
In which part are you feeling burning sensation "palmar or dorsal of the hand ".
Did you have your nerve conducted ?
Did you feel this sensation at the beginning ?
Do you take any medication not related to the current problem before or after the injury ?

[rdf1987]

Thanks for the reply.

The burning sensation is in the part of my palm farthest from my thumb. It's also in the front of the shoulder, and near the sternoclavicular joint. It's intermittent and seems to get worse with increased shoulder movement.

I haven't had any nerve conduction tests.

I didn't have this sensation with the dislocation, nor with the second injury, it's only come after the third injury.

I'm not on any medication.