Shoulder Labral Repair

Hi,

I am a 20 year old male who had a shoulder labral repair surgery about 18 weeks ago. I originally got this injury February last year playing a rugby match when I fell on my shoulder and it over extended backwards. My arm went dead and I couldn’t lift it. However it eventually loosened out and I played on however I was unable to tackle. Several weeks later I had a similar dislocation. The physio treated this and I was diagnosed with shoulder bursitis after an MRI. I then got a cortisone injection and returned playing 2 weeks later but it dislocated again. Finally I visited a surgeon and he sent me for an MRI with a dye injected beforehand which revealed I had a torn labrum.

I got the surgery on November 24th 2010. It was open surgery. I have a 4 inch scar down the front of my shoulder.

After this I got in with a very good physio who works with professional rugby players at the moment and he put me under an accelerated rehab programme. I did a lot of work stretching and regained my range of motion very well. After a review with the surgeon he said everything was good and that he didn’t expect to see me back. I plan to return to rugby next season (September 2011).

My question is concerning a pain I have which developed yesterday evening after a gym session. It is on the outside of the shoulder and it is very noticeable and painful when I do external rotations with elastics (rotator cuff excercise).

I am just wondering is this something to be worried about?

Thanks

hi.
i think this is not the suitable time to start gym exercise. you can start slowly without hurting you much.
before go for gym you need at least muscle power of the shoulder muscles spl cuff muscle to have 4+ . after attaining this much strength you can start gym exercise
before that if you get pain during exs please try with cryotherapy

I work with semi prof rugby and at 6 months we have them back playing and 18 weeks they are all in the gym doing strengthening. At 18 weeks and if the surgeon hasnt booked you to see him back, he is confident in his repair and this is the time to go back to the gym. The accelerated program is designed with modern repair techniques in mind and safely guides you through recovery. Its important that you regain strength around the shoulder now before pre season so that is protect the repair. Pains around the shoulder are not neccesarily a bad sign, it may just be as you have worked muscles that havent been worked, it may be because some muscles are overworkign to compensate. I would go back to see the physio and ease off the exercises with the elastic until it settles, maybe use a longer band or twist out with you elbow more into the side.

Thanks for the responses,

I took a few days off and gave the shoulder a rest and returned to the gym yesterday the pain is gone and it feels good again. I think I might have just overworked it last Thursday in the gym before the pain developed that evening. I'm going to see the physio again next week and we're going to try a little contact (hitting a tackle bag) so I hope that goes well.

Once again thanks for the replies issyphysio and laxmi64.