frogbiscuit

Long story short I have had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders, left about 12 years ago. Right shoulder less than two years ago. Massive L shaped tear, borderline irreparable. Have about 75% range of motion, equal amount strength above my head.

So I was screwing around with my Android watch while riding and I fell, luckily into a pile of nice soft grass. Two days later, shoulder is sore as hell. Seem to have great range of motion, not sure what I did but it made my shoulder hurt.

Doc says too young for shoulder replacement (57) and another surgery is not an option at this point. Says to deal with it. Kind of leary about getting back on the bike (not that I think I will fall, only fallen three times in 30 years), I just can't risk hosing up the shoulder again. Damn getting old sucks.

Juan Foote

Recumbent trikes are really hard to fall over on. Really difficult to load and transport in some cases too. Even at times difficult to find a good place to ride them. I would suggest looking at one with suspension if you go that route.

Carbonfiberboy 

I do two things for my shoulders: hang from my hands at least 2 X 1' twice a week and do dumbbell work at the gym. It's been effective. Strong and conditioned is good.

rumrunn6

feel better. btw, which way did you fall? left? or right?

frogbiscuit

Fell to the left, reached from the right

rumrunn6

growing consensus that most cyclist falls (no-pro) are to the left. you gotta stop screwing with your watch tho huh? but you're not alone, I fell (to the left) last fall screwing with a camera when my front wheel got sucked into some mud. have you been out on your bike since the fall?

frogbiscuit

Oh yeah, seems like no worse for the wear, just dont heal as fast as I used to.

rumrunn6

give it 6 months

canklecat

I unintentionally avoided surgery for my shoulder injury last year after I was hit by a car. I had a Grade 4 separation, broken coracoid process, torn up everything -- AC, rotator cuff, etc. During pre-op evaluation the anesthesiologist was palpating my trachea and said "Mmmm... I don't like this."

Turns out my Hashimoto's thyroid disease had worsened into cancer, encapsulated inside the calcified thyroid, but so swollen it had deformed and constricted my trachea. I knew I was having trouble swallowing and breathing during hard exertion, but it happened so gradually I hardly noticed, although I had noticed larger pills were getting harder to swallow. By summer last year I could hardly swallow solid food.

I couldn't be intubated so shoulder surgery was delayed until I had thyroid surgery. By the time that was done, my shoulder had healed -- more or less. And it aggravated older injuries from a 2001 car wreck that fractured six vertebrae from my neck to lower back.

But I was still having constant pain and weakness. I was doing some physical therapy at home, but it wasn't helping much. I got back into PT this year with a good therapist and just the last week or so I'm noticing some significant improvements: less pain overall, especially at night; fewer pain relievers; better range of motion and strength off the bike; able to ride longer with less neck and shoulder pain.

The shoulder is a bit deformed and probably always will be. It's too late for surgery to repair the damage from a year ago, but too early for a total shoulder joint replacement. But it's doing better and should continue to improve within reasonable limits.

Last year at this time I would not have anticipated such a long rehab process.

gobicycling

Well, Cankle Cat - it seems fortuitous you had the shoulder injury - catching the cancer! Good luck on your therapy.

canklecat

Yup, odd kinda luck, but in a way the timing was lucky.

I suppose it would have been caught sooner if I hadn't neglected my health for so long. I didn't see a doctor routinely for anything for almost 20 years. That was the real lucky bit -- getting away for so long without any medical treatment. But now I'm getting good care from the VA, despite the occasionally negative media portrayal (which is accurate in some regions -- but the DFW region is treating us well).

Carbonfiberboy 

I fell on my single last week. Didn't put out a hand, landed on the whole side of my body, got back up and rode away. Nada. I was going slow, a few minor scrapes. Stupid, wandered off the asphalt, couldn't get back on. At least I fell away from traffic.