Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Past injuries haunt you.

Back in 2004, when I was 45 years old, I took a bad spill on my bike. The point of my shoulder hit the pavement and while I didn't break anything I ended up with a bruise from the top of my shoulder to center chest. The orthopedic doctor said the Subacromial Bursa was inflamed and that it probably never would go all the way back down. He said it would probably cause me problems later in life.

He was dead right on that. Over the year I had periodic trouble with it, minor pain, but some anti-inflammatory OTC meds and Tylenol took care of that. Now it's been going on for more than a month and is getting worse. It literally feels like there is not enough room inside my shoulder. Big problem is that I can't draw a pistol from a holster without that spot of pain on the up pull and then pain as I bring my hands together. Not to mention that it's difficult to point the pistol one handed even sideways. Then I can't shoulder a rifle without working at it, and then not for too long. I can shoot off a bench where my arm is supported.

The thing is back when I first hurt it and as I recovered I told them I was having these same problems. That was met with a strange look and really indifference by both the doctors office and the therapist. Only when I said it was a requirement of my job did they pay any attention.

So what is the course of treatment. From what I read it's injections. Those failing it's Subacromial decompression surgery, then that failing it is removal of the bursa. They say after about four months the bursa grows back. I see the doc on the 27th. Until then its the noninflammatory meds (Ibuprophin) and the rubs.

I should probably tell them it has seriously effected my Tee off and my golf average is going all to hell. That might be considered a much more serious matter.

No haunt, just hurt, put it out of your head and plow forward, we need to live hard and play hard till we die!

Feel better Armed, take care of yourself as best you can, but realize Father Time is undefeated.

We will all get there eventually.

That sucks. I like the golf strategism. You may also try using "fishing" or some stupid trendy liberal fad such as paddleboarding.

Good luck in this, I have had a bad elbow from a fall fifteen years ago that I did not document at work. But it is not as bad as what you are going through.

I have had multiple injuries from sports (torn tendons, broken bones) and back when I was very young had polio in my left leg and back. All ache to some degree but as gunner said the aches a person just puts out of their head and moves forward. I did some more damage to my left knee last fall and was put in a full leg brace. I said screw this there has to be another way (I am 68 and my injuries are from 18 thru my 20's). I found a very good deep massage therapist who also taught yoga and she put me into a stretching / strengthening program targeting my hips and knees on both sides as I was compensating with my good leg. I am about 2 1/2 months on this and can walk normally again (brace is in the closet). My suggestion on your shoulder would be to see a deep massage therapist that could also give you a routine for stretching. There is nothing to lose with this approach as you are not getting operated on and are just moving / de-binding under utilized muscles and tendons. Having had should surgery to reattach tendons you will be in some discomfort and the suck it up pill may be required. Good luck

Many shoulder surgeries, neck fusion, many broken bones, played pretty hard and rodeo'd some.
Shoulder surgery Jan 14 2020 , this Humpty is going to rope this Spring. 62 this month.
Shoot little recoiling rifles, don't deadlift heavy things but quite healthy, creaky in the morning.Good luck

I have two broke wrist but they don’t bother to much. Just a dull ache mostly. Just found out about the one a year ago. Doc said it was a very old break. Oh well. Ed k

Here's the thing, it doesn't just hurt it sticks. When I push into it my arm shakes. It's like trying to hold up a weight. Not just pain but impingement.

Same deal. After 9 surgeries on my knee and ankle, almost all work related, I finally had to pull the plug and find something else to keep me occupied.

sorry to hear that Armed, anyone can be young, but you gotta be tough to be old. .
hope you get fixed.

Not me, I will shoot until I die. I will find a way. Even if I have to retrain all left handed.

"They say after about four months the bursa grows back."

Who's they? I've never heard that.

I’ve spent some time in real physical therapy wards in hospitals. My injuries were severe but, they were minor in what the shoulder guys had. I can still hear their screams of pain from forced movement therapy. Shop around for the best ortho surgeon. You need the fighter pilot that can work on his plane while it’s running.

I have various old injuries that remind me of my age! That's why the saying , getting old isn't for pussies!

Not my shoulder, but here's one that caught up to me! Just over 2 years since the surgery and doing SO much better! The shots, and therapy, no longer helped and I was in so much pain... not any more. I used to be invincible... used to be. It's slowed me down a little, but I'm picking up speed again! Mine's the result of an old water skiing and motorcycle accident (arthritis set in) and then 40 years of electrical construction. Hope the best for you and your situation!

I'll pass but wish you well.

Seems like I always sympathize and feel sorry about the physical woes of others - and you are included. Hope it gets a lot better for you.

After a lifetime of sports injuries, then hunting/outdoor mishaps and a couple of vehicle wrecks - all of which hurt (some a bunch) and all of which were overcome with some stoicism and dedicated effort - I feel quite grateful to have been able to have kept plowing on with energy.

My perception that much/most of the overcoming is attitudinal has been even more driven by a couple of serious internal events after age 75 which finally put me into hospital treatment/confinement - way too long each time. That stuff can make a guy stir crazy. Found that, even after such near catastrophic events, the answer for me is to build oneself back up by degrees and keep charging forward. Sometimes it hurts to do so, but the alternatives are not appealing.

MAY!



I would really rather do the Acromioplasty first, and probably that is where the doc would go, according to my sister anyway. She would know, knows the doc, was a nurse for 44 years before retiring as Chief Nursing Officer at a University Hospital.

https://www.arthritis-health.com/types/bursitis/shoulder-bursitis-surgery

Two brain surgeries, an ACL tear from 1964, two knee jobs on it later, and two shoulder jobs (rotator cuff). Left shoulder is giving me trouble lately and the left knee swells and won’t bend. Heck, it’s always something, and I hurt somewhere most of the time. But I just don’t know what to do but keep going.

I had planned to live forever, but am now thinking that plan may be flawed.

Just reading some of these posts makes me ache. damn

Only surgeries I've had were a couple hernias (no long term effects) and a repaired tendon in my hand. She did carpal tunnel while in there. I've a couple aches that creep up over time though. Got lawn darted off a horse 14-15 years ago, broke the helmet and jacked my neck. Sprained an ankle really bad a couple years ago and when they did x-rays found out I had broken it years before, just thought it was a bad sprain. That one absolutely haunts me though.