Separated Shoulder

**Neil Nicholls** · 03-29-2009, 10:55 AM

I've recently suffered a separated shoulder in a downhill MTB accident.
Hit a jump all wrong and ended up flipping forwards and landing on my head and shoulder.

Man! this sitting around doing nothing recuperating is a right pain.
It's nice to be off work, but I'd rather be working and playing than sitting around.
After 2 weeks, I think I might be able to drive the car again now,
so I might be able to go and practice my short serve or something,
but I think it's going to be at least another 2 weeks before I can attempt to play.

So, just a warning to everyone else who mixes "extreme" sports with badminton: "Don't get hurt!"

***jamesd20*** · 03-29-2009, 10:58 AM

Ouch! Sorry to hear that Neil. Hope you get well soon.

When you say separated do you mean dislocated - Or something much worse?

Surely you will be lucky to start playing again in 4 weeks....

**Neil Nicholls** · 03-29-2009, 11:12 AM

separated shoulder in this sense
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separated_shoulder

dislocation of the AC joint, as distinct from a "dislocated shoulder"

I would say I only had a Type 1, but close to a Type 2.
Also various lesser injuries to other shoulder blade, ribs and left wrist.
Taking a deep breath was quite painful.
I don't want to remember what sneezing was like.

edit:
I suppose another "bonus" is that my knees and ankles get a nice rest before the singles league starts, but that will be offset by me having put back on all the weight I had managed to lose.

**Danstevens** · 03-29-2009, 11:17 AM

Get well soon, Neil. I'd hate not to be able to play badminton for that long.

Also, despite it not mattering as much as you, was your downhiller OK (I'm guessing no)? They're usually pretty expensive stuff.

**Neil Nicholls** · 03-29-2009, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Danstevens

They're usually pretty expensive stuff.

Expensive ones are built to take the punishment.
But mine is a relatively cheap Specialized (and not downhill specific) but it seems to have fared a lot better than I did...

**Danstevens** · 03-29-2009, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Neil Nicholls

Expensive ones are built to take the punishment.
But mine is a relatively cheap Specialized (and not downhill specific) but it seems to have fared a lot better than I did...

Well at least there's one (very small) upside.

Anyway, once again, get well soon.

**noppy** · 03-29-2009, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Neil Nicholls

I've recently suffered a separated shoulder in a downhill MTB accident.
Hit a jump all wrong and ended up flipping forwards and landing on my head and shoulder.

So, just a warning to everyone else who mixes "extreme" sports with badminton: "Don't get hurt!"

well firstly hope your back to form asap.

i used to do a bit of downhill and then before i did any damage realised, it isnt the safest as two of my friends broke vertebrae and spent months recovering, so i quickly changed to XC (cross country for the non bikers)

do you do DH for enjoyment or fitness or a mixture?

and i agree mixing sports isnt good the sports dont even need to be extreme iv done a number of sports that were rather dodgy for example field hockey, i hurt my knees so many times (gave worse than i got

)

you should come down to the Forest of Dean there are some amazing tracks for all types of rider.

**Neil Nicholls** · 03-30-2009, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by noppy

do you do DH for enjoyment or fitness or a mixture?

more for variety,
I've mostly been a roadie (for fitness), and done XC (for fun) with friends who don't like the roads.
And then started liking XC more, particularly when I don't want to get my road bike wet or dirty.
Then added in a little DH for variety, but don't do it much, so I haven't got a DH-specific bike.

I'll probably be a bit more conservative now for a while...

***Cheung*** · 04-01-2009, 05:03 AM

Is this your racquet arm?

**stan boyd** · 04-05-2009, 03:59 PM

i had dislocation probs when playing round the head smash, ouch very painfull, also fell skiing popped it all in all prob 10-20 times in 7 or so years, so had op to fix it arthroscopic bankhart repair with capsual repair, bout 28 months ago, only gettin back to normal this season and still aches now, playin with slow shuttles or playin alot, but dusnt pop, touch wood, hope urs not gonna keep poppin too, rest it then search net for sum deltoid stabilisin excersises, physio room on net has all the ones i got from hospital

**Neil Nicholls** · 04-23-2009, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by Cheung

Is this your racquet arm?

unfortunately - yes.

Well, 5 weeks on:
all pain in the ribs is gone
haven't swung a racquet yet, only exercise I've had is walking.

Actually, about 2 weeks after my initial visit, the A&E department phoned me up to go back in, because one of their consultants reviewed the x-rays and thought it might be more serious than they originally thought.

So I went back in, and they did some more x-rays, and then they referred me to the Fractures Clininc to see a specialist. He eventually decided there was nothing more wrong than initially thought, but said he would have started me on physio sooner. He said this sort of thing usually takes 6-8 weeks.

Most of the pain I still have is in my neck muscles.
I guess that when I landed, my head was pushed sideways which sprained/tore some of the neck muscles.

I am going slowly stir-crazy, but tomorrow I start moving house, so at least I will have something to keep me busy for a while.

**bradmyster** · 04-23-2009, 09:03 PM

i dislocated my shoulder 8 months ago at work. lucky it was my left shoulder and not my right so it doesnt affect badminton. My advice do not return until you have recouperated perfectly.

Shoulders take a hell of a long time to heal correctly and can have a dominant effect if treated wrong. rebuild your strength and ease back into it i say

goodluck

EDIT : just read you said "i havnt swung a racket yet"

its only been 5 weeks. You shouldnt think about badminton for at least another month or 2. 8 months on and i still get pain in my shoulder when i do weight training at gym.

dont risk it or you will be sorry. wait it out.