Therapy for AC joint

[Mr. Muscles]

anybody go to PT or get surgery ? lay off certain exercises?

 

[Gunsmith]

I've had both my shoulders scoped for an AC "clean up" , basicaly a build up of crap causing an impingment on the bursa , it gets inflamed and the constant moving of the shoulder never gives it enough rest to subside and the build up is still their ready to cause trouble again. my doc explained that its pretty much a sign of early onset artheritis and unless I stopped what I was doing that caused it it would return.

I have since stopped ALL barbell pressing exercises and replaced with bumbells and also dropped the weight some in trade for slower motion through the rep with a good squeez at the top and good strech at the bottom , granted I don't get the sorness after a chest workout like I did when I would flat bench 365 for 4-5 sets to failure with a forced rep but my shoulders sure apperciat it more and my chest is bigger now than it was then.

the biggest thing is going to a sports med surgen that understands what kind of stress is gonna be on the joint and just what he can get away with in surgery. The PT afterword is also very very important , if you can get ultrasound on the shoulder for a couple weeks after that will greatly help with reducing scar tissue buildup as will constantly massaging the shoulder and streching it.

 

[Pericles]

I've had both my shoulders scoped for an AC "clean up" , basicaly a build up of crap causing an impingment on the bursa , it gets inflamed and the constant moving of the shoulder never gives it enough rest to subside and the build up is still their ready to cause trouble again. my doc explained that its pretty much a sign of early onset artheritis and unless I stopped what I was doing that caused it it would return.

I have since stopped ALL barbell pressing exercises and replaced with bumbells and also dropped the weight some in trade for slower motion through the rep with a good squeez at the top and good strech at the bottom , granted I don't get the sorness after a chest workout like I did when I would flat bench 365 for 4-5 sets to failure with a forced rep but my shoulders sure apperciat it more and my chest is bigger now than it was then.

the biggest thing is going to a sports med surgen that understands what kind of stress is gonna be on the joint and just what he can get away with in surgery. The PT afterword is also very very important , if you can get ultrasound on the shoulder for a couple weeks after that will greatly help with reducing scar tissue buildup as will constantly massaging the shoulder and streching it.

How long were you out after the scope?

 

[cjjrwe]

I had arthoscopic surgery on my AC Joint. They removed some bone spurs and they removed centimeter or so of my collar bone, and cleaned up the area. This was just a few weeks ago, I have been recovering fast. I still work out, lighter, but I can get in the gym and workout, and I can do most anything I want. I was told to expect 12 to 16 weeks until I am 100%, but I think I will probably shave three or four weeks off of that timeline. Most important thing, keep working and moving the shoulder, stretches, exercises (physical therapy) it helps your recovery, mobility, and breaking up the scar tissues so you can keep your range of motion.

 

[Gunsmith]

How long were you out after the scope?

I had it done at 8 am , had I was able to eat lunch at 1 pm using both arms with zero pain due to the block they used , took one pain killer that night to help sleep , took motrin twice the next day (600mg 8hrs appart) another half painkiller that night to sleep and that was it.
I was back in the gym the next day doing cardio , and back lifting light weight 2 days after.

The only realy pain came frome the two holes cut through my shoulder ,one front and one rear , he diden't need to make the third in the side delt like on the first shoulder. I was back pushing weight on incline bench press in about 2 weeks , again very slow steady reps with light weight

The Dr said that my rotator cuff was not in the best of shape but no tearing and that the time spent taking it easy would likely help it to heal. I still get some pain in it now and then from sleeping on it or with my arm above mey head all night , the Dr says that I'm simply getting older and that the stress from the years of lifting has taken its toll on the joint and connective tissue , artheritis will likely become a problem in the years to come but thats all things I was expecting to come with age

 

[Pericles]

I had it done at 8 am , had I was able to eat lunch at 1 pm using both arms with zero pain due to the block they used , took one pain killer that night to help sleep , took motrin twice the next day (600mg 8hrs appart) another half painkiller that night to sleep and that was it.
I was back in the gym the next day doing cardio , and back lifting light weight 2 days after.

The only realy pain came frome the two holes cut through my shoulder ,one front and one rear , he diden't need to make the third in the side delt like on the first shoulder. I was back pushing weight on incline bench press in about 2 weeks , again very slow steady reps with light weight

The Dr said that my rotator cuff was not in the best of shape but no tearing and that the time spent taking it easy would likely help it to heal. I still get some pain in it now and then from sleeping on it or with my arm above mey head all night , the Dr says that I'm simply getting older and that the stress from the years of lifting has taken its toll on the joint and connective tissue , artheritis will likely become a problem in the years to come but thats all things I was expecting to come with age

thats good info bc I might be getting this done soon. Thanks a lot!

 

[Gunsmith]

Just be sure that you use a sports med doc and disscuss exactly what you do and want to do after the surgery , if their is any question about his answers get a second oppinion. Their are alot of guys that won't "work" for your and get shit right to make a full recovery their not realy worried about what happens after the surgery is over , and if you have to come back again then they get paid again so its a win win situation for them

 

[jrs]

if the joint is degenerating it needs to be resected. period. no kind or amount of rest, ice, heat, ultrasound, therapy, etc will help that condition heal. the ONLY resolution is the simple scope procedure.

14 months of rest and rehabilitation. nothing. got the surgery done (both shoulders a couple months apart) and in 2-3 months I was stronger than I had ever been with no pain and full range of motion (nothing behind the head though)

 

[Mr. Muscles]

perchiete the feedback, ive been looking into the scope therpy a little, so what do they actually cut away the tendon or ligament thats between the ac joint huh? you dont need it or waht? i think the bench press is the culprit for this, originally 3 years ago i felt tit comin on, and on and off since , so my concern is if thet mri or ct scan it it may not pass as needing surgery? and ill have to suffer longer and not get my chest develpoed enough in the meantime.

 

[jrs]

perchiete the feedback, ive been looking into the scope therpy a little, so what do they actually cut away the tendon or ligament thats between the ac joint huh? you dont need it or waht? i think the bench press is the culprit for this, originally 3 years ago i felt tit comin on, and on and off since , so my concern is if thet mri or ct scan it it may not pass as needing surgery? and ill have to suffer longer and not get my chest develpoed enough in the meantime.

the barbell bench press is the cause of it. i am now benching again, fyi

dumbbells are easier on the shoulder as each shoulder rotates independently instead of in tandem because of one bar being used forcing the shoulders in a peculiar range of motion

the ends of the a/c joint (where the acromion meets the collar bone) degenerates. very painful as you know. it gets worse if not treated btw. what they do is shave a few millimeters off the end of each bone. there is a little gaping hole where your a/c joint was. that part of the structure of your shoulder is loose and popping around. it is retarded to push too hard in the healing process. 2-3 months to full recovery, usually. the a/c joint fills in with scar tissue which flexes similar to the way the joint is supposed to. normal function is more than likely post op

OPEN SURGICAL PROCEDURE HAS A MUCH WORSE OUTCOME THAN ARTHROSCOPIC

 

[Mr. Muscles]

why would one need the surgery over the arthoscopic?

 

[Mr. Muscles]

oh ya i get this weird little ckin or snap in the lower back on the trap ,when i pull with the other arm, anyone get any of that

 

[para]

why would one need the surgery over the arthoscopic?

I had full surgery twice and although it recovered nice I have a very large ass scar, (which is tatted up now).

The Bump caused from my separted AC looked like the bone was going to pop through the skin and looked nasty. So there removed 1/2 inch of the collarbone and used a teflon graft to hold it down. This was 15 years ago and it works fine. I lift very heavy without any trouble.

 

[Mr. Muscles]

was this because they didnt have the arthoscopic out yet?

 

[bombay]

Deca

I know this might be the whole correct answere but Deca helps out big time. I had issues to and if I just use a little it helps with the pain.

B

 

[blackssmagic]

o.k. as a prior physical therapist....ultrasound, phono, ionto is probably not going to help. I would first try an injection and see if that helps, also as gay as it looks try doing rockwood 5 exercises(desinged to strengthen the rotator cuff), and if that doesnt help then go and see ortho....

 

[cjjrwe]

The doctor will probably have you try various other treatments first, e.g. I had x-rays, then accupuncture, physical therapy, injections, then an MRI and surgery. Most surgeons will try to do arthscopic surgery these days, they will only open it if there are complications or I believe if you have had a type III separation. In that case I think they cannot do a regular arthoscopic A/C decompression and if necessary clavicle digital resection.

 

[para]

was this because they didnt have the arthoscopic out yet?

Mine was a III separation. It was poking out too much. The fisrt surgery did not take and needed to be redone. Scope was not an option.

 

[jrs]

I want to re-state:

I wasted 14 miserable depressing months trying just about every recovery/rehab tactic known to man. Two months after the surgeries I was back to the best shape I had previously been in and a month after that I surpassed anything prior.

My ONLY regret is not getting it done sooner.

This is the same as anybody else will tell you. I know this because 5 years ago when this happened, there wasn't a whole lot of info on the net about it at the time. Now, more and more people are getting it taken care of. Go see a sports ortho. Don't waste time with cortisone. All that shit does is numb pain temporarily and break down the soft tissue near the injection. NOT GOOD. NOT WORTH A DAMN.

 

[Mr. Muscles]

so what if my shoulder is not altleast stage 3, and i feel i nedd this surgery to stop waisting time, just fucking around but maybe i should go thrwo 300 on the bench a couple times and make ita stage 3 huh lol?