anyone had shoulder surgery?

T

tennismom42

Semi-Pro
I am wondering about shoulder injuries and shoulder surgery.

What kinds of shoulder injuries have you had or heard about?

What kinds of surgery was needed?

It's looking like my kid is headed toward an extremely rare shoulder surgery. He was injured during fall competition in college. I am wondering if other tennis players have had this surgery and the outcome of it?

Doctors are promising all kinds of wonderful things. "He's young, he'll rebound, fast recovery, etc."
 
goran_ace

goran_ace

Hall of Fame
Sorry to hear about your son. Normally in tennis you hear more about the repeated use or wear and tear shoulder injuries like rotator cuff tears. The severity varies ranges from the kind that are managed though rest, ice and advil, to more sever that require arthroscopic surgery, to full tears that could be career enders.

What specifically did he injure? What kind of surgery?
 
S

Spinz

New User
I am very sorry to hear this. Head over to the health and fitness section of this board - there are a lot of shoulder surgery stories there.

I do know some players who had surgery back in college playing days. All tell me twenty years later they wished they hadn't done it. But that doesnt mean it isnt a good idea and a lot has changed since 80s/90s. Just get all of the information you can before making a decision. Make sure you get the best there is to do the procedure.
 
GPG

GPG

Semi-Pro
tennismom42 said:
I am wondering about shoulder injuries and shoulder surgery.

What kinds of shoulder injuries have you had or heard about?

What kinds of surgery was needed?

It's looking like my kid is headed toward an extremely rare shoulder surgery. He was injured during fall competition in college. I am wondering if other tennis players have had this surgery and the outcome of it?

Doctors are promising all kinds of wonderful things. "He's young, he'll rebound, fast recovery, etc."
Click to expand...

Basically an injury is when you get any part of your body damaged or harmed. Most injuries in sports happen in bones, muscles and nerves by extreme use of an specific area of your body used for sports. As of shoulder problems, it can mainly be an injury in his deltoid or supraspinatus muscle (which is part of the rotator cuff, very important for the stability of the shoulder joint). Assuming your kid had an injury while playing the sport, his problem could either be that he damaged the muscles I just mentioned or that his shoulder joint has been used too much.

If his problem is muscular (specifically in one of those muscles I just mentioned), your son probably has a major strain (and that's why he's going to surgery).

What did the doctors tell you about his injury?

(hope I gave you some answers :p )
 
T

tennismom42

Semi-Pro
GPG said:
Basically an injury is when you get any part of your body damaged or harmed. Most injuries in sports happen in bones, muscles and nerves by extreme use of an specific area of your body used for sports. As of shoulder problems, it can mainly be an injury in his deltoid or supraspinatus muscle (which is part of the rotator cuff, very important for the stability of the shoulder joint). Assuming your kid had an injury while playing the sport, his problem could either be that he damaged the muscles I just mentioned or that his shoulder joint has been used too much.

If his problem is muscular (specifically in one of those muscles I just mentioned), your son probably has a major strain (and that's why he's going to surgery).

What did the doctors tell you about his injury?

(hope I gave you some answers :p )
Click to expand...
Sort of correct. No trauma ever ocurred, so it could be over use or body dynamics. He was spared the supraspinatus damage. Instead it's the infraspinatus damage. Sudden onset this fall and hole was detected in October. If you saw the picture, you would cry.

Surgery may require carving away at bone to open the spn. notch; and a variety of other things. (I am not able to articulate it well, but I understand it.) He came down with raynauds too and we're trying to figure out if they're related. Poor kid feels like an old man, at 18. So unfair. I keep telling him he's just 18 and this is recoverable. I remember when I was 18 and not able to see beyond the next day.

I am going to read up more, over on the health forum. We're finding out that there are about 5 doctors in the nation that have done this surgery. Each has done <5 of the surgeries.
 
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T

tennismom42

Semi-Pro
goran_ace said:
Sorry to hear about your son. Normally in tennis you hear more about the repeated use or wear and tear shoulder injuries like rotator cuff tears. The severity varies ranges from the kind that are managed though rest, ice and advil, to more sever that require arthroscopic surgery, to full tears that could be career enders.

What specifically did he injure? What kind of surgery?
Click to expand...
I posted more below. It's not rotator cuff. No tear, no fluid, no cyst, no pain. It's an impinged nerve that damaged the infraspinatus.
 
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T

tennismom42

Semi-Pro
Spinz said:
I am very sorry to hear this. Head over to the health and fitness section of this board - there are a lot of shoulder surgery stories there.

I do know some players who had surgery back in college playing days. All tell me twenty years later they wished they hadn't done it. But that doesnt mean it isnt a good idea and a lot has changed since 80s/90s. Just get all of the information you can before making a decision. Make sure you get the best there is to do the procedure.
Click to expand...
I posted more info above. I will definitely read up more, over on the health forum.

While guarded about this info, I think it's CRITICALLY important for tennis players to know about this rare injury. From what I read, it's prevalent in tennis players, volley ball players and baseball pitchers & fielders. It's treatable if caught in first 6 months.

Tennis players need to do a visual check of their back once in a while.
 
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jaggy

jaggy

Talk Tennis Guru
I had frozen shoulder and cannot serve other than a pathetic little push even though all other mobility is close to being back.
 
Bash and Crash

Bash and Crash

Semi-Pro
wow, just read about that injury tmom, sounds like a tough battle ahead for your son, hope it works out, that is a strange location back shoulder. All I can say is that I have AC joint problems and after 2 cortisone shots, physical therapy and daily anti-inflams its playable. Avoided surgery and bone shaving so far, doctor will do if last resort, I would try all non-invasive therapies before going under the knife.
 
K

kiteboard

Banned
Bash and Crash said:
wow, just read about that injury tmom, sounds like a tough battle ahead for your son, hope it works out, that is a strange location back shoulder. All I can say is that I have AC joint problems and after 2 cortisone shots, physical therapy and daily anti-inflams its playable. Avoided surgery and bone shaving so far, doctor will do if last resort, I would try all non-invasive therapies before going under the knife.
Click to expand...

Exactly.. See my chi energy/injury post in health/fitness.
 
rudester

rudester

Professional
Bash and Crash said:
wow, just read about that injury tmom, sounds like a tough battle ahead for your son, hope it works out, that is a strange location back shoulder. All I can say is that I have AC joint problems and after 2 cortisone shots, physical therapy and daily anti-inflams its playable. Avoided surgery and bone shaving so far, doctor will do if last resort, I would try all non-invasive therapies before going under the knife.
Click to expand...

I agree, I have been struggling with shoulder issues for a year and was considering surgery but have held off and have been doing rehab exercises religously, it has taken many months but proper rest and rehab has finally begun to show results just when i had almost given up. I wish your son the best, I know what he is going through and just thought i'd offer a ray of hope.
Every injury is different i realize, but surgery is last resort, and if this is the means that is necessary i have seen a friend of mine doing fine back on the court after successful surgery
take care
 
TourTenor

TourTenor

Professional
tennismom42 said:
Sort of correct. No trauma ever ocurred, so it could be over use or body dynamics. He was spared the supraspinatus damage. Instead it's the infraspinatus damage. Sudden onset this fall and hole was detected in October. If you saw the picture, you would cry.

Surgery may require carving away at bone to open the spn. notch; and a variety of other things. (I am not able to articulate it well, but I understand it.) He came down with raynauds too and we're trying to figure out if they're related. Poor kid feels like an old man, at 18. So unfair. I keep telling him he's just 18 and this is recoverable. I remember when I was 18 and not able to see beyond the next day.

I am going to read up more, over on the health forum. We're finding out that there are about 5 doctors in the nation that have done this surgery. Each has done <5 of the surgeries.
Click to expand...
Tennis Mom,
Sorry to hear about this news... and, contacting surgeons for rare problems is an ordeal. If you haven't already, I suggest contacting Stanford University in Palo Alto California. I know from others and personal family experience that you will get the best ... their hospital, staff and leading-edge methods are unparalleled. (And, no, Fedace didn't go there).
Best of Luck,
TTen
 
ci2ca

ci2ca

Semi-Pro
Hey tennismom, I too have a shoulder injury. I have supraspinatus damage in my right shoulder causing extreme muscle atrophy in my right shoulder and I'm right handed!! It doesn't hurt when I play but I do notice that it is much weaker than my left shoulder. Currently going through rehab because I'm in season right now but after the season I may be undergoing surgery. I hope the best for your son!
 
T

tennismom42

Semi-Pro
He's back & competing, 6 weeks post surgery

DownTheLine said:
What's the update on your son?
Click to expand...
Well, he's been released to compete, just 6 weeks post surgery. Let me just say he had an amazing orthopaedic surgeon in New Orleans named Buddy Savoie. My son has passed all medical tests and has been maintaining all other stregth areas. Recruits should realize that when you get recruited, you get a lot of free medical care from the trainers & PT. You just can't understand the plan and the work that's gone into my son these past 6 weeks. He's ready to go & competes tomorrow. Starting off just in doubles, but at least he's able to compete!

Young kid sure do heal quickly. and surgery was quick & not to evasive. Surgey went well. Cut out 2 ligaments that had pinched the nerve. Infraspinatus has already recovered between 50% to 80% in 6 weeks!
 
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