Bummed out over bum shoulder

[kirvin2]

I just returned to this awesome sport back in July. I was playing almost everyday through mid October and then had been playing about 3 days a week till about Thanksgiving. I then started playing winter leagues so that I wouldn't lose any momentum in my progress. My shoulder had already started to act up, off and on back in the summer and has been slowly getting worse. While playing weekly leagues It got to the point that I could only make one really long (I had gotten up to about 370') drive per round, and my putting suffered tremendously. So I have been forced to stop for a few weeks and let this thing heal. I was working towards competing this year. I'm not sure how long I'll have to lay off. It sucks, cause even putting hurts it. I can't even practice putting. I hate to be a whiney a#$, but I can't stand the idea of losing ground on the progress I was making.

Has anyone had a shoulder injury and have any idea how long I might have to lay off? Any tips for practice that I can do while re-cooping my shoulder? Should I try to learn to throw with my left hand?
Waaaaaah...... :wall:

 

[billnchristy]

My wife did, laid off for about 6 weeks, now she is recently laid off and playing every day.

Give it time.

 

[BrotherDave]

My dad had a bone spur that was actually slowly cutting one of his tendons apart, it got so bad he couldn't lift his arm higher than his chest and he had to have surgery. If rest and relaxation doesn't make it go away, you might have a similar problem.

 

[scottiver]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to start playing left handed. It will get you back on the course sooner, and having the ability to play at least a little bit left handed will defintely come in handy in future rounds.

 

[discNDav]

Rest means don't play and find the correct (non weight bearing) streching exercises from a physical therapist. Cortisone shots can provide relief. After playing almost 20 years, I had rotator cuff surgery 5 years ago, make this option your last resort! My shoulder will never be the same and now I have arthritis in it.

 

[WillACarpenter]

YOU NEED TO REST.

You need to try to NOT use that arm ANY TIME YOU CAN.

That means type one handed (haha) get a sling or towel and tie your arm up, keep yourself from using it.

Try to sleep on the other side.

Anything you can avoid doing with help.

After it starts to feel better...KEEP RESTING. You don't want to start making progress, then mess it all up, and have to start over.

After you're feeling better get a LIGHT elastic exercise band and run your shoulder through every motion you can think of. Do this for about 5 minutes a day about 2-4 times a day. This will help not only build strength and test weaknesses but work on your deceleration strength. This sounds to me like you hurt yourself to begin with. You also need to increase the amount of follow through your using. You're stopping yourself short and muscling your arm to a stop

\/\/

 

[Dthunderchicken]

I broke my shoulder a few years ago. My game hasn't been the same since. Probably never will be.

 

[discNDav]

Do not put your arm in a sling! This can lead to 'frozen shoulder'.

 

[hunter]

Start learnin lefty. My roomate had surgery on his right hand and had to play lefty for 2-3 months. If you know the basics (footwork, release, etc), you should be able to get the disc out there further than you think. He was getting it out there 250-300 ft. with no wobble out of the hand. Putting may be a little bit harder though. If you have the itch that bad, you gotta scratch it somehow...

 

[sloppydisc]

I have a torn labrum (no it's not a woman part!) so I can tell you a little about shoulder injuries. First thing you should do is rest it for about 2 weeks and see if it improves. You may just have tendonitis from over use. Rest will fix that. It may take more than 2 weeks, but if after 2 weeks it hasn't improved then you have a problem. If it doesn't improve on its own go get it looked at. Shoulders are very complex joints and a lot can go wrong. Playing through the pain is a bad idea if you don't know what is wrong. If you have the means find a good local orthopedist and have an MRI done. Good luck.

 

[stevep]

It depends on what you injured in your shoulder. I had a slight tear where the bicep is connected to the bone. I had to rest for 6 weeks, then therapy working on the shoulder with bands. Don't stop using it though, just stop throwing for a while. Take aspirin and ice it down ever day.

 

[kirvin2]

YOU NEED TO REST.

You need to try to NOT use that arm ANY TIME YOU CAN.

That means type one handed (haha) get a sling or towel and tie your arm up, keep yourself from using it.

Try to sleep on the other side.

Anything you can avoid doing with help.

After it starts to feel better...KEEP RESTING. You don't want to start making progress, then mess it all up, and have to start over.

After you're feeling better get a LIGHT elastic exercise band and run your shoulder through every motion you can think of. Do this for about 5 minutes a day about 2-4 times a day. This will help not only build strength and test weaknesses but work on your deceleration strength. This sounds to me like you hurt yourself to begin with. You also need to increase the amount of follow through your using. You're stopping yourself short and muscling your arm to a stop

\/\/

everything you have said hit's home big time.
I can tell how just about everything I do with my right arm hurts the shoulder right now.
The injury started with not following through . Stoping myself short and muscleing my arm to a stop, is a very accurate discription of what happened. It has become obvious that I need to lay off of the right hand every chance I get.

 

[tallpaul]

I threw a temp course layout tourney that was not heavily attended; primarily due to my having unwittingly put it up head to head with a major state tour event for that year. However, one of our state's top pros; but, for whatever reason; one who does not play many sanctioned events; did show up. He was far enough ahead of the field after the first round; that he played the second round with his opposite hand. He happens to be amazingly good with his off hand. I played both rounds with him on my card; and it was simply amazing to see him play so well opposite handed. He still shot the best score the second round. I also was present when Ron Russell shot the last round or two, of the first World's in Ann Arbor. He did pretty well too; for playing opposite handed. I believe he managed to remain in the top 20 or 30. Ever since these two episodes; I have looked at the possibility of having to learn to play opposite handed as if it would be a fun thing to do. Now, mind you; I have not done this; though I have played some fun rounds with my off hand; but, if forced to do so; I have tried to prepare myself as if it would be a fun exercise.

 

[DiscJunkie]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to start playing left handed. It will get you back on the course sooner, and having the ability to play at least a little bit left handed will defintely come in handy in future rounds.

I've known players that did this and it greatly improved their game. Righty or lefty, no problem.
Scratch that itch, but rest that bum shoulder!! Let it heal.

 

[astrowolf67]

I had rotator cuff surgery 5 years ago, make this option your last resort! My shoulder will never be the same and now I have arthritis in it.

I had rotator cuff surgery last June. I just started playing last August, luckily, I don't know how it would have affected my game. I agree with you 100 percent, surgery should be your last resort. There's so much I can NOT do now. It's affected my work (route driver with Coke), my personal life, even the way I sleep. It's only been roughly 8 months since mine, but, I've already had return visits to the doctor, more therapy, a couple of injections, and, have developed arthritis.

David

 

[BrotherDave]

If you go lefty, be prepared to take out all your beloved drivers. When I had to let my tendinitis subside, the fastest disc I could throw successfully was an Impact. Driving lefty is kind of fun but putting sucks!

 

[danoakira]

LALO IS THIS YOU !!!

 

[Jukeshoe]

Go to the doctor! I hurt my shoulder playing baseball several years ago and it has never gotten back to 80%, let alone 100%. At the time I thought, "Hey, if I rest a while, it will get better." It never did. I ended up taking over a year and a half off from throwing anything, and even not using it, it still hurt/was arthritic. I wish I had visited a doctor to see if there was anything short of surgery that could have helped (I play baseball for fun, so I wasn't going to go under the knife for it). Now, I notice that throwing a couple of rounds backhand (especially driving) really makes my shoulder uncomfortable. I mostly drive forehand, and it doesn't affect my mid-range bh shots or putting, so I'm kinda lucky. But really, see a doc so it doesn't become a life-long problem.

 

[kirvin2]

Thanks to everyone for thier input. It is all appreciated.
I am going to go to the Dr. like Jukeshoe reccomended. It has already been a lifetime problem. I seperated my shoulder in a car accident when I was 18 and it hasn't been right since. At the time they didn't have MRIs or any soft tissue imagry available. It's one of the reason's I gravitated away from the sport 15 years ago. It did get better, but like any pulled muscle or sprain it's likely to re-occurr. I just love the game so much that I didn't allow it to rest when it started showing signs of becoming re-injured. I'm going to listen to the Doc, but I'm sure he's going to tell me pretty much the same thing. After it get's better I'm going to have to pay close attention to it and take care of it accordingly. Perhaps get cortizone shots to help it heal each time.

I am going to learn to play left handed. I'm going to start in my backyard with short shots and putts. The gay gals next door are going to laugh though. They don't quite understand what I'm doing when I practice with my right arm. One of them thought straddle putting was ridiculous. They are really going to be confused while I look awkward with my left.

Thanks everybody.

 

[DutchViking]

I know how you feel, well not really but something similar. I am just coming back from a torn ACL and Meniscus, which left me off my feet/on crutches for at least 4 months. I HATED it! I'm sorry about your arm man, definitely let that heal, otherwise start practicing with your weaker arm!

Edit:
Wish I would have read your message before posting