We don’t think it will happen to us - but it’s got to happen to someone - that’s just the way it is - statistics don’t lie.

A study led by Dr. Steven B. Cohen, assistant team physician for the Philadelphia Phillies and reported on the website Science Daily, revealed the following:

• 45% of baseball players who have shoulder or elbow surgery were able to return to their previous level or higher
• players who had elbow surgery were more likely to reach their previous level of play or higher than players who had shoulder surgery
• for AA, AAA or major league players, only 18% were able to make the comeback

Prevention is the Key to Long-Term Success

The study was also reported on in the Tucson Citizen, where Cohen and co-author of the study, Dr. Gerard Varlotta said, “stretching and strengthening exercises are key for preventing injuries in professional - and recreational - players.”

Take the time to warm-up and cool-down, stretch and strengthen your shoulder.  It could make all the difference for you and your shoulder.

No one realizes how much they depend on their shoulder – that is until they’ve injured their shoulder, have surgery and can’t use it. Frequently people want to know how long their particular shoulder injury will take to heal.

Answers that don’t help.

Imagine that you’ve sprained your shoulder and you want to know how to treat this injury. You could look at these suggestions for your shoulder information. However, these comments are the thoughts and advice of laymen who may or may not know what they are talking about.

Here is a thread from the Injury Update Forum that seeks to answer the question – How long will it take to recover from shoulder reconstruction?

Here is a discussion on the issue of How long to heal from a dislocated shoulder that resulted from being hit by a car.

Would you let your friend work on your $40,000.00 automobile?

It should be obvious by now that everyone has an opinion about everything – including your shoulder injury. But who are you going to trust with the care of your most versatile joint? Where can you find credible shoulder information? What you need is believable information about your shoulder and there are a number of sources that are quite extensive.

See a Doctor – an Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in Shoulder Repair!

(photo courtesy of soldiersmediacenter)

Visit Shoulderdoc – this is a vast web site filled with:

• Medical Educational Material – What’s the difference between SLAP, SLIP and SLOP? Do you want to purchase a book about shoulders? This is the place to look.
• The Latest Shoulder News – Do you want to read about the latest research in shoulder surgery techniques or shoulder rehab?
• Rehab Protocols – this is an immense section of information about shoulder rehab procedures.
• Much, much more.

Shoulderdoc offers a wealth of information on all aspects of your shoulder. Use this web site to educate yourself.

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“Thanks to the rotater I was able to get back to work and not lose the use of my shoulder in this demanding profession.”
- Officer D. Pesko

Bowhunters need Strong Shoulders

(photo courtesy of sorenson photo)

I live in the deep south, Alabama to be exact. Down here, people take their hunting seriously, so if it’s not hunting season, then it’s a good time to get ready for hunting season.

The Hunt Doctors (they are “real” medical doctors) have written “Strengthening Your Shoulders For Bowhunting” in which they explain a little shoulder anatomy in everyday hunter terms and outline a number of exercises to help you develop your shoulder strength. By the way, some of the bows that serious hunters use can require extreme shoulder strength to pull back and then hold for an extended period of time while you wait for the perfect shot. If you think it’s easy, then go to your local hunting store and give it a try.

Should you “work” through a Shoulder Injury?

(photo courtesy of LollyKnit)

A question posed on Stronglifts.com asks about persistent pain in the shoulder and whether to continue lifting weights. “What should I do?” Mehdi’s explanation describes:

• the muscle involved, specifically the infraspinatus ( good illustrations )
• some of the causes of infraspinatus injuries
• some of the symptoms of this rotator cuff injury
• some of the ways to deal with this shoulder problem

Mehdi concludes by giving this advice:

“Stay away from painkillers. Pain is your body telling you something is wrong. Find out what. Educate yourself. Ask your doctor’s advice. But make sure you treat the causes, not the symptoms.

Take it slowly with weight lifting in the meanwhile. Lower the weight, spend time improving technique & slowly build back up. Don’t worry about strength loss, getting rid of injuries is more important in the long run.”

Tips for Preventing Shoulder Injuries in Young Pitchers

(photo courtesy of wjklos)

Brooke deLench, author and noted expert on youth related sports issues has written “Preventing Pitching Injuries” in which she educates parents on some of the things that they can do. She says that there are a number of things that parents and coaches can do to prevent shoulder injuries which include:

• ensure proper conditioning
• teach correct throwing mechanics
• always warmup and stretch
• place limits on pitches
• don’t allow your child to play through the pain

This is a great article that will educate a parent on how to help their future Cy Young award winner to avoid arm and shoulder injuries. If you are a parent, and your child pitches, then you need to read this article.

Frozen Shoulder – What’s the 411?

(photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik)

Lauran Neergaard an AP medical writer has written an article entitled “Early Care Helps Frozen Shoulder” in which she illustrates some of the mysteries surrounding frozen shoulder.

• Why doesn’t adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) affect the same shoulder twice?
• Why does frozen shoulder occur most often in women?
• Why does frozen shoulder sometimes migrate to the other shoulder?

Please note the title of Lauran’s article – Early Care Helps Frozen Shoulder. If you’re having shoulder issues and you fit the demographics outlined in the article and you don’t remember injuring your shoulder, then don’t waste any time - see your physician immediately.

Basic Shoulder Rehabilitation

Mednets has produced a basic, but thorough Patient Information Guide to Shoulder Rehabilitation with real pictures of shoulder rehab exercises (not drawings) and clear, understandable instructions that describe how the various exercises are to be performed.

It’s not flashy. It’s not high-tech. All of the exercises can be performed at home with items that you already have or can easily acquire.

What is a Rotator Cuff Injury?

Ask almost anyone this question and you’re likely to get a wide variety of vague answers. So what is a rotator cuff injury? Here is a very short (about 45 seconds) and very basic video animation that does a very good job of illustrating and explaining the injury. I must warn you that you will have to sit through a short commercial (about 30 seconds) at the beginning.

Shoulder Rehab for Baseball Pitchers

(photo courtesy of Glover Bryant Communications)

Kris Bensen, a starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, has written an article – Shoulder Rehab: A Shoulder Rehab Throwing Program For Baseball Pitchers. Kris describes a progressive throwing program designed to rehab a pitcher’s shoulder while rebuilding his arm strength.

Shoulder Strength and Stabilization

(photo courtesy of Cronfeld)

Mark Dilworth, a certified fitness trainer, former NCAA division I athlete and creator of My Fitness Hut Blog wrote an article entitled “Strengthen and Stabilize Your Shoulder Girdle”.

Mark explains three of the most common shoulder injuries (frozen shoulder, shoulder tendonitis and rotator cuff injury) and some of the steps that you can take during your training to avoid them.

The King of Lifts – The Bench Press

The bench press is the one lift that everyone knows. I don’t know why – it just is. I can remember when I was fourteen and someone asked me what my bench was. I think I could probably bench 100 lbs. then.

The small muscles of the rotator cuff will limit your max

I’m 46 now and have had shoulder reconstruction on one shoulder and I’ve torn my rotator cuff a couple of times on the other shoulder. As you approach middle-age, your joints, specifically the shoulders for upper body lifts, tend to be the limiting factors in determining how much you can bench. What can you do? (photo used courtesy of jason.lengstorf)

Unconventional rotator cuff exercises

I discovered “Back to Form” Fitness by Keith Scott today and have added this blog to my blogroll. You should check it out. Anyway, Keith has written an article for Men’s Fitness entitled “Press More Pounds” that everyone who works out with weights should read.

He describes how to use a small medicine ball to warm up and activate your rotater cuff muscles prior to hitting the bench. Give his program a try and then amaze your friends.

I expect to have my bench press max up to 135 lbs. any day now.

Urban rotator cuff exercises

On a lighter note, I found the following video showing “urban rotator cuff” exercises on Straight to the Bar. I’m not really sure of the advantages of doing this type of rotator cuff exercise when you can accomplish the same movement using a very light weight ( ten pounds – max ) or a milk jug filled with water. Take a look anyway – it’s an ingenious though somewhat dangerous movement in my humble opinion.

(photo by RubyVrooom and used under this creative commons license)

The construction of the shoulder joint allows it to be the most mobile joint in the body. You can do incredible things with your arms and hands because of the way our shoulders are designed.

• You can throw all kinds of things. If you can grasp it and lift it, then you can throw it.
• You can lift items in front, to the side and over your head.
• You can pull yourself up – if you are strong enough.

The downside is that in order to be the most mobile joint, some stability is sacrificed. The ball of the upper arm bone rests in a very shallow socket called the glenoid. When this ball (of the humerus) is caused to become dislodged from the socket, then the shoulder is said to be dislocated. It can be quite painful and your range of motion will be limited.

Controversial surgery proving effective for young athletes

According to a public release put out on March 8, 2008 by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, a recent study indicates that young athletes who go through a first-time shoulder dislocation and have arthroscopic surgery to repair it are experiencing greater long term benefits than those patients who take the more conservative, non-surgical approach.

The study was performed on young military cadets who are required to be very physically active. If your child is less active, then the conservative non-surgical approach may be a better option.

(photo by PamelaVWhite – creative commons)

Always consult a qualified physician.

Tags: shoulder+dislocation, shoulder+surgery

What did surprise me was that this man claimed to have developed a shoulder impingement due to his extensive use of a mouse while working at his computer. I had never heard of such a thing, but after a little research, I am convinced that this is a condition can affect anyone who spends a considerable amount of time using their computer.

Here are some resources that will help you if you use the computer extensively:

1. Injury Prevention

Lauren, a personal trainer has written a broad article entitled �Injury Prevention: The Ultimate Checklist� that is a common-sense approach to avoiding injuries. But her post �Pain at the Desk? Ditch the Bench� explains what your body goes through everyday as you sit at your desk. I�m feeling that rounded-shoulder, stressed-out feeling right now.

2. Listen to the ergonomic experts

They are experts for a reason � they study repetitive motion and the resulting injuries. Cornell University has released an article cataloging ways for you to avoid mouse related injuries � �10 tips for Mouse Use�.

3. Tools to help

Check out the Mouse Arm, a device that you can attach to your office chair to put yourself in a more ergonomically-correct position.

4. Are you at risk?

Ergocise.com says:

��People who practice poor posture at the computer (sitting with rounded shoulders pinches the tendons that run through the shoulder region), swimmers, window washers, waiters, painters or anyone else who performs activities involving reaching over the head are also susceptible to Shoulder Impingement Syndrome.�

Ergocise.com is a free program that you can access via the internet and designed especially for computer users. Take a look at their program. What do you have to lose except a little pain in the neck..and back� and shoulder. You get the point.

(photo used courtesy of David Niblack)

Now that we are in our 40’s and above, we are beginning to realize that we should learn:

• the steps we can take to extend our quality of life
• to eat properly as well as the effects that foods have on both our bodies and minds
• to exercise to keep our bodies lean and fit
• which supplements to embrace and which ones to avoid

Joint failure

I’ve had orthopedic surgery three times.

• reconstructed shoulder – a snow boarder collided with me in Snowshoe West Virginia resulting in a complete and severe AC separation
• cartilage repaired in my knee – the result of a night of partying and dancing
• thumb re-attached – a table saw cannot tell the difference between “meat” and wood

Each of my surgeries was successful (thanks to outstanding surgeons) and I suffer no aches or pains (due to nerve damage in my thumb, it has no sense of feeling – however, it works just fine.)

None of my surgeries was the result of “worn out” joints.  But this is not the case with many of my friends.  I know of at least twenty to thirty people who have had:

• knees ‘scoped
• knees repaired
• knees replaced
• hips replaced
• rotator surgery

And almost all of these are due to the “wear and tear” of repetitive use type of injuries.  The kinds of injuries that occur because of the job or activities that you participate in.  They are due to the cumulative effect of the countless times that a person has repeated the same movement.

Educate yourself

There is help.  Even though surgery can repair many of our joint ailments, there are other ways that we can help ourselves.

1. Brad Baggett has written an article entitled, “Nutrition and Joint Health”, in which he provides information about the joint and some of the supplements that can have a positive effect on our bodies.
2. Supplement MSM for Joint Health makes a strong case for using MSM to help repair our joints.
3. Fish Oils for Joint Health
4. Neil Levin, a board certified nutritionist, has written a well documented article about the Nutrients that contribute to your joint health.

• How flexible should my shoulder be?
• Is there a standard that I can compare my shoulder flexibility to?
• What factors can affect my shoulder flexibility?
• Will the ideal shoulder flexibility be different for men vs. women?

Health and Fitness tradeshow

Yesterday, we were at a health and fitness tradeshow in Columbus Georgia that was being sponsored by WTVM.    While demonstrating the Rotater, several people told me that they had no idea how flexible their shoulders were and they didn’t know that there were ways of regaining lost shoulder flexibility.

How can you test your shoulder flexibility?

This question has been lingering in the back of mind all day, so when I got the chance, I did a little research to find an answer.  I have found that there is a way to test your shoulder flexibility with a broomstick, a yard stick ( or tape measure ) and a partner. 

There is a great article posted by Mark Scott at He’s Fit, entitled Testing Your Shoulder Flexibility that offers a simple way to test your shoulder flexibility.  He also provides a standard for both men and women.  Take the test and see how you measure up. 

In September, Scott and I went to the PGA expo in Las Vegas. The PGA expo is an event that brings professionals from the golf world (course owners/managers, teaching professionals, golf shop owners, sponsored professionals, golf publication editors/owners/writers, etc.) in contact with vendors and suppliers of golf-related products and services. These events are not open to the public.

LOT OF INTERESTING PEOPLE

Scott and I have quite a bit of fun at trade shows. We are both �people� people, so it is very easy for us to meet and interact with others while demonstrating the Rotater. For us, a PGA show had been the last venue that we thought would use or benefit from the Rotater. Boy, were we wrong!

We met a number of interesting people there:

• a former amateur winner of the U.S. Open � he uses the Rotater daily
• a long drive champion � another avid user (look for a testimonial soon)
• magazine owners/writers/editors � we have done an interview for one publication set to be released in the spring
• a television show host � who has contacted us about appearing on his show this spring
• PGA teaching professionals

SENIOR PROFESSIONAL GIVES TESTIMONIAL

One of the golfing professionals who tried the Rotater and immediately recognized its benefits was Dusty O�Tyrrell. He has contacted us a number of times and has told us that he has developed some golf-specific exercises with the Rotater. The following is an email that we received from Dusty yesterday.

Hey Rotater Guys,

Just a quick note to tell you about how this thing has worked out for me. As I told you a while back, my right shoulder rotator cuff and shoulder joint were injured in a fall from a chair that had broken. After checking into the surgery aspect I found out that doing surgery was completely out of the question.

So, its into physical therapy and other exercise stuff to get this thing to heal. My Doc had told me that with proper therapies, I would likely heal well in a three to four year period. Why so long you did not ask? Because as a professional golfer, the use of this shoulder is paramount to my making a living. I must play and practice every day. It�s my JOB! And it ain�t that glorious either. It�s a JOB. Hot, sweaty and physically draining. It�s supposed to be mentally draining as well but I�m not very mental. And to think, I gave up an office job for this!

Well anyway, I met you guys and the Rotater and this little beauty has become my three to four times a day shoulder exercise device. My range of motion has improved immensely and I use it on both shoulders, even though only the right one was injured. My Doc loves this thing because it causes the shoulder to move correctly in the directions necessary for the correct exercises. I am now back to playing (and note: the fellows who had surgery NO LONGER PLAY and are on restricted cortisone use!) and my strength and stuff is just as it should be.

As I�ve told you, I tell everyone who�ll listen about it�the Rotater, and let them use mine�but not keep it! Don�t know how many have contacted you but I tell them use my name and maybe you�ll give them a special deal! What the heck�it�s worth a try ain�t it?

So there you go. I�m a great fan of the thing and will remain so.

Best to both of you,

Dusty O�Tyrrell
Senior Professional Golfer
P.O. Box 499
Death Valley, California 92328