Dislocated Shoulders

[Mountain Mule]

First of all, I am not a medical professional, this is my experience and it allowed me to get myself and my gear out of the woods much easier and more painless than I othwerwise wouldve been able to. There may be better ways to do this, but I wanted to put this tool in everyone's toolbox. I got a piece of advice a while back, I cannot remember where I heard it, but this weekend it helped me tremendously. While in the backcountry I was hiking down this gnarly ridge, as I got to the trail I let my guard down. I planted my foot squarely on the only patch of ice in sight and promptly fell. While I was falling I thought to myself "I messed up". When I hit the groud and I heard the 'pop' I thought to myself "I really F@%#ed up". I quickly determined that my shoulder was out of its socket. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember someone telling me if I ever dislocate my shoulder to lay down on a log and dangle your arm freely towards the ground, coming off of your body at a 90 degree angle. Note that this can take a while (up to 10min) for the shoulder to pop back in, it's painful, but it works. The reason your arm won't go back into it's socket is because the muscles are tense and you need to hang them until they relax and the joint pops back in. Without reseting my shoulder the nine-mile hike back to the truck with my camp would've been impossible. Hopefully no one needs this trick, but it can help get you out of a bind and back to civilization.

The recovery process begins. I havent been in to the doc yet, but will go this week, for now I've immobilized my arm. Hopefully I can make a speedy recovery for my bear trip on April 28th. Taking recommendations on things to watch, cook and/or do while I am recovering.

 

[Dave N]

First of all, I am not a medical professional, this is my experience and it allowed me to get myself and my gear out of the woods much easier and more painless than I othwerwise wouldve been able to. There may be better ways to do this, but I wanted to put this tool in everyone's toolbox. I got a piece of advice a while back, I cannot remember where I heard it, but this weekend it helped me tremendously. While in the backcountry I was hiking down this gnarly ridge, as I got to the trail I let my guard down. I planted my foot squarely on the only patch of ice in sight and promptly fell. While I was falling I thought to myself "I messed up". When I hit the groud and I heard the 'pop' I thought to myself "I really F@%#ed up". I quickly determined that my shoulder was out of its socket. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember someone telling me if I ever dislocate my shoulder to lay down on a log and dangle your arm freely towards the ground, coming off of your body at a 90 degree angle. Note that this can take a while (up to 10min) for the shoulder to pop back in, it's painful, but it works. The reason your arm won't go back into it's socket is because the muscles are tense and you need to hang them until they relax and the joint pops back in. Without reseting my shoulder the nine-mile hike back to the truck with my camp would've been impossible. Hopefully no one needs this trick, but it can help get you out of a bind and back to civilization.

The recovery process begins. I havent been in to the doc yet, but will go this week, for now I've immobilized my arm. Hopefully I can make a speedy recovery for my bear trip on April 28th. Taking recommendations on things to watch, cook and/or do while I am recovering.

Hope I never have to do that, and hope even more I could remember what you did!

 

[Gellar]

Kudos to you for being sound minded enough to rescue yourself. You are a tough S.O.B.

Ive contemplated pressing the rescue button when I run out of snacks a1/4 mile from the truck. I can’t even imagine if I dislocated my shoulder 9 miles deep.

What’s the Dr saying? Is Surgery in your future or rehab or both?

 

[Islander]

If you can't find a log you can just bend at the waist and reeeeeeeelax as best as you can. It's difficult because the pain is intense while your shoulder is venturing away from home. For me it always helped to rotate my arm forward and back very slightly, like a pendulum from front to back.

Once back in place the pain is remarkably less, and you can then move to recovery mode, whatever that takes. Often you can go about your day, with some reduced mobility.

I finally got surgery after it popped out during sex.

 

[mtmuley]

If you can't find a log you can just bend at the waist and reeeeeeeelax as best as you can. It's difficult because the pain is intense while your shoulder is venturing away from home. For me it always helped to rotate my arm forward and back very slightly, like a pendulum from front to back.

Once back in place the pain is remarkably less, and you can then move to recovery mode, whatever that takes. Often you can go about your day, with some reduced mobility.

I finally got surgery after it popped out during sex.

Ummmmmm, you weren't by yourself were ya? mtmuley

 

[Islander]

Ummmmmm, you weren't by yourself were ya? mtmuley

Alone I wouldn't have cared.

 

[Caseknife]

Hope I never have to go through that besides it probably works for people that are bit younger and more flexible than I am anymore.

 

[Mountain Mule]

Kudos to you for being sound minded enough to rescue yourself. You are a tough S.O.B.

Ive contemplated pressing the rescue button when I run out of snacks a1/4 mile from the truck. I can’t even imagine if I dislocated my shoulder 9 miles deep.

What’s the Dr saying? Is Surgery in your future or rehab or both?

It seems like PT will get me all healed up. I need to rest it for a couple more days before I start working on range of motion and strength training to avoid it popping back out again/more frequently. Since it is the shoulder I draw my bow with, I hope it heals up correctly and in time to still practice quite a bit before season. I was going to get a new bow this year, but I may hold off another year to have more time with it before season.

 

[noharleyyet]

Contact sports and weight training definitely took a toll but nothing aggravated my rotor cuff and labrum pain like the bow.

 

[Fire_9]

This is becoming one of my biggest fears while in the woods. I dislocated my should in high school probably 7 or 8 times and used the technique you described and was able to get it back into place every time on my own. I had it worked on in 2005 and had a good run with no issues but have dislocated in 3 times in the last 8-9 years. Each of those three times have required an ER visit and at this point, I'm not sure what I would do while out in the woods. Hope like hell I could relax enough to get it back in I guess...

 

[Frenchy]

I can't even begin to guess how many times I've dislocated my shoulder. First time being highschool basketball. I had surgery at 17, but had no PT options in my small town. Over the next 10 years or so, it dislocated frequently while playing sports or shooting pool (booze tends to loosen things up lol). Everyone around my has had to help me pop it back in at least once. I'd venture to say I've dislocated my shoulder in the neighborhood of 100 times!

One time on a school trip in DC, I had to go to the ER and they did as you say. Lay on my stomach arm hanging down, and they added sandbags where I bent at the elbow add a little downward pressure. I think they added a few muscle relaxers to the equation too. Worked like a charm.

Every other time I always had someone stand next to me, slide their forearm up under my armpit and slowly pulled my elbow in towards my body. If I was able to relax enough, it would poop right back in. The unfortunate person helping usually had a nauseating reaction! lol. Other times I would lay with my back on the ground while someone slowly applied tension on my arm usually at about a 45 degree angle away from me, but varied it in the process of trying to get something to work.

Only one time did I have it happen in the back country (1999 ish). By buddy and I had just split up making different approaches on a bulging bull. I took a shortcut down a section I should have walked around, and slipped and knocked the shoulder out as I slid down the hill. no cell phones no radio, just a fanny pack with some basic gear. I think what finally worked was either placing my water battle under my arm, or grabbing a 4" round stick and tucking that under my armpit and applying pressure to my elbow. man that was a relief! I was good to go after that, and back to chasing bulls after a short 10 minute delay. But in my haste to get back after it, I left my binos and bugle tube on the side of the hill. Luckily I realized that before I got too far away, and was able to retire them.

I'm learned over the years to protect that shoulder a bit more than I did in my 20's so It doesn't happen anymore. Strenght training has also helped tighten the muscles up around the rotator cuff and has made things a lot more stable.