diving with rotator cuff tear before and after

[Jim Lapenta]

Just got back from my workers comp doctor. had been having shoulder and neck pain and was prescribed pt for about 3 1/2 weeks now. had mri on sunday and was told today that it showed a small(?) tear in my right rotator cuff. she was not specific as to where but it's ok as she's not an ortho. she prescribed 2 more weeks of pt and if no improvement is shown will send me to ortho for surgical evaluation. I'm 45 and work as a painter in a metal shop. most of my job is extended reaching and overhead work. on light duty now with no overhead stuff but if I go back after rehabbing shoulder it could flare up again from what I've been reading. I'm not looking for specific medical advice but for the experience of any of you who have had this condition and how it has affected your diving both before and after treatment. I'm also in the middle of divemaster training so this comes at a really bad time. Just talked with my instructor and some provisions can be made for some activities but other things may need to be gotten done before surgery if it's determined I need it. last outing I carried my gear down to the water with my left arm and I geared up in water.I can use my right but I'm being very careful with what i do. I should also note that when I'm underwater the pain is gone and I feel good for 2 or 3 days afterwards. Probably from being so relaxed and 90 degree water temps. Anyway if anyone has had this done could you please let me know how it affected your diving. Several web sites have indicated a change in vocation is sometimes called for. Maybe it's a good time to go pro. The offer has been made, and that is my goal to teach and work in a shop. I have started tank filling instruction along with vis inspection and pp blending is being setup. My instructor is also trying to schedule a factory cert class for me with one of his suppliers when their tech rep comes to our area in the near future. This would be for reg, bc, and their other gear service, testing and repair. Sorry if I've rambled but I'm a little nervous about this. Any feedback in the way of experience would be appreciated. Jim PADI Master Scuba Diver and Dive Master Candidate

 

[jerryn]

non medical experience

I had a rotator cuff injury. It took a long time to heal with pt and some months of cortizone shots. The thing I had to be careful of was reinjuring it or inhibiting the healing process by lifting. There is a fair amount of slinging tanks and heavy equipment in scuba and I had to be really careful.

It has not affected my diving since healing, but I do think about it whenever I lift anything.

Jerry

 

[Scuba65]

I have the same problem..while in Bonaire in April lifting a tank while coming out of a shore dive...i messed it up. when i got back to the states..it got bad in pain went to the doc. and had MRI done. then went to the ortho. doc and i have a small tear also. it's been ok, but the doctor said that if it get's worse i'll need surgery. i've had shots done etc. and some day's seem ok..then other day's it hurts alot. it hasn't affected the diving as of yet. You're just going to have to be careful in lifting heavy stuff and all that work cause you don't really want to make it worse and have a bigger tear.

 

[lord1234]

having had many shoulder injuries: my biggest suggestion comes in the form of one word: CAUTION. I have had Bankhart surgeries on both my shoulders as well as an orthroscopic surgery on the right shoulder. I am careful to always have a buddy nearby when lifting any heavy scuba gear and know that I CAN/Will ask for their help if I need it. Don't go lifting anything crazy. If you are going on a vacation, apprise the DM on the boat of this and most likely(if you are with a good outfit) they will have no problems helping you. And of course don't forget to tip the DM for his help.

 

[CameronMartz]

I tore my rotator cuff in an ATV accident, but did not opt for surgery. Instead, I gave it time to calm down while preserving its range of motion, then worked to condition the uninjured parts of my shoulder to pick up the slack. It took about a year before I could use my arm without consciously having to take it easy.

Your PT should be a great source of information about your long-term prognosis. S/he probably has worked with injuries like yours, with and without surgeries, and can give you an idea of whether or not they think yours will respond well to more reconditioning.

Surgery should be a last resort, as they have to cut through some good stuff to get to the bad stuff. There are several steps to manage the injury between PT and surgery, and a good ortho will put you through those before putting you under the knife unless they see something major on your MRI (which it sounds like is not there).

Certainly, if this is a repetitive-stress injury from the type of work you do, you will have a tough time not reinjuring it or even goobering the "good" shoulder over time. A career change might be just what the doctor orders. <g>

Cameron

 

[Diver0001]

Another non-medical experience.

I had a badly injured rotator-cuff from a fall. It took a long time for it to get better (these things never really heal, they just get better). I wasn't able to do much of anything at first and any lifting above shoulder level (even just lifting my arm) caused pain and it would "click". I had PT and ultrasound treatments for the summer months and in the course of the first year or so I could engage in most activities again, including playing sqaush.

As for diving, once the worst of it was over it wasn't a problem. If I were you I would ask the PT not only about getting it better now but strategies for keeping it from "flaring up" in the future. I'm not sure if a scuba forum is the right place to get advice about that.

R..

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Just got back from my workers comp doctor. had been having shoulder and neck pain and was prescribed pt for about 3 1/2 weeks now. had mri on sunday and was told today that it showed a small(?) tear in my right rotator cuff. she was not specific as to where but it's ok as she's not an ortho. she prescribed 2 more weeks of pt and if no improvement is shown will send me to ortho for surgical evaluation. I'm 45 and work as a painter in a metal shop. most of my job is extended reaching and overhead work. on light duty now with no overhead stuff but if I go back after rehabbing shoulder it could flare up again from what I've been reading. I'm not looking for specific medical advice but for the experience of any of you who have had this condition and how it has affected your diving both before and after treatment. I'm also in the middle of divemaster training so this comes at a really bad time. Just talked with my instructor and some provisions can be made for some activities but other things may need to be gotten done before surgery if it's determined I need it. last outing I carried my gear down to the water with my left arm and I geared up in water.I can use my right but I'm being very careful with what i do. I should also note that when I'm underwater the pain is gone and I feel good for 2 or 3 days afterwards. Probably from being so relaxed and 90 degree water temps. Anyway if anyone has had this done could you please let me know how it affected your diving. Several web sites have indicated a change in vocation is sometimes called for. Maybe it's a good time to go pro. The offer has been made, and that is my goal to teach and work in a shop. I have started tank filling instruction along with vis inspection and pp blending is being setup. My instructor is also trying to schedule a factory cert class for me with one of his suppliers when their tech rep comes to our area in the near future. This would be for reg, bc, and their other gear service, testing and repair. Sorry if I've rambled but I'm a little nervous about this. Any feedback in the way of experience would be appreciated. Jim PADI Master Scuba Diver and Dive Master Candidate

Howdy Jim ...

I went through something similar last year ... tore my right rotator cuff on my last day in Bonaire last September.

It slowed my diving down for about three months, but I never actually stopped diving. The most difficult part was getting into my rig ... I wear a one-piece harness, and I had to ask my dive buddy to help me thread my right arm into and out of the harness. But, like you, once in the water, it felt fine.

After the MRI my doctor recommended a cortizone shot and physical therapy ... which proved effective. I continued the daily workouts the doctor recommended well into the new year. By January the pain was negligible, and by March was gone altogether.

Every once in a while I'll get a "twinge" in the shoulder if I move it the wrong way ... but overall I've been pretty symptom-free since. FWIW - I'm coming up on 200 dives so far this year ... several of them in double 119's ... so I guess you could say things worked out quite OK ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fgray1]

Maybe we should start a Club. Divers with messed up shoulders.
Mine still in the healing process. Still hurts 6 months after surgery. I dive with it but only single tanks and with only the gear needed. I use a hand truck to get my gear to the water and put it on in the water most times. Like you It feels great while and after the dive. Be careful with it is the most important thing. Good luck with it.

 

[CBulla]

I've got to agree with post #4.. I've had 4 Bankhart repairs on my right shoulder, some 'scope work to.. patience is a virtue. My last surgery was this past October 27 and I was immobilized for 2 months to heal. 4 months of therapy later I was still a little tight and cautious but good...

At post 10 months I'm doing a LOT of things I couldn't do for 2 years and my shoulder hasn't felt this great in YEARS! Dive gear? No problem! Climbing back on the boat? No problem! Playing with chainsaws, power tools, etc.?? No problem!! Pulling the bands on my spear gun or 35# recurve bow? Tender!.... must be patient!!