Shoulder dislocation and scuba diving

[Zeina]

Hi all,

My husband (and dive buddy) suffered from a shoulder dislocation yesterday, and we are leaving on our dream dive-vacation to Indonesia (Raja Ampat and Lembeh) in 2 days
To make things worse, I have no way of cacelling the trip and getting a refund this late...
Is it really really a no no for someone with a recent shoulder dislocation to scuba dive (while taking a zillion precautions, etc. etc.)?

Thanks for your help!

 

[fisherdvm]

Only risk I see is, inability to swim well if he lost a fin. You can learn to swim with one fin, however.

If you paid the boat hands enough before the dive, they will assist you in and out of the water without using your arm.

But it is risky business, to trust your life in another person's hands. I am sure plenty of disabled veterans dive with one arm, one leg, etc... But they have learned to adapt to their disability.

 

[do it easy]

I dislocated a shoulder a while ago and I didn't have the mobility or strength to dive for a while. It sounds like it was reduced quickly and he has his strength and mobility back?

One issue is that he might be at a greater risk for DCS if there is any recent scar tissue.

 

[TSandM]

He's at high risk for recurrent dislocation if he does much with the arm this soon.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Maybe my experience will help you make up your mind.

I had both shoulders dislocated. I didn't take time to properly rehab them. As a result I had frequent recurrences of the problem for several years thereafter. I'm fine now but the ultimate rehab was painful and a lot of work.

Had I to do it over I would have taken the time then to get healthy.

From what I know my experience is not at all unusual.

 

[do it easy]

He's at high risk for recurrent dislocation if he does much with the arm this soon.

Lynne's comment jarred my memory- I've dislocated both shoulders (edit: not both at the same time!) while in the water and it's not a pleasant experience. Once was in a pool and the other was in an overhead environment.

Maybe snorkeling with plenty of floatation would be a wiser choice.

 

[Footslogger]

He's at high risk for recurrent dislocation if he does much with the arm this soon.

========================================

That's right on the money ! ...and sometimes even with some time/rehab the shoulder will again sublux under sudden/forceful conditions.

The act of shoulder dislocation typcially results in damage to a structure called the "labrum" which is a ridge of cartilage that forms the outer edge of the joint "socket". In addition, following dislocation of the shoulder there is generally "laxity" of the ligaments that help stabilize the joint. Even with muscular rehab sometimes those ligaments are stretched to a point whereby the head of the humerus is allowed to "migrate" somewhat under forceful conditions.

Now ...back to the original question. Simple swimming without excess force isn't likely to cause recurrent dislocation. I would think some of the more dangerous tasks would be getting into/out of a wetsuit and climbing up the dive ladder in rough pitching seas.

 

[TSandM]

Yeah, the ladder climb would definitely be a stress. Movements which take the arm up and back are the highest risk for redislocation.

 

[Zeina]

Thanks much for your help, I really appreciate it
Sounds like the best thing for him to do is to stay on the boat with a good book!
And maybe do some snorkeling...
It's going to be hard, but he's got to do what he's got to do.

 

[lemurs2]

I dislocated my shoulder about 20 years ago. Since then it does a partial dislocation at times when I'm relaxed and only once was it forcefully knocked out, which was done when playing in big waves. I have always been able to yank it back in right away which isn't easy. I've talked to Dr's about this and I can either do exercies every day for ever or have surgery to make the muscle stronger but usually doesn't work.
On a recent dive trip it popped partially out while I was 70 ft down and relaxed and for the first time it didn't hurt since there was weightlessness. But I knew I had to surface to get it back in. I tried under water but couldn't get enough downward force. Once we surfaced there was a huge swell and a lot of pain and it took a while to get my gear off and get up the ladder and then it finally went back in. It was not a safe situation.
The moral: have your friend take it easy and do the physical therapy to get the muscle strong again