Bum shoulder, help me

[kansas_volunteer]

Somehow I've injured the muscles in my left shoulder, the rotator cuff. The doctor says it isn't bad enough for surgery to make it right,

Last night I tried to take an offhand shooting position with a rifle I'm putting together. It has a one-inch 54 cal barrel 36 inches long. It's heavy. Lifting it made my shoulder hurt like heck. Now I'm wondering what I can do for the shoulder. Any advice?

 

[2 shots]

we can tell you about your rifle, what did the doc say you could do about the shoulder? any exercise or such?

 

[russellshaffer]

Do a search for physical therapy for shoulders. I fixed my problem with some simple exercises that don't involve expensive equipment. It worked for me and I was over 70 at the time.

 

[SDSmlf]

You may want consider physical therapy. Based on your profile it looks like you are 74, so PT would likely be covered by Medicare (if you have a supplement or an advantage plan), but you will need a referral from your doctor.

 

[Bnewberry]

Physical therapy is helpful. I also find massage helps.

 

[RicM]

THats a tough one. about 5 years back while cutting logs I over extended my right arm while putting a heavy log down and injured my rotator cuff to the extent I couldn't even lift my arm up above my head let alone reach into my back pocket. Exray should nothing and was going to for an MRI, Dr told me I may need an operation and the get well time is like 8 weeks and then PT afterwards!! I more than likely pulled it stubborn me scratched the MRI and PT. It gradually got better took about a full year! I would say now its 100$ back except for a bit of stiffness and a pinch here and there once in a while. I can live with that. For those first 2-4 weeks it was tough, no shooting off my shoulder. You can do the heat compress and pad it up and try to shoulder a long gun. Best though I would wait at least a week or two and gradually get back into it and some PT may help to.

 

[JohnBHM]

I have been having shoulder problems for several years while doing any overhead work, also if I fell asleep with my arm over my head I would wake up in agony. My neighbor who is from Vera Cruz asked me if I wanted to go to his "Chiropractor" , and I thought why not. After a few 10 minute sessions I had no more pain. I found out he was trained in Japanese pressure and heat therapy. I continued going to him for almost a year on and off and was amazed when he would start moving my arm or head and immediately step back and shake his head. I may not understand exactly what he is saying but I got the point. I started pointing to anything that was hurting or felt out of sorts as I came into the room.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I had shoulder surgery in 17
Now 6 years later it's filled with nerve damage and arthritis. I can't shoot my 14 pound schuetzen rifles off hand anymore. I can still shoot an 8 pound gun, but I don't have as solid hold as I used to. I have just accepted it and kept on shooting. I have learned to choke up on my hold which helps a lot with the pain and improves my accuracy.

 

[Brokennock]

Somehow I've injured the muscles in my left shoulder, the rotator cuff. The doctor says it isn't bad enough for surgery to make it right,

Last night I tried to take an offhand shooting position with a rifle I'm putting together. It has a one-inch 54 cal barrel 36 inches long. It's heavy. Lifting it made my shoulder hurt like heck. Now I'm wondering what I can do for the shoulder. Any advice?

You need to see a physical therapist.

And,,,

I know many who haven't tried it will defecate on the suggestion,,,, screw them......
Try acupuncture. It saved my wrists and hands after a few accidents and other traumatic events left me with tendon and ligament issues... which saved my archery and pistol shooting.

Also, increase the amount of Omega-6 fatty acids I'm your diet, these are natural anti-inflammatory agents. Decrease their opposing agent, Omega-6 fatty acids. More; sardines, mackerel, salmon, grass fed/grass finished beef,,,, NOT flax seed or flax seed oil. Less; grains and legumes.
To note, I am not a physician,,,, my medical background is in cardiology and cardiac technology. But, after some very serious health issues, some life threatening, I did some heavy research into diet and how food and the chemicals and compounds in food effects us and our health. Thing is,,, a better diet can't hurt, even if it doesn't "fix" the problem being focused on at the time.
Even with a good healthy diet, p.t. will be needed.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

How is the right shoulder? Are you right or left handed? Right handed people shoulder the gun mostly using their left hand for the lifting part. If you can somehow do the lifting with your right hand, and then maybe use shooting sticks to support most of the weight of the gun, you might be able to manage it. I've had customers in my store who only have one arm, and they seem to manage.... though I tended to suggest handguns for them... which might be another option for you.

Not to criticize people here who are trying to be helpful, but a forum like this is probably not the best place to ask for medical advice. You can certainly get opinions, but when it comes down to it, you need to ask doctors and physical therapists for advice. Treatment should then come from somebody with "DR", DPT or PT in front of their names, not the pretty girls who speak Mandarin and broken English at the AMP.

I would seek a second opinion of another doctor and then decide what to do. I know it sucks gettin' old, but a painful shoulder is still better than the stage four cancer I got.

Good luck!

 

[Brokennock]

How is the right shoulder? Are you right or left handed? Right handed people shoulder the gun mostly using their left hand for the lifting part. If you can somehow do the lifting with your right hand, and then maybe use shooting sticks to support most of the weight of the gun, you might be able to manage it. I've had customers in my store who only have one arm, and they seem to manage.... though I tended to suggest handguns for them... which might be another option for you.

Not to criticize people here who are trying to be helpful, but a forum like this is probably not the best place to ask for medical advice. You can certainly get opinions, but when it comes down to it, you need to ask doctors and physical therapists for advice. Treatment should then come from somebody with "DR", DPT or PT in front of their names, not the pretty girls who speak Mandarin and broken English at the AMP.

I would seek a second opinion of another doctor and then decide what to do. I know it sucks gettin' old, but a painful shoulder is still better than the stage four cancer I got.

Good luck!

Most of what you say is true. But, beware putting complete trust in a doctor. Definitely see more than one, definitely change doctors if you have problems with one (I've never understood why people stay with a doctor who isn't providing good service)
Many doctors are shills for big pharma, or at best, just have a hard time thinking outside what they were taught or what the system wants them to go along with and the information the system wants them to disseminate.
Asking friends for advice and ideas is a great idea,,, if one does the work to separate the wheat from the chaff and one does their own research into the ideas presented,,,,,,, don't take anyone's word for it,,,, including the doctor. One needs to do one's homework.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I shattered my right shoulder in 85 at Ft Lewis. The meat market would not repair it.
I went to civie doctors, same answer. Several decades later both bones still flop around and the left should now has an AC sep from taking u the slack of the right one.

I went from 54 cal in the 90s to 45 cal in the 2000s, I can shoot all day.
Compared to the 45/70 which Im good for about 5 shots before the right arm hangs there like a limb...

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I shattered my right shoulder in 85 at Ft Lewis. The meat market would not repair it.
I went to civie doctors, same answer. Several decades later both bones still flop around and the left should now has an AC sep from taking u the slack of the right one.

I went from 54 cal in the 90s to 45 cal in the 2000s, I can shoot all day.
Compared to the 45/70 which Im good for about 5 shots before the right arm hangs there like a limb...

Does your .45 have a traditional crescent butt plate or a recoil pad?

 

[SOLANCO]

Somehow I've injured the muscles in my left shoulder, the rotator cuff. The doctor says it isn't bad enough for surgery to make it right,

Last night I tried to take an offhand shooting position with a rifle I'm putting together. It has a one-inch 54 cal barrel 36 inches long. It's heavy. Lifting it made my shoulder hurt like heck. Now I'm wondering what I can do for the shoulder. Any advice?

I have had both rotator cuffs torn. My left finally got so bad that I had a shoulder replacement. I am 75 and from the age of 6 was a right handed shooter. Age related eye disease has made me a southpaw now. The point of all that is we must adapt as age and abuse gives us new problems.

Physical therapy is what you need. Have your doc give you an RX for therapy. Be sure your therapist understands your goals. You want to regain the physical strength and you want to make your shoulder pain free. If these are not possible, your doc is in error about surgery.

No. I am not a medical professional. But have spent a lot of time at the shoulder rodeo.

 

[waksupi]

Time to get a rifle with a swamped barrel.

 

[nhmoose]

ICE! better than drugs then have physical therapy until it gets bad enough to fix by surgery or really do what the therapist wants you to.

 

[SOLANCO]

Of this you may be certain: A rotator cuff will not heal itself. You may learn to live with it. But it will never heal itself and, frankly, will degrade without much encouragement.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Three shoulder surgeries behind me on the left shoulder, Last one was close to 30 years ago. I am a left-handed shooter, and it will tell me when to stop shooting, I have good days and bad days figured it's just part of the process. Physical therapy and be careful with lifting heavy objects.

 

[springfield art]

Somehow I've injured the muscles in my left shoulder, the rotator cuff. The doctor says it isn't bad enough for surgery to make it right,

Last night I tried to take an offhand shooting position with a rifle I'm putting together. It has a one-inch 54 cal barrel 36 inches long. It's heavy. Lifting it made my shoulder hurt like heck. Now I'm wondering what I can do for the shoulder. Any advice?

I have a mild-ish case of this, esp. at night/sleeping. Doesn't affect shooting. I'm a lefty, somehow this came upon my right cuff. Good luck!

 

[ord sgt]

Several years ago I partially tore my rotator cuff while trying to pull start a lawn mower. I had very limited use of my arm, so much so I called it my "T-Rex" arm as movement was very limited. I tried to ignore the pain until pain affected my sleep. Pain killers didn't help.
Finally called my orthopedic doctor. X-rays showed a bone spur plus the rotator cuff tear. It was time for minimally invasive surgery.
Today, I have complete use of my arm. Physical therapy after the incisions healed helped, as did exercises at home.
If you can overcome the problem with rest, Goodluck. If it doesn't get better, you know what the next step will be.