tinajfreeman
Forum Captain

Tina, I'd like to thank you for always being so helpful, informative and supportive. It's been a pleasure knowing you.

Hey are you a mod? On the only topic this account has made, it isn't made by me. I left my account logged in on a public computer and someone started using my profile and posting pictures. Could you delete the thread if you are a mod?

My R shoulder had been bothering me on and off for about two years and then one morning last September I woke up and the entire shoulder blade region was just killing me. I thought it was my back, went to the chiropractor repeatedly and it just wasn't responding. I ended up waiting six months and finally caved in and went to the sports medicine doctor. The treatments and recovery have been unpleasant but I don't think as unpleasant as surgery would have been. Good luck in your research and if I can help any way, let me know!

Your mailbox is full ...

The thing about RC tears is they are ligament damage and ligaments don't heal the way bones do. Ligaments and tendons heal by laying scar tissue down over the injury. Sometimes a tear can heal on its own but shoulders have notoriously crappy blood flow to begin with. You and I are close in age, we are "at that age" and depending on your genetics or lifestyle you end up being predisposed to tears (mine are all caused from impingement syndrome, I have DJD in my spine and particularly in the cervical region where the nerve roots come out that innervate the shoulder).

I got PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injected into my shoulders, two sessions combined with fat grafting. Frankly, it's unpleasant, painful (particularly the recovery) and not covered by insurance (about $900 a session). You'll also find any number of medical professionals who will tell you it doesn't work. I'll tell you I've healed one tendon in my right shoulder completely, just got my fourth treatment on the other, worse, tendon in my right shoulder (which was over 2/3 healed, the doctor and I agreed that if I wanted to go back to my former activities then one more treatment would be a good idea) and just got my first treatment in my left shoulder (which only just started to tear about a month ago). It's working for me. HOWEVER, I'm taking supplements to help the process and I'm seeing one of the best guys in the country (I'm blessed, his office is literally 15 minutes from my home, people from literally all over the country come to see him, the furthest has been Colorado, remember, I'm in Pennsylvania about 20 minutes out of Philadelphia. One day I was in the waiting room and a girl from Pittsburgh came in, that's an eight hour one way drive).

PRP and Prolotherapy are the new kids on the block in terms of repairing ligaments and they're considered experimental (although they've been doing it in Europe for quite some time). PRP is pricey but I'm extremely happy with the results so far. The biggest bonus is that there is only about a week down time versus surgery, where you're probably going to be stuck in an immobilizer from anywhere to two to six weeks. I've NEVER totally lost the use of my arms (although I won't kid you, the pain is pretty bad after the first session and all you can take is oxys/Tylenol which really don't help a lick).

Hah! I'll do that today

Two more posts, and you'll be the second most frequent poster on the forum! Above even Rob.

hey,
I know you're a regular user here, I was wondering if you could help me...how do I access my private message board used for the personal coaching...i've lost the link!
Thanks!
izzie

You are cool!