Hey Olds & SS

[crabmeat thompson]

You guys still on the fish oil and glucosamine for your shoulders? Is it helping?

Mine feels shot. I've never injured it, and I keep getting random shooting pains in it. Sometimes when I get to my feet, some times reaching for the remote or scratching my back. I get the pain at the top of the shoulder around the rotator cuff area.

I have full range of movement with little to no discomfort ... But just get these random shooting, sharp pains run through it with different sudden movements. After I get a few of these pains the shoulders gets a dull ache ... thinking I might get on the glucosamine to see if it helps.

I thought it was tendonitis but after having a long lay off and rest, there's no difference to it.

[BA]

Maybe stop wanking with the same hand?

[bumfluff]

Walked straight into that one Braithsta.

[crabmeat thompson]

Well technically, no. If I was complaining of forearm tendonitis, maybe BA would have a point. And I'd most likely thank him for his concern.

But as it's shoulder pain, BA sounds like a flaming homosexual on a forum board fantasising about grown men rubbing one out.

Maybe I should send him a matchbox full of my pubic hair?

[bumfluff]

Walked straight into that one BA.

[Beerfan]

I hd a similar problem. Go and see a physio, as it could be that the "hole" in your shoulder where all the tendons, etc go through is inflamed, due to one of the small muscles being slightly torn etc. Did some specific stretches, problem went away, so far never to return. Voltaren is your friend in the meantime hehe

[BA]

Walked straight into that one BA.

Fence sitter.

Hmmmm, matchbox of pubic hair. Are you famous? Could I sell it on Ebay?

[crabmeat thompson]

I hd a similar problem. Go and see a physio, as it could be that the "hole" in your shoulder where all the tendons, etc go through is inflamed, due to one of the small muscles being slightly torn etc. Did some specific stretches, problem went away, so far never to return. Voltaren is your friend in the meantime hehe

Yeah ... I didn't know whether to see a doc, a physio or start self-medicating with glucosamine and hope it goes away.

Imma go buy some voltaren tomorrow.

[crabmeat thompson]

Pray to jesus. He'll sort you out.

Sure thing stringbean.

[brendo]

if u get shoting pain down your arm, is it down the back of the arm heading to your elbow? it could be coming from a neck issue. bulging disc pressing on a nreve. otway or brenno can answer your prob best id reckon

[otway1949]

Thanks for the compliment, and yes it is possibly true but someone near to Braithy needs to have a look at it to find out what the cause is the pain is only a symptom, it could be any of the things mentioned, the sooner looked at the sooner on the road to being fixed. fixed also means being able to stop taking pain killers and ant-inflamatories (they can be very helpful but no-one should take them for a long time or outside the prescribed dosage).

Fish oil and glucosamine and chondroitin all can be helpful as supportative supplements for joint problems but really a diagnosis of what the problem is comes first.
See a doctor or a chiropractor first, either should explain the options to you clearly and if you are not happy with their approach seek elsewhere.
A team I would advise any keen and/or aging surfer to have is a Medico, Chiropractor, Physiotherapist and a good masseur, a Sports Physiologist is also a good call. Preferably they should all surf or at least understand the physical mechanics of surfing, they should be hands on with palpation (feeling the effected area).
They should also be open to clearly communicating with each other.

I'd also consider self maintenance, yoga and or pilates.
Direct note to Braithy, go get it checked out, no shoulder = no paddle = no surf, the warning lights are on. Pay attention

[Trev]

^^^^^^^^
That last bit is right on the money.
I have an old school friend who I saw recently. He's surfed all his life. Still as fit as they come. Not an ounce of fat on him but can't raise his arms above shoulder height any more. No more surfing.

[crabmeat thompson]

Yeah, well I don't want that, so I better go see someone.

I can still paddle fine and raise my arms etc, with maybe no pain or a dull pain ... I just get a random, shooting pain right at the top of my shoulder around and near where the clavicle joins to the shoulder.

Cheers for the advice fellas

[chrisb]

Pray to jesus. He'll sort you out.

Do you mean that one in Kingaroy who was on "Sunday Night" last night

Otway's recommendations are sound. Also, for a prior non-believer, acupuncture in conjunction with massage and pilates fixed my shoulder injury.

[crabmeat thompson]

Yeah, my old man swears by acupuncture.

He tore up a disk, and the Dr's wanted to operate and haervest some bone from his hip and rebuild a vertebrae in his lower back.

He flew to thailand instead and went on a 12 week intensive acupuncture ordeal. The were inserting pins into his spine an everything. He was about to give up after 10 weeks of in his words, pure hell. Mum talked him into sticking it out and in week 11 he noticed difference and by week 12 he was pretty much back to normal and 4 years later still all good.

Must work.

[pridmore]

acupuncture cured mine...

[ric_vidal]

Yeah, my old man swears by acupuncture.

He tore up a disk, and the Dr's wanted to operate and haervest some bone from his hip and rebuild a vertebrae in his lower back.

He flew to thailand instead and went on a 12 week intensive acupuncture ordeal. The were inserting pins into his spine an everything. He was about to give up after 10 weeks of in his words, pure hell. Mum talked him into sticking it out and in week 11 he noticed difference and by week 12 he was pretty much back to normal and 4 years later still all good.

Must work.

If you read up on tendonitis (caught early I guess) it should get better with appropriate care in about 6 weeks.

One of my shoulders is marginal with tendonitis. Trying to keep out of the water, fish oil, chondroitin, glucosamine and a TENS device. Certainly relieved the pain when sleeping at least. If I surf, anti-inflammatories, though never feel they make a great deal of difference.

As Ots said, treat the cause, not the symptom.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Hey Braithy,

Go and see your GP for a referral and opinion first, but if the pain is still under 3 months old it will be best to see a good physio or other manual therapist. Glucosamine can be useful for long-term joint health but its unlikely to help much with your current symptoms. You're better off getting specific advice for how to treat the pain from a therapist based on the diagnosis. Seeing a GP for pain medication and anti-inflammatory meds may help, but it may not treat the cause.

If the pain has been hanging around longer than 3 months and you can get yourself to the Inner-West of Sydney, I can treat your shoulder for you. Otherwise you can find an exercise physiologists using the search function on http://www.essa.org.au . If the pain has been hanging around longer than 3 months its usually a result of a muscle imbalance, posture, tight muscles/joints and incorrect muscle recruitment patterns when doing loaded or repetitive movements with your arms. In my opinion this is best treated with an exercise physiologist or a physio with strong exercise prescription skills, preferably one that surfs or understands surfing well. Brief manipulative treatments may help as well, but not without a good rehabilitative exercise program reinforcing the treatment.

Send me a PM if you would like my help. I have successfully treated many shoulders before, including my own surfing injures