Shoulder Issue Continued after 2 surgeries - Please help

[lokobreed]

am wondering if anyone can help me with a chronic issue: PLEASE SEE VIDEOS OF SCAP BELOW

Nov 2009 - Shoulder surgery for impingment - distal clavicle resection & decompression

-- After surgery AC joint was sore but around March 2010 I began to get tightness in the posterior of my shoulder and upper left back w/ a dull ache feeling around shoulder joint and scapula. Sometimes I also got a crawling sensation around the scap area as well.

May 2010- Tried Active Release Technique, Graston, and Chiroipractic to fux issue

June 2010 - MRI and EMG study - MRI showed the joint was fine.
EMG/NCV study only confirmed that I had cubittal tunnel in my elbow, which I was diagnosed with two years ago.

June 30 2010 - Capsularrphy Shoulder Surgery - Doctor said my RC was very loose so they tightned it thinking this could be the cause of the ache since EMG/NCV was negative.

So I am now 2 weeks posat surgery, in a sling, and the ache and crawling sensation and tightness is still there!! Its not pain but very very discomforting!

I am wondering what is causing this? Could it be weaken muscles on that side? I tried to lift heavy somewhat early after the FIRST SURGERY without following the PT recovery protocols. Could that have done anything?

I am kind of at my wits end and do not know what else to do, especially after having another surgery in which the doctor said besides my RC being loose there was nothin else wrong with my joint. I know I have yet to start PT but the same ache is there post surgery 2.


Symtoms now:
SCAPULA GRINDING POPPING CONSTANTLY
TIGHT PULLING OF MUSCLES/NERVES WHEN BEND NECK TO SIDE - FEEL IT PULLING IN WHAT SEEMS LIKE FROM THE TRAP AND PEC MINOR DOWN ARMPIT TO HAND
DULL ACHE AROUND OUTSIDE OF SHOULDER - MEDIAL SIDE OF SHOULDER
Pain at end of distal clavicle (like the pain I had after surgery 1 - not sure why this pain jumped up again)
----> My clavicle is pretty prominent sticking out though, seems higher than other side since post first surgery
Dull ache around and posterior shoulder

Ache around scapula and rhomboid are - feels tight
Some crawling sensations around back of shoulder joint and upper back (scapula area)
Tightness when I shrug my shoulder up


VIDEO
MAY 3 (After first Surgery before 2nd)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLmZAoLUrQs

VIDEO (OCT 28 2010 - AFTER BOTH SURGERIES - GETTING WORSE)
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v229/LOKOBREED/?action=view&current=MOV02478.mp4

What Makes it feel better:
Laying down in supine position
exercise

What makes it worse
Anything other than above

[lokobreed]

also when I retract my shoulder blades or roll my shoulders there is a grind - it seems like it is towards the upper part of my shoulder blade closer to where the ac joint is.

[Heidi]

Hi
I think given there is no problem with the shoulder joint itself as confirmed by surgery and there isn't a 'pain' as such, that it is probably associated with a muscle imbalance problem around the shoulder girdle. This is a very complex area and if one musle group are too tight (strong) where another group are not strong enough (posturally, rather than maximal force!) then this can easily lead to a problem with the positioning of the joint or the motion of the scapula.
I have looked at your videos and its difficult to really tell anything from them (especially the second) but the right shoulder blade does appear to track differently (I presume its the right?!).
I would go down the route of PT. I would also advise some really good sports massage therapy as this will help with the grinding, popping and tight feelings you mention.
Skipping your rehab phase and returning to heavy weights is definately not a good idea!

[lokobreed]

Would you recommend Trigger Point, Deep Tissue or sports massage? I have a lot of knots in my Scapula / RC and Trap.

The affected side is the side with my tatto - is that the side you were reffering to?

[Heidi]

Yes - your right shoulder?!

A good sports masseuse would be able to do trigger pointing etc as well.

[lokobreed]

Thank you!

Maybe perhaps you can help me with this issue now. I feel like I have an entrapped nerve or artery. I think it is probably a nerve because wouldn't an artery be showing different symptoms than what I have? And not sure if it is due to the winging of my scapular or different but I feel like it is different because I do not think it is my suprscapular nerve but I could be wrong.

1)When I take a deep breath in especially if my shoulder blades are retracted it almost feels like a rope is being tired around my shoulder area (more anteriorly though) .

2) when I do side lateral raises with no weight ( thumbs point up) and shoulders blades retracted, when I come down I hit something, think a nerve, inside my shoulder joint area (possbily more closer to armpit) and it sends like pulse or bump down into my thumb/palm area.

3)Sometimes my deltoid begins to burn... is there a nerve that runs there?

4) When I raise my arm to the side and back and then tilt my head to the side I feel something move in the shoulder joint over something else which also sometimes sends a pulse or a jump down into my thumb/ palm area.

My hands, especially palm area, is usually dry and chappy and wrinkly - isnt that a sign of an entrapped nerve?

[Heidi]

Yes it could all be a sign of a nerve entrapment.
You need to get a professional therapist to examine you. It may be a problem coming from the neck of may be muscle tightness but I don't think it's something you can treat on your own.

[lokobreed]

Thanks the mssage was uneblieavle and defintely need more than one becuase I am so tightened and knotted up !

I have another questions though... When I tilt my head to the opposit side I get major pulling from my trap all the way into my deltoid region. After this and especially after external rotations my deltoid is burning... Any ideas?

[Heidi]

Hi
That's reasonably common and is probably due to stretching the nerve. Continued massage therapy should help and depending on who you are seeing they might be able to show you some neural stretches that may help.

[lokobreed]

Thank you Heidi!

I it is now burning whether I am doing rotations, lateral or side raises (with 1 lb) or really anything even if I dont do much... would this be a sign of a nerve thing or it could be that I have a tear or something?