Shouldar starting to work

[AngelaW]

Well, I've had some pain issues from this last surgery which I've covered in other posts but I think all will be worth it.
Before the tendon/muscle transfer my shouldar was severely dislocated and painful from the bpi injury; my arm just hung there.
I had a follow-up appointment with my dr and he lightly tested my shoulder and not only did it move better, but my arm moved with it showing that the muscles so far are supporting my arm. This is very exciting. My shouldar contour-wise also look like a shoulder again. I think it even looks better than my good shouldar now I have 5 more weeks in this cage-like brace and I can hardly wait. I am hoping that this will be a positive example for others who are told that a shouldar fusion or doing nothing are the only choices for severe sublexation as I was led to believe.

[herff94]

Angela
Where did they take the tendon and muscles come from? Did they do it for more movement or to pull your up in place? Or both? Did your shoulder bones all show and look skinny? My bra straps fall off and my clothes fall off on my bad side. Its so uncomfortable. And it looks like, in certain clothes, like I am missing have of upper body. What is this "cage" brace look like? Send pictures................

[AngelaW]

Please, if you have the time call me tommorrow. There's so much to tell about the surgery it would be easier to tell then type. . I emailed you my number.
Yes, I looked like my shoulder was missing with clothes on and the bones were alomost poking through the skin. Also the pain was so bad that I actually felt less pain post-op because then everything was in the right place.
I don't have any pics of that, but I will try to get some of this "lovely" brace. Promise not to laugh.
I should warn you that if you get this surgery you would wear it for 6 weeks. This still is less than the rod for a fusion and with no removal surgery. Also, as I said, painwise I've found this suegery to be unbelievably pain free.

[siamerican]

glad to read that you are seeing good signs for your shoulder and arm this soon since your op

My arm has sublaxed at the shoulder since day 1 and the only time it's not noticeable is when I rest my elbow on some surface--and also when I'm standing in a pool, it kina seems to float to normal, at least I can't realize it so much.

I'm not sure if it is the same cause as yours--My deltoids are the numb flabby atrophying culprit as far as I can tell. Shoulder sublaxing seems to be universal with TBPI...I wonder if the causes vary i.e. deltoid trapezius, or even pecs and other muscles holding the arm...

[AngelaW]

Yes, I think there are different causes for the sublexation. It also seems some are more sublexed than others. Yours seems a bit milder than mine was. Is it painful? Mine even the doctors couldn't push it back into place and the skin was so thin and streched the bones were rubbing it underneath. My shoulder surgeon couldn't believe I had been walking around like that for 8 months and tha normally his patients aren't that bad. My tendons were also comepletely stretched.
A good brace would help keep your shoulder in place

[Joy in FL]

Good to hear of your progress. It will be exciting to see how well you do once the brace is off. Looking forward to hearing all about it!

[AngelaW]

4 more weeks and I'm free of this brace! It wraps around my torso and holds my arm in a perpetul "waving" position. Even my mom was teasing me when I woke up fron surgery