Disrupted AC joint - Chiro or Physio?

[T-Bob]

Hi brainstrust! 

so it's been about 4 weeks since I managed bounce my shoulder onto the fine black top of Chappies. In some ways I got away lucky and didn't break the collar bone. What I did do is stuff my Shoulder AC joint quite nicely and break a couple of ribs in the process. 

 

So according to my Doc friend, who is very used to seeing these things as a rider and a former rugby pro, it should be time now to start some work on the offending joint. Very happy as the sling is off and I can look forward to the road back into the saddle.

 

My question is, do I go for chiro' or physio and who is good in CT Southern 'burbs? 

 

It's a level 2 or 3 disruption of the joint. So if you've done this yourself a time line would be awesome so I know what I'm in for! 

[Frosty]

I had physio (2 sessions per week, for 4 weeks including some daily "home" workout using a blue rubber band thingy.

 

Think my AC joint dislocation was level 3 (memory like a sieve).

 

Hope this helps, from a non-medically inclined person.

[NickGM]

I can't tell you if physio is better for you than chiro, but I can at least share my experiences:

 

I had a grade 3 (or 4) acl separation that had to be operated on as too many ligaments had torn for it to heal on it's own. So, a bit more serious than what you've had, with regard to the shoulder anyway. But for what it's worth, I was in a sling for 6 weeks, after which i started pretty light physio. After a month of physio I moved on to biokineticist, which is the last of the 3 phases I've been going through (rest, physio, bio).

 

It is a very slow healing process and you have to be religious about your physio (or whatever you choose). During periods when i was slack with the exercises I had to do each night, I made 0 progress. But if I consistently put 30 minutes in each evening the joint got better steadily. No surprises I guess. But by comparison, my brother broke a collarbone and it was really just a matter of waiting for it to heal over a few weeks and then he was good to go again. 

 

 

I'm at 3 months now and I would say it is 80% better, but I am still moving forward, probably like 1% a week. I can genuinely measure the progress by the amount of pain and flexibility I have doing different stretches. 

 

So I guess the only thing I can share is that, while my injury sounds more serious, it may be a good few months before everything feels normal again. 

[geomark]

Hi brainstrust! 

 

so it's been about 4 weeks since I managed bounce my shoulder onto the fine black top of Chappies. In some ways I got away lucky and didn't break the collar bone. What I did do is stuff my Shoulder AC joint quite nicely and break a couple of ribs in the process. 

 

So according to my Doc friend, who is very used to seeing these things as a rider and a former rugby pro, it should be time now to start some work on the offending joint. Very happy as the sling is off and I can look forward to the road back into the saddle.

 

My question is, do I go for chiro' or physio and who is good in CT Southern 'burbs? 

 

It's a level 2 or 3 disruption of the joint. So if you've done this yourself a time line would be awesome so I know what I'm in for! 

Working my way through my second one due to a viscous and unprovoked  attack by a pine tree on the origin of trails, but only minor tears (?type 1) both times. Answer for me has been physio initially then home workout on exercises they give you with theraband (rubber band thingy), then biokineticist and additional gymn exercises for the long term rehab.  Physio should just be short term.

[T-Bob]

I had physio (2 sessions per week, for 4 weeks including some daily "home" workout using a blue rubber band thingy.

 

Think my AC joint dislocation was level 3 (memory like a sieve).

 

Hope this helps, from a non-medically inclined person.

 

Thanks so much for that. 4 weeks is good... I can sit on a IDT for 4 weeks!

[V12man]

Physio with rehab expertise - call anyone at sport science institute...

[Frosty]

From a timing perspective:

I was in a sling from mid-Feb to end of March;
Physio was for the month of April;

I was back on the bike beginning of May.

 

That was 2013.

 

I have full mobility in the shoulder, but I struggle with pushing/pulling weights above my head, or doing pull ups - being lazy certainly doesn't help. I also can't sleep on the one side for too long before I feel some discomfort. 

 

As far a bike handling, riding, etc. - no known discomfort.

[T-Bob]

I struggle with pushing/pulling weights above my head, or doing pull ups

 

Awesome! Now I have an excuse to not do this.

[Special-K]

Less than 3 months ago I had a AC joint, stage 2, disruption.

 

I felt the sling tensed up all my muscles (did more damage than good) and tossed it after a week. Took it easy on the indoor trainer for (almost) a month (seeing that I was in the middle of DC training) and got back on the bike. Bumped it again in a Durbie dash crash, but luckily no more harm done.

 

I took a cataflam the night before a long ride/race and popped 2 panados before the ride. It stiffens up every now and then, but not enough to keep me of the bike. I did find a lot of stretching exercises on the internet designed especially for AC joint injuries.

 

Good luck! Hope yours heel as fast as mine did!

[stefmeister]

Hi,

as a first useful contribution to the hub, I'll share my experiences.

 

In June/July 2014 I had a wipe out, suffered a grade 1/2 AC injury. I didn't wear a sling, and just kept my arm still. After 6 weeks I was able to lift my arm above my head without too much discomfort. By week 8 I was back in the gym, almost lifting the same weights as before the crash.

 

FFW to Nov 2014, I got taken out by a car. Grade 3 or worse AC injury. This time it was much worse, and I was only able to get back on the bike after two months.

 

My orthopedist advised that I get surgery. I also asked whether alternative methods would help. His words; physio therapy can't head torn ligaments, only injured muscles.

IMO, chiro practers and homeopathy are much the same, i.e. nonsense that is not medically and scientifically proven or backed up.

Rather trust the guy who has studied 8 or something years.

 

I was also told that if it did not heal after a while that surgery would be the only option to rectify. So I went for the operation in July this year, and was out another 3 months after reconstructive surgery.

 

Anyway, I was advised to go for physio after 5 or 6 weeks. I followed my own advise not to go with various shoulder exercises, and recovery was swift. I could feel improvements by the week.

Took it easy, but still pushed myself enough. Ideally the ligaments should grow back after 6 weeks, and then it requires exercise to strengthen. Also, exercise promotes increased blood flow in ligaments where it otherwise does not tend to receive a lot of oxygenated blood. Increased oxygen promotes the healing process.

 

Hope some of this helps. 

[T-Bob]

Thanks so much for the info and advice. Glad to get some real world answers to this issue and see how much long I have to go. Will be seeing a very well recommended physio on Tuesday and take it from there. Frankly I'm getting fat and buying too much stuff while I'm not out riding or surfing.

[Special-K]

Thanks so much for the info and advice. Glad to get some real world answers to this issue and see how much long I have to go. Will be seeing a very well recommended physio on Tuesday and take it from there. Frankly I'm getting fat and buying too much stuff while I'm not out riding or surfing.

 

My Orthopedic surgeon said he is more than happy for me to ride on the indoor trainer. I just stayed in the seated position and avoided the pushing and pulling movement from standing. You keep your ligaments in position by leaning onto the handle bar....no excuse not to get training straight away Just stay away from push ups and side planks...that didn't work so well.  And this coming from a girl

[NixM]

 

 

My orthopedist advised that I get surgery. I also asked whether alternative methods would help. His words; physio therapy can't head torn ligaments, only injured muscles.

IMO, chiro practers and homeopathy are much the same, i.e. nonsense that is not medically and scientifically proven or backed up.

Rather trust the guy who has studied 8 or something years.

 

As far as I know V12man is an orthopod and he recommended a physio.

 

You cannot compare physio to homeopathy, it is a very medically proven and scientifically backed up profession. Yes you get bad ones but you also get some excellent ones.

 

As a doctor I can assure you physios know more than the average GP. And a good physio with post grad training can be as good as a sports physician.

[Rocket-Boy]

As far as I know V12man is an orthopod and he recommended a physio.

 

You cannot compare physio to homeopathy, it is a very medically proven and scientifically backed up profession. Yes you get bad ones but you also get some excellent ones.

 

As a doctor I can assure you physios know more than the average GP. And a good physio with post grad training can be as good as a sports physician.

 

I think he was referring to chiro's with the homeopathy comment.

I could be wrong though...

[stefmeister]

I think he was referring to chiro's with the homeopathy comment.

I could be wrong though...

 

Yes indeed.

The orthopedist said, in my case, that no amount of physio therapy would heal a torn AC ligament. He did however told me to start seeing one after the surgery (~6 weeks), which I decided against and followed my own exercises...which so happened to work just fine. 

[V12man]

As far as I know V12man is an orthopod and he recommended a physio.

 

You cannot compare physio to homeopathy, it is a very medically proven and scientifically backed up profession. Yes you get bad ones but you also get some excellent ones.

 

As a doctor I can assure you physios know more than the average GP. And a good physio with post grad training can be as good as a sports physician.

I am not an orthopod Trauma surgeon trying to be a businessman on the side...  with a couple of years of sports medicine under Tim

 

I agree - some physios are very good indeed - but still - I am not ever sending my kid with suspected pneumonia to a physio.... there are some practical limits... That said - I am not sending them to a GP either.... might however send them to the GP for toothache....

 

My family GP does not like the sight of blood.... he has a tendancy to faint he tells me - amuses me no end..... still - he is a good lad.