Well, I' m really frustrated. I was just starting to play at a new level and felt like i was getting ready to make a run at some of the bigger names, when BAM, ouch!!! MY SHOULDER IS SHREDDED.
All arrows point to rotator cuff. It is really painful to raise my arm straight out as if to make a putting motion. No pain in a backhand type motion (in my living room at 1/4 speed at least). It happened a couple weeks ago in Alabama at the rocket city tourney. Anyway, I see the real doc this week hopefully and will get the full diagnosis. Have any of you guys ever had bad shoulder pain/ rotator issues? I'm expecting the worst- done for the season, or worse. Sitting here at home today while a local tourney is going on is really hard, but i wont play til I'm better. Any advice??? Any torn rotators out there?

Thanks, Scott Rief, #26039

I zapped mine in the winter of '99. It takes months to rehab and feels like years. Hide your discs, get a new hobby for a while and commit yourself to the entire rehab as your doc suggests. Remember Ron Russell came back a year after tearing his rotator to win Worlds!

thanks, thats encouraging about ron, i didnt know that

In 2004 mine tore. The doc did not cut on it, just wanted me to keep it inactive for at least 6 months and re-evaluate, or he could repair it. I chose to sit out with out the surgery. Six months later, everything was looking better, he told me I could start physical therapy and begin to use it lightly again. About a month later, (sometime in 2005) I decided it was feeling so good I would play again and bam same place, not quite healed enough to play. Put the discs down for a year, went through the physical therapy completely this time. In March of 2007, completely healed, back on the road to getting some resemblance of a game back and playing WITHOUT pain for the first time in several years.

Moral to story, don't start playing again too soon, or it will be 3 times as long as it should be. Take the above advice, hide the discs, have a good friend lock them down for you so you can't sneak in and start throwing "easy".

I have been in the same boat for about 2 years now. Out of nowhere I was having pain that made it impossible for me to lift my arm for a week at a time. I thought for sure I had torn it, but after MRI's the doc's say its just swollen. Rehab seems to be helping. I still play and they told me as long as I don't push it to pain im not really damaging it. The last time it got bad I took 6 weeks off, then went back to playing one round a week, and one rehab session a week. When I hurt it I was putting at least 5 days a week for 1.5 hours or more. Drives don't seem to hurt me, like you its that putting motion (until it gets really bad, then everything hurts). I work at a computer most of the day...one thing i did was start mousing left handed...that really seemed to relieve some of the stress on my shoulder. Also i try to do lots of small stretches and movements for my shoulder throughout the day.

Rehab on Monday, disk golf on Wed and the weekend. I plan to take about two months off for solid rehab in a few weeks (after the KCWO :) ) My distance has probably decreased by 40 ft or so, but my mental game has gotten better...I'm one of those guys that has to go to the bottom to go to the top.

Of course you situation could be totally different from mine, I'm sure your docs will fill you in on the real deal.

One piece of advice, I don't see many guys warm up their shoulders much before playing...after my injury i always warm up now. Swing a towel in a throwing motion. Overhead, sidearm, backhand. Grab a disc in each hand and pretend you pedaling a bike. Just something to get the juices flowing.

I hope you get good news.

thanks again, i have 2 appts with 2 diff doctors. one this friday and one monday with the UofL team Dr. I just want to be sure. Hopefully its not torn.

no tear! but had impingement and tendonitis doc said. got on some strong anti inflam... feel waaay better, thanks for you guys' help. Started physical therapy, light throwing, gonna ease back in. Cautiously optimistic!

sweeet!

be careful about throwing on "vitamin I'

Sounds very similar to something I did years back. I was playing in Round Rock Texas at what was once the longest course in the world and was trying to really rip and grip. I had to have surgery to increase the channel size and a few bone spurs were also removed. Took me about a year to get back to 100%, but then last year I won the '06 Adv. Master championship. Best advice, don't play until the doctor has cleared it and play light once he does.


no tear! but had impingement and tendonitis doc said. got on some strong anti inflam... feel waaay better, thanks for you guys' help. Started physical therapy, light throwing, gonna ease back in. Cautiously optimistic!