To be such a wimp over broken shoulder?

[PandoraRocks]

I tripped and fell last Thursday and landed on my shoulder. I have a fracture to the glenoid bone which is the bit of the shoulder blade which meets the humerus. I am now in a sling and have been told I can't drive for 6 weeks.

It is my dominant arm so really awkward. I live alone but do have a partner and friend who are both helping out. But I'm so down about this! Feel like I'm under house arrest. It doesn't help that I'm self employed though my partner is also in business with me so having to step up.

I've always had a bit of a phobia about hospitals, faint at blood tests etc and now I'm bloody terrified I'll need an operation. Like a fool I have googled and seems inevitable I'll end up with arthritis, loss of function bla bla.....

Fortunately, I wasn't in agony after the fall and could still lift my arm, but not above my head. I'm taking painkillers and it's OK but hurts if I move my arm around. Please can someone talk some sense into me and /or their own experiences of broken arms before I sink myself into a pit of misery!🙄

I broke my finger, fractured my hand and tore away a tendon at the beginning of the year in my non-dominant hand and it was bloody miserable, so I can't imagine with a shoulder on your dominant side.

You have my every sympathy! I wasn't allowed to drive so did feel like a prisoner too - all I can say is try to find things that you can do to occupy you (I tried some language learning on Duolingo, for example) and see if you can get a bit of fresh air some way, even if it's only sitting in the garden in a blanket for ten minutes!

Oh and stop googling and remember it's very early days. It will get more bearable before the six weeks are up.

I think you're being rather unkind to yourself, a broken shoulder is miserable.

Give yourself a bit of emotional support!

Get well soon.

That is a serious injury! It's normal to feel down about being injured, and it's normal to feel down about not being able to drive, etc.

I have never fractured my arm, but I dislocated it a couple of years ago and it was so painful (and scary). I had to wear it in a sling for a while, and then do physical therapy. It's fine now, but I am scared that it will happen again.

I hope you will feel better soon!

I broke my shoulder a few years back and was laid up for some time , I couldn’t dress myself, drive, wash my hair or haul myself out of the bath, raising my arm above my head was a big no. I didn’t have an op but worked with a physio to get the mobility back, you do need to do the exercises ! At one point I didn’t think I would ever be able to straighten it. It’s fine now, full range of movement back. You are still early days, rest up and get yourself to physio as soon as you can/able ! X

I tripped over in the street and fell on my arm. For various daft reasons of my own I refused to tell anyone. I think I had broken ribs, possibly. Anyway it was really painful, and then I developed a cough, which I couldn’t do because I couldn’t breathe properly. I felt so sad and pathetic and sorry for myself I cried myself to sleep every night for a week, whilst still doing cheery FaceTime with my family during the evening.

so what you’ve done must be much more painful. Look after yourself, and step away from Google!

There is a theory that there is a physiological reason you feel down after an injury. That it’s to get you to slow down, lay low, be cautious, and generally protect yourself and let yourself heal. Then, after a few weeks most people start to go a bit stir-crazy, and the theory is that this is then to prompt you to dig yourself out of your pit, get out a bit, and start being a bit more gently active again.

Go easy on yourself, give in to how you feel for a bit, and it will all be OK in the long run. It’s OK to feel how you feel in this current moment. There’s a reason for it, and it won’t last forever.

Sending sympathy! I am recovering from a broken shoulder, though I broke the upper arm rather than the blade. Did mine 6 months ago. Glad you're not in agony, I wasn't taking many pain killers either. I just had a useless arm! The first few days were especially horrible as I felt very vulnerable. Having a shower and putting on some deo was a huge logistical problem. Even sitting on the toilet lid to dry myself I felt as if I could easily slip off.

And it did feel like being under house arrest for a while. Luckily I could do most of my job online, that was about the only thing I could do for weeks so at least the job kept me occupied!

Getting my arm and shoulder back into use is slow. I could use my hand to type after a week or so, just plonk my wrist by the keyboard. But lifting a cup - nope. It gradually improved and although my shoulder isn't 100 per cent flexible yet and I'm still doing the physio exercises every day or two, now I can do normal stuff, put a pile of plates back on a high shelf, and fasten my bra at the back!

Be kind to yourself, take all the time you need, and I hope you're feeling much better soon.

I've never broken my shoulder but I have dislocated the damn things more than once. Be kind to yourself and avoid Doctor Google!

A few months ago maybe however after snapping a bone in my hand and some other damage every time I walked it hurt due to movement of plaster. give yourself a break I had 8wks no sleep. Finally off then told could be 6 to 12mths till fully healed. Rest now and get physio as soon as you can.

Poor you! I ‘broke’ my shoulder about 3yrs ago just as my H had left town to work away. I wasn’t even going to call him but a friend did and he came back until I’d had surgery. Honestly if you need surgery that’s the easy bit. I had to wait 4 weeks for it and after I had zero strength in my arm right to my fingers. I had physio but it’s still wrecked, I have Limited movement and in pain, and I’ve been putting off deciding about another surgery.

Don’t be me.

oh and I was told to sleep in a lazy boy style. chair which I didn’t have so I got a wedge pillow for the bed to sleep in. Still in sleep debt from that time I’m sure

You may have a bit of shock still too which can be really bad and make you feel awful.
Never broke my shoulder but have dislocated and that was bad enough
be kind to yourself dont over do things work with the Dr and physio get well soon

Thanks all for your kind messages 😃. I have managed to shower and wash my hair using my left hand, even wiping my bottom left handed 😳
I can use my right hand but not allowed to lift anything heavier than a kettle.
I'm wondering if I tripped because of the bloody boots I was wearing. Not Uggs but cheaper same style wide boots. I tripped a few times last year wearing them though never fell. I have not tripped wearing shoes.

Yes, I broke my shoulder in a fall and I do tend to trip up, it's got worse with age. After a few sessions I was a bit cheeky and asked the physio who was treating my shoulder to advise me on a few strength and balance exercises for my legs as well, so I can be more stable.

I broke my shoulder 5 weeks ago - tripped on a tree root training for a half marathon. Painful, and emotionally challenging. Also I feel I’ve been subjected to sexism and ageism, which is depressing. Despite it being a sports injury, the docs and nurses have gone on at me like I’m a 90 year old along the lines of ‘have we had a fall, dear?’ I assume because I’m a woman over 45.

My boyfriend did something similar when he was a very new boyfriend (just a few weeks after we starting dating)! It was his dominant side too. Moved in with me for 10 days (!) as he couldn't cook/wash his hair/change his dressings (he came off his bike so had road rash too). But he survived and so did we! He did physio exercises for a while and now has 95% mobility back, I would say. You'll get there, be kind to yourself :)

I have broken both my shoulders within the past 2 years (proximal humerus). The first one needed surgery, the second fortunately didn't.

I was in total AGONY and especially the first as it was my dominant was completely reliant on my husband right down to wiping my arse and cutting my food.

The second one was nearly 4 months ago and while technically its healed I'm still in pain and don't have full movement and still under the physio.

I totally get where you coming from. The pain, lack of sleep and reliance on others totally affected my mood. It does get better!

As a side note, I'm still bitter about an experience on MN 10 days after the second break. I'd gone to the high street for some cash. I came back on the bus and due to the pain and because I could not negotiate a moving bus safely I sat on a priority seat near the driver (I wrongly described it initially as a disabled seat but it wasn't.) Someone sat next to me then an older lady got on and I felt bad because I couldn't offer her my seat-the lady sitting next to me did. The following debate was about 50/50 but some of the comments to me were so cruel. "But you're not disabled, you've just got an owchie!" "When I was pregnant with 2 broken legs and managing a toddler I still stood up for an old lady....how dare you?" Thankfully there were a lot of people supporting me but it was very hurtful.

You're allowed to feel miserable! Hope you feel better soon.

@AmaryllisNightAndDay how long did it take before you could get your arm behind your back to do up your bra? I'm almost 8 weeks in and a lot better with a range of movement now. Been doing the physio but I can't get further than touching my bum. If I try to put my arm behind it's agony. Physio has given me this exercise with a towel but I can't do it yet! Guess it will take months.

Just do it up in front and swivel it around.
My son broke his clavicle on one side and thumb on other hand requiring cast from tip to elbow. He lives alone and I am 70 miles away. Once he figured out how to roll his cigarettes he seemed ok 😂.

It did take a good 3 months to take my bra off. I've always done it up as described above by pp. When I broke the second arm I bought a front opening bra which was a game changer.

Ps that sounds like I didn't take my bra off for 3 months. I'm not that much of a manger. My husband had to undo it.

Hi @PandoraRocks I'm very glad to hear you're doing well and feeling better!

I don't remember exactly when I got the ability to fasten/unfasten my bra at the back but I do know it was one of the last everyday tasks and it felt like a huge cause for celebration! Maybe 5 months. I also remember very gradually being able to work my arm up further my back from my bum, the physio didn't even ask me to try that until 3 or 4 months.

Nearly a year now and I have most of the movement back and I can do everything on my everyday tasks list! Crossing my arms to pull a T shirt over my head is still a bit difficult. Still doing stretches and strength exercises.

@Spidey66 I did consider telling DH that I couldn't iron ever again, he did it while I couldn't and he does it way better than I do!