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shoulder dislocation - tales of woe/joy wanted 7-Jan-2009 At 11:18:56 AM StuE

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Hey Jesse,

It was arthroscopic so instead of having a nice scar to impress the chicks with, it just looks like someone attacked me with a stapler.

I think its the right decision but its always worth getting a second opinion before you take the plunge. Have you had an MRI?

Both surgeons you mention were also recommended to me and apparently make up 2 of the top 3 shoulder specialists in Australia (I can't think who the other guy is but I think he's based in Melbourne). In view of this (and the fact that he's close to where I live and patches up numerous footy players and cricketers) I went for Jerome. Esp after meeting him - he seem liked a good guy so I didn't mind him carving me up.

As is usual, the best guys are the most sought after so appointments can be hard to come by. I have to say that I know it sucks to wait, but I would in this situation. Get the best surgeon rather than taking some old hack just because he can do the job quicker.

Try John Orchard (sports physician) at the Sports Injuries clinic at Sydney Uni for a second opinion.

http://users.bigpond.net.au/johnorchard/

Again it can be tricky to get an appointment but you should be okay now as the footy season hasn't started yet. He may be able to recommend someone else but its likely that he'll tell you to wait for Des/Jerome.

If you're sure that you want surgery, and are getting antsy waiting, get Julian to give you some pre-hab excercises to do to strenghten the shoulder generally. Hit the iron and start putting some more muscle on to the shoulder/upper arm to compensate for what will waste away while you're in the sling. I did this and even then, I was amazed how small and withered my arm was when the sling was off. Be aware that it is a slow process and Jerome in particular is renowned for being very conservative with his rehab taking longer than others. Write off the best part of this year now!

Let me know if you want anymore info.