just wanted to get the low down,

i have been to see a surgeon today and he has said that i have to have an operation on my right shoulder.
it is purely down to a recurrent dislocation.
he did say it will not be keyhole stuff but full on in for a couple of days and open it right up from the front.

has anybody had a similar operation and how was it afterwards with regard to shooting and mounting a rifle or shotgun?

the doc reckons on having at least 2 months off work, if i cant shoot i will get cabin fever for sure. one plus side is that i will get to reload all my empty cases up ready to roll.

interested to hear from you guys

Alex

Try chatting with EXPRESS - I know he has suffered a similar complaint after years of Oz rules footy.

I have to be honest - he has not enjoyed either the experience or the follow up. Doesn't seem to affect his shooting however!

Rgds IanF

Alex.....

I suffered a shoulder dislocation - forget all the gory details about type or class I, II or III; nevertheless painful; spent the first two weeks in a body cast from my waist to my neck. My collar bone stuck out so far it looked like a Parrot sitting on a Pirate's shoulder.

Went for a second & then third opinion on the suggested operation. Both the subsequent Doctors recommended waiting; stating an operation can ALWAYS be done later if required. Ended up NEVER having the recommended operation and haven't regretted it a single day since.

Now for the really good news. Although I'm Left-Handed the injury involved the right shoulder. Tried a shotgun after nine months - dropped it from the pain on the Trap range at the first tug of the trigger. Took me over a year to be able to shoot again and that from an injury to the opposite shoulder.

Good Luck.

At least you would have justification and excuse for that awfull flinch when firing Shrek Alex!!!



Looks like I might get to try the Tac 20 before you now, only if SB can find it amongst the cobwebs in his workshop!!!

Yep as Ian said, I've been through 3 (right)shoulder reconstructions and the worst was the first, done in 1997 in Austalia.

The last was done in Switzerland on September 11 2001 and they had to perform what's called a pec major shift, which basically means they dissconnect your pectoral muscle from where it normally attatches and use it as if you were putting a belt around your shoulder to hold the head of the humerus in place. My case was very severe with many dislocations before the surgery and after the first operation too.

Since then I've had had to change lifestyle and you are constantly aware of it, not to mention that it can give you days of bad pain and limited movement.

With regards to shooting, strangely enough it hasn't caused me any problems at all. I went hunting less than a year after the last operation when it was still a bit tender in some movements and only used a .30-30 with a soft kick pad and had no troubles.

I frequently shoot with my .375H&H and recoil is not a problem, it doesn't seem to beat on the interested part of the shoulder.

If new procedures become availiable that promise to improve my situation, I would definatly go under the knife again, I can't say I'm happy with the way it is.

i will have to wait and see i suppose, it hurts alot at the moment but if the surgery sorts the pain out then it can only get better!

glad i bought a 28 bore last season now!