Goings On

As per my first post, I have distal clavicle osteolysis of my right shoulder. Essentially, the tip of my right clavicle has undergone structural changes that have shown up clearly on x-rays. The distal clavicle has actually "eroded" and is jagged when looking at the film. This condition leads to everything hurting. There is no chance I could ever bench or do a chest press again with this condition, not to mention it hurts during normal everyday life. Around my birthday (May) I decided to give it 6 months of conservative measure in order to resolve on its own without surgical intervention. I cut out all pressing exercises completely (no overhead, no DBs, no bench, nothing) with slight improvement over many months, but nothing close to normal fucntion.

So, I saw an orthopedic surgeon who works for the USC football team around a month ago. Decided to go ahead with arthroscopic surgery on the right shoulder. The guy has been doing the scope for 15 years and has been employed by the likes of the LA Dodgers, Kings, and Anaheim Ducks. Sounds like I'm in good hands.

The procedure involves making a few scope portals (incisions) for access in different areas. I guess there are two approaches: bursal and superior approach. My surgeon will go the bursal route because it allows a good view of the rotator cuff just to make sure nothing else is wrong. Once all the soft tissue around the AC joint is cleared, he will resect an amount of the end of my clavicle, to be determined. Really, this just means they take a small rotary tool and grind off the end of the damaged clavicle. Supposedly it's an "easy" surgery and should be done within an hour.

Doc says recovery will be 2-3 months until I can start lifting again. I will be in a sling post-op only for as long as I need it. Passive ROM work will probably start as soon as I take the sling off. Scar tissue will fill in where the clavicle has been resected and function as a cushion to the AC joint.

Pre-op is a few days after I get back from Michigan (I have a whole page of technical questions for this poor guy) and surgery is 1/12. Have never had a surgery in my life, so this should be an experience.

After recovery, I have no intention of benching full ROM ever again. If I do decide to go back to a bar (which I will in time), it will be with 2-board minimum to restrict traction and opening the AC joints. No sense in performing a full range bench since I have no intention to compete again.

That is all.