Saturday, May 23, 2015

Ream and run - the kind of inquiry we're pleased to receive

We received this note a day ago. We're posting it because it is very typical of inquiries we receive about the ream and run.

"I've been reading about various shoulder surgery options over the past several months.  Beginning more than I year ago I began seeing a local orthopedic specialist at [an institute in the Eastern U.S.].  The X-rays taken show significant osteoarthritis in both shoulders as well as significant osteophytes, I improved my range of motion some via physical therapy but it is still not good.  I have pain daily and now even while in bed and performing non-strenuous activities. 

I am 60 years old and have been physically active since I was in my early teens, playing sports, baseball and basketball and also rowing.  After college I stopped rowing for the most part as I was not in a place where I could continue to row. My body always responded well to weight lifting so I took up power lifting and body building.  I discontinued the power lifting at age 30 when I had hair line fractures in three vertebrae.  I continued with the body building heavily until my late 30s and then still continued to lift weights intensely 4 to 5 times per week until I was 50.  I would do cardio 3 -4 times/week as well. 

About 2 to 2.5 years ago I noticed a decrease in my range of motion in my shoulders.  I continued to lift however.  I also noticed pain when doing chest exercises in my front deltoid area, near my bicep tendon.  Later the pain worsened and occurred also when doing other exercises like lat pull downs.  The range of motion also declined.  In the past year the pain has largely been in the rear deltoid area, just outside the trap and sometimes it extends to the side deltoid.  When I lift anything heavy I can hear/feel bone on bone grind in the read deltoid/scapula area.  About 14 months ago I began getting cortisone plus lidocaine shots.  The first shot helped immensely. I felt great.  I have gotten them every 3 to 4 month thereafter but the effectiveness declined a lot after the 2nd shot.  The shots  no longer help very much, especially if I try to exercise.  I now feel weakness when I even try push ups.  It even can be uncomfortable to drive if I have my hand on top of the steering wheel.

The doctor I consulted with at the Institute told me when I first went for the cortisone shots that I would need TRS.  I asked him what the benefit from the surgery would be he told me the primary benefit would be pain relief but that I could also experience an increased range of motion, altho not necessarily a full range of motion.  When I asked whether I could continue lifting weights after the TSR he said that the weight I could lift would be limited to say not more than 25 lbs. per arm over head. He also said that the harder I exercised the shorter the  TSR device would last.  I have not pursued TSR because altho the pain is considerable what I really want is to be able to resume a normal life.  I don't want to bench press 300 lbs but I would like to continue to lift weights and to resume rowing as I now again live where I could join a rowing club.  

In looking into potential solutions for my shoulder issues I read about the ream and run procedure you perform and watched a number of videos you produced on this procedure.  I also began reading the blog "Shoulder 1 Forums", where I've been able to communicate with a gentleman who lives in NJ who had the ream and run procedure performed by you in the last 9 months or so.  This gentlemen is an avid swimmer. He was very complimentary of your skill and in the follow up assistance you've maintained with him since the surgery.  He also suggested that I send you an email explaining my situation.

I am at the point now where I have become sedentary and am not happy with my lifestyle over the past 9+ months.  This effects my overall attitude and my positive feelings about my health and life in general.  If you are concerned at all about my willingness to follow thru with physical therapy post op, I don't think there is reason for concern.  After my hip surgery the physical therapist were more concerned with holding me back from doing too much than with motivating me to do the exercises.   I am very motivated to recover and to resume, to the extent possible, a normal active lifestyle.

Please advise me whether you believe I am a candidate for the ream and run procedure and what information I would need to provide you for you to further investigate its appropriateness for me.  I would be happy to answer any questions you have for me or to provide you with any information that I can obtain to assist you.  If you would like to speak via telephone please let me know I'd be happy to either provide you my phone number or set up a time at which I can place a phone call into you at any number you provide me.   

Thank you again for your assistance.


Sincerely,


M.M.

We invite such individuals to contact us as explained in this link, so we can learn enough about the shoulder to determine if a ream and run might be appropriate.

Be sure to click on this link to the Shoulder Arthritis Book.

----
Use the "Search" box to the right to find other topics of interest to you.

You may be interested in some of our most visited web pages including:shoulder arthritis, total shoulder, ream and runreverse total shoulderCTA arthroplasty, and rotator cuff surgery as well as the 'ream and run essentials'