By Kayla on Thursday, December 07, 2000 - 07:34 pm:

Hi all. I have been diagnosed with MDI. I don't know what it stands for, but what I do know is that my shoulders pop out of joint. At first it was my right shoulder, then my left shoulder started. Now, my hips have started as well. My hips pop out two ways, one on the outside, and the other on the inside. I went to a sports medicine therapist and he gave me theraband and weight exercises to do for my shoulders, but I have been doing them since late May and I have been getting, if anything, worse. I don't know whether to stop the exercises, or go to a doctor and see what to do. Can a doctor help in any way? Should I keep doing the exercises? I am afraid that if I do, it will get even more worse, quicker. Please help! I look on this board everyday, but the last time I posted (Nov. 15) no one else has posted on that board.

By Patrina on Thursday, December 07, 2000 - 08:42 pm:

Dear Kayla,

Sorry to hear you hadn't gotten a response to that one message.

Get in touch with your doctor, let them know that you are, if anything, worse and need help. Find out what MDI is - it isn't ringing any bells with me - or maybe my bells are out of order!

Yes, always follow up when things don't work right. That's what all these medical professionals are there for. It helps me to write down everything I want to discuss, with specifics, in advance. Otherwise I forget things. Well, I forget things anyway but at least I have a paper to refer to.

Let us know how it goes. Take care!

By Jane on Friday, December 08, 2000 - 10:36 am:

Kayla,

I've had a very similar experience. I have hip and shoulder trouble too, both sides, and I found theraband exercises pretty detrimental, as well as freeweights. They require a stability that my shoulders just don't have, and I definitely found myself in more pain. I stopped the exercises and switched doctors -- it sometimes takes a bit of a search to find people who understand that even though you ARE doing the exercises, the joint STILL isn't better. A physical therapist of mine recommended nautilus exercises, which worked much better since the machine is inherently a stable mechanism -- it prevents the joint from moving beyond where it should. However, this may not be best for you. One thing I've learned to trust is that I will know better than the doctors when something is hurting or helping. They can suggest things, and if they're good they can watch my progress and give advice, but my body is really the expert. Even if the exercise feels good and the muscle gets stronger, if my hip begins to hurt whenever I walk, or if I find my shoulder exhausted, I know that it's too much.

I would definitely suggest trying a doctor (even if it's just to find out what MDI is), and I agree with Patrina that writing everything down is a help. Many doctors are unfamiliar with the notion of hypermobile joints and need to have it explained to them before they can give useful advice. Please do let us know how it's going. Feel free to e-mail me if you like.

Jane

By MichelleT on Friday, December 08, 2000 - 08:08 pm:

I agree with you Jane, about the theraband. I did the theraband exercises, along with the small weights and wobbleboard and other stuff. It wasn't helping. So I stopped, and now I find that a brace helps more than anything else I've tried. ( It's for my hip joint)

Michelle

By Kayla on Saturday, December 09, 2000 - 09:29 am:

I can't believe people actually responded this time! I am so glad there are others! (= I am going to go to the doctor next month, and I will definitely start making a list now! I have basically stopped the theraband exercises because they weren't doing much good, but still I worry that maybe I should keep doing them. What are nautilus exercises? Thanks for everyone who responded!!!!

By Jane on Saturday, December 09, 2000 - 10:01 am:

Kayla,
It's nice to know that there's someone out there with problems so similar to my own. Nautilus exercises are the kind you do at the gym with machines. I was pretty intimidated when I first went, because all the machines kind of look like the rack or something, and there are big hulking men dripping sweat everywhere. But once I got to know the machines I felt more comfortable. I made a friend come with me the first time I went. Upper-body work has really helped me, but I've had a lot of trouble finding anything to strengthen my hips without hurting them. My current doctor basically said that walking and swimming are the best things I could do at this time, and that I shouldn't push it. Even leg-lifts make my hips pop all over the place. For shoulders I've learned to strengthen the deltoid muscle -- that's the one that basically holds your shoulder together -- as well as pectorals and bicep (most of the machines have little tags on them somewhere that explain what they strenghten). But it's always best to start slow and listen to your body; it'll tell you if it's not working out. Do you have access to a gym? Good luck with your doctor!

Jane

PS Michelle, what sort of brace do you use?

By Kayla on Saturday, December 09, 2000 - 12:47 pm:

I don't have access to a gym, but if it will help my joints, I will most definitely get access to one! I have a couple of questions. 1. I pop my neck alot because it seems to relieve a slight discomfort I have there. When I do pop it, it seems like it pops more joints than when other people pop theirs. Does anyone else experience that? 2. Same question only concerning the back? 3. The back part of my knees are uncomfortable any way I try to sit, it feels like they need to pop or are out of alignment or something. Does anyone experience that? 4. A sports medicine doctor also told me that I had Osgood-Schlaughter's in my knees, is this related to my hips and shoulders? 5. Does anyone take any kind of supplement that has helped them? Thanks all!!!

Kayla

By Jane on Sunday, December 10, 2000 - 01:44 pm:

Hey Kayla,
I haven't tried supplements at all. I was also diagnosed with Osgood-Schlaughter's, and I've since learned that most disorders of various joints are actually the doctors perceiving symptom not cause -- they see that there's something wrong with my knees, but not my ligaments, and diagnose a small piece as opposed to the whole puzzle. I don't have trouble with my knees when I sit -- more my hips -- but they'll often feel out of whack when I'm walking around. Back and neck pop a lot with me, that's part of having loose ligaments -- you're able to pop joints that most people can't access. The good news is that most doctors I've spoken to say that joint-popping causes minimal to negligable damage; I was pretty concerned about it since I pop all over the place.

Jane

By MichelleT on Wednesday, December 13, 2000 - 08:06 pm:

Sorry I took so long to respond----

The hip brace that I wear is made by Serola Biomechanics, and it's made in the US. There is a website and you can order it through that (I think it's about $35.00 US). My physio actually found it for me, and I live in Canada, so maybe there are distributors for it. It's black/grey in colour, and it has rubber grippers on the inside so it won't slide off my hips. It uses elastic and velcro, and works great--even for exercising.

I was having a lot of sciatic pain from my hip problem, and the brace made it disappear almost immediately--- must be because the brace holds my hip in place. I hope this info helps.

By Jane on Thursday, December 14, 2000 - 09:43 am:

michelle,
do you wear the brace during the day under clothes? just for sleeping? exercising?

thanks a lot,
jane

By MichelleT on Thursday, December 14, 2000 - 08:03 pm:

Jane,
I've been wearing the brace during the day under my clothes. My physio told me I should be wearing it all of the time except for sleeping. I do admit that I've been neglecting to wear it lately because I have put on some weight and the brace makes my profile unflattering ( I know, vanity is my downfall). When I feel I really need to wear it, I bite the bullet and wear looser pants or a blazer to hide my profile.
In the summertime, when it's warm, I wear a pair of tights underneath the brace because the rubber can cause major skin irritation.
Other than those two things, I find that the brace is wonderful. It gives me great relief. Feel free to ask me more if you need more info.
Michelle

By Kayla on Sunday, December 24, 2000 - 08:05 am:

Hey All!
I will let ya'll know what my doc says, I have an appointment the 30th of January. Merry Christmas all! God Bless!

Kayla

By Andrea on Monday, February 05, 2001 - 01:22 pm:

Here's more! Hip brace definitely a good thing (don't sleep in it, though, it could cut off blood circulation), and no side effects! And I would love to know what they thought when they recommended exercises with that theraband to poeple with HMS!! You have to be a strapping fit person to be able to use that or, for that matter, benefit from it! GRRRRRRR... But a well balanced gym programme sounds like a good idea, especially if you are not too ambitious (seriously). I think a lot of gyms nowadays also recognise the importance of strengthening your core stabiliseres (like deltoids) instead of producing bulging biceps. Good luck to all of you, you sound hopeful.