By Lefty on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:03 pm:

i am 16 and i am the pitcher for our highschool softball team and i went to the doctor last week because i had severe pain in my shoulders and he told me my
shoulders dropped out of there sockets and i really want to be able to play. i started physical therapy last week but my season starts next week. i really want to be
able to play. but is it a smart move? i want someones opinion. thanks. and somebody answer me soon please! :)

By Rhenda on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:04 pm:

Lefty, please DO NOT let an orthopedic do surgery on you until you have researched other alternatives. I handle worker's comp injuries, but have found that most
of these injuries could have been helped with prolotherapy (which is natural and non-invasive) rather than having surgery. a lot of my clients wish they'd never had
surgery and I wish I had been able to find an alternative that the insurance company would have agreed on beforehand. See the comments on prolotherapy.

By Bianca on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:11 pm:

Hello Lefty,
I am afraid that you can't go to play next week. I know it is hard and it gives you bad feelings, and I know that it maybe won't help you a lot, but there are a lot of
other people with HMS, who liked to do some sports and where stopped by their joint's problems and they feel like you-like me. I always liked to do long walks on
the mountains and cross country skiing- and now I am not able to walk for 15 minutes.
So I hope, that you can manage it.Take care.

By Sue C. on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:12 pm:

Have you gone to a PT to try to help you regain some strength and stability or to an orthopedic surgeon to correct some joint? You're really giving up a lot!

I came to a similar inactivity point and can't stand it! PT is seeming to work for my sense of balance and my right leg. I eagerly await surgery on my left knee to get it
to track correctly for the first time in 20 years. I'm already setting reasonable post-op goals.

By Bianca on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:12 pm:

Hello Sue,
I have now PT to strengthen my muscles and this is a good thing, I think. Also -when last week I did an exercise for stabilizing my inner foot muscles and I had the
feeling that my tendon with tendonitis would tear. We stopped immediatly, but it has become worse. I think the problem was, that we tried to go further too quick-
and I have not yet enough experience with myself and my PT to stop her early enough.
Concerning sports my problem is this tendonitis ( since 4 and a half months)in my right foot, that hurts me a lot and immobilizes me. I got now some Cox 2 Inhibitor (
Celebrex). It is a good thing. I still feel some pain, but I can stand it. Of course I can't do any sports like walking. What I am thinking about is to start with swimming
without moving my legs. But I did not yet try.
Sometimes I don't believe that this tendonitis will ever heal and sometimes I believe that it will and then I maybe will be able to do some sports again, but my
rheumatologic doctor warns me all the time, because he is very afraid that I will get bad arthrosis and destroy my joints by walking on my feet. ( He also wants that I
search a job in an office, where I don't have to walk- But I am not sure whether this is a good thing, because I think that too much work on a computer will destroy
my wrists anymore).
When I get rid of this tendonitis, I will start with a bit of biking, only small parts, because after 20 kilometers I always get knee pain. Also downhill skiing was always
a problem with my knees-so I stopped it ten years ago and started with cross country skiing, which was a good thing until I got this tendonitis.
When I read your post, I think I should start to think more positive, but I felt disappointed so often in the last time, because therapies did not work, that I try to stay
realistic, and don't have too big plans which are disappointed anymore.
I wish you all all the best.

By Sue C. on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:12 pm:

I hope you can re-gain some of your prior activities. Keep in mind that YOU need to be actively involved in the PT. My physical therapist had to modify a number of
"normal" exercises because they don't work if you don't have any stable joints. If you don't receive personal attention, find another (independent) PT who will!

Good luck! I hope you can hike & bike again!

By john on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:13 pm:

Sorry Lefty but your hypermobility will not allow you to continue with pitching. It is not fair as athletes with hypermobility seem to have that bit of extra sporting
ability. Don't waste it try infield and improve your offensive side of the game.

By Beth on Sunday, June 04, 2000 - 04:13 pm:

Hi, I would think twice before pitching in baseball. It can be very hard on your shoulder,elbo and fingers. I am unsure of the wrist but my bet is it is hard on it as well.
I have found that low impact things are best. The more your shoulder pops out the worse things will be. Just my HO.

Hugs Beth