rugby injury

[alo]

hi there,

logging on for possible information please ..

i play hooker semi-professionally in rugby union but was asked to tighthead prop.

my right shoulder was injured when engaging into a scrum. i threw my arm to grip on my opposite prop and i felt a crunch.

i feel pain when:

1. i throw my arm above my head i get pain at the top of my shoulder

2. i make a tackle or my arm gets pushed back laterallly eg- putting both hands behind my head, i get pain behind my shoulder leading down to my arm

i also get clicking at both the top and read of my shoulder

i have lost power when throwing the ball into the lineout and the pain is pinching at the top and back of the shoulder.

i rested one game and have played about 4 games since then... but try not to throw my arm over me head or or too far back laterally as it hurts.

any help appreciated!!

cheers

[injuryupdate]

Get it examined by a physio or sports doc, but it sounds very much like you have shoulder instability. You probably subluxed your shoulder during the scrum (that is like half a dislocation that popped halfway out and back in again itself without fully dislocating).

You need to avoid tackles behind your body on the injured side, and don't put your arm out laterally when you fall on that side. Strengthening exercises, strapping and a brace can help. If it doesn't settle, surgery should be able to fix you (unfortunately might involve a shoulder reco but perhaps just an arthroscope) although try the other stuff for the rest of the season.

The above is all presuming a correct diagnosis. Your history is strongly suspicious for instability, but it can be ruled in or out 100% by a physical examination by a professional and maybe a CT arthrogram or MRI scan if necessary.