MRI CLEAR BUT Worsening Shoulder Pain in External Rotation

[Kathryn Brooks]

I am a 20 year old Javelin thrower just wondering if anyone else is having the same or similar issues?? It has been over a month now since I originally injured my shoulder whilst doing Javelin. Pain was manageable to begin with.. only effecting me when actually throwing but has worsened over the last 3 weeks or so! I now can’t do any of my shoulder exercises through external rotation!!

I was sent off for an MRI by my sports doc and results have come back completely normal! I know that’s a good thing in the long run... but I can’t get past 90° shoulder rotation without 10/10 pain!! It respnds positively to the SLAP tear test... but nothing on the MRI!!

Any help/suggestions welcome

[Alex Burden]

A friend of mine has had problems with her shoulder for 3 years, had an MRI and the doc said that they would go in and clean things up for her. This was in January.

Well it turned out to be a 3 hr operation as the doc found that she had major tendon tears around the shoulder and only 5% will still there. Had they completly tore off it would have been clear what the problem was.

The MRI did not show anything and the doc was quite shocked because she had an inflamation and infection that blocked all site of the damage/trauma she had.

She now has 2 screws and a special repair to the outer delt and has been out of business for 6 weeks since the op with a very long rehab

So they repaired her infraspinatus, supraspinatus and acromion.

I would go back and ask if there is anything in the MRI that obstucts the view, possibility to get a clear define picture of what is going on.

Plus you also need to understand if things get better when you do not workout or if the pain is always their as a tear needs time to repair but trauma may need something else.

[Kathryn Brooks]

Thanks Alex,

Pain worsened gradually until they finally decided to repeat the MRI. They found a substantial tear of the posterior labrum and I underwent surgery to instead 3 anchors to repair the labrum. I’m now 6 weeks post op and doing well. I few more weeks in a decompression sling then onto months of rehab! Fun times ahead!

[Alex Burden]

Thats great news Kathryn that they found the problem, but not that you actually had the injury. What i find difficult to understand is the fact that they did not see the injury first time round.

Wishing you all the best with your rehab, don't rush it and take the time you need.... you have many years ahead of you