left shoulder........dislocated in my teens (water skiing accident).

re-injured snow skiing.

re-injured again playing volleyball.

20. Author: neopuritan

Nope.

#21 re-injured about twice a month spanking your monkey....

re. 18&19:

I'll take it under advisement, thanks.

I think I do have a good lawyer. So far she's made the insurer pay for all the things they are responsible for.

My work is as a goldsmith/bench jeweler. Been at it for about 20 years now. The work entails a lot of intense gripping -- hand tools -- and tight control of handwork as well as using hand operated machines. Most other guys in my position with my years in the trade have sustained similar injuries. Pretty common, it turns out.

I believe it 100%, having seen goldsmiths and jewelers work at those benches that require use of their hands and shoulder above shoulder level- so that whatever is being worked on can be seen clearly. The repetitive/constant gripping and hammering certainly explain the wrist problems too. I wish you well!

^ you've got it, exactly. Thanks for the well wishes, I've got about another 18 to 24 months ahead of me until I can expect to back to as close as fully functional as I can hope for. The sooner I can get this over with, the better.

Time for some workers' comp paid education or job-training in another trade or profession so that you do not have to return to what injures you. Talk to your lawyer about this!!!!!!

had a pian in my left shoulder and my orthopedic dr asked if i could handle it.

i said yes, as long as i don't do this.

6 months later he did surgery and sewed the torn tendon back together again.

stayed in a shoulder brace for 8 weeks to let the tendon heal.

no serious pain after the surgery. rehab hurt because the rehab people are stretching the muscles, more and more every visit as i tolerated the constant stretching.

now, i can do this, without pain.

that is the typical program.

next time i'll tell you about my surgery to correct the hole in my macula in my left eye.

toby is having an abnormal Pressure Hydrocephalus surgery in about a week. if they film it. i'll try to get a copy for u-tube.

next medical question, anyone?

While I'l never leave my profession, love it too much, I do plan on exploring teaching. That way I can continue doing the custom work at my own pace and pass the skill on as well. No question I have to reduce the stress on these joints.

Gettin' old is hell......

For what it's worth, I went to Physical Therapy for this last year and after about 3 grueling months, I was able to avoid surgery

See if your doctor will refer you