- Joined
- Nov 5, 2009
- Messages
- 14,212
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
- State
- WA
- City
- Seattle
The shoulder joints often subluxate in flail arm. The muscles that hold the shoulder joint in place become weak to non-existent early.
To try to avoid that, you can try a GivMohr sling, avoid any range of motion exercise where the shoulder and elbow are not supported (like lifting the arm straight out, bending the elbow in and out; these are good but you have to support the shoulder, actually mildly pushing it back toward the spine, and also hold the elbow while he or you is doing the exercise), and gently push the shoulder joint toward the middle of the back to "reconstitute it."
A PT familiar with flail arm syndromes can help. Once the diagnosis is formalized, you can ask his doc to write an order for home PT to help you set up a regimen.
My husband's shoulders subluxated early on but it was still essential to continue all of the above precautions to avoid further joint damage (except the sling which didn't work for him but might for your dad since he's at an earlier stage).
To try to avoid that, you can try a GivMohr sling, avoid any range of motion exercise where the shoulder and elbow are not supported (like lifting the arm straight out, bending the elbow in and out; these are good but you have to support the shoulder, actually mildly pushing it back toward the spine, and also hold the elbow while he or you is doing the exercise), and gently push the shoulder joint toward the middle of the back to "reconstitute it."
A PT familiar with flail arm syndromes can help. Once the diagnosis is formalized, you can ask his doc to write an order for home PT to help you set up a regimen.
My husband's shoulders subluxated early on but it was still essential to continue all of the above precautions to avoid further joint damage (except the sling which didn't work for him but might for your dad since he's at an earlier stage).