Fuck. Double fuck. Fuck infinity, and beyond!!! By now most of you who know me personally (or are friends with me on facebook) probably know that my shoulder is in shambles. I won’t know exactly what’s wrong with it, and whats steps need to be taken to heal it until I do to the doctor, get an MRI and get a proper diagnosis. All I know right now is that I can barley move my arm above the height of my shoulder without severe pain.
I know I shouldn’t say this, or even think this right now, because a) my sponsors will probably drop me like 3rd period french (JK, I hope), b) I don’t even know what’s really wrong yet, and c) people say one’s thinking can effect the way you heal your body…. but right now I feel as if my climbing career is over! Yeah, I had a good run- climbed some difficult and beautiful rocks, placed well in a few comps, and got to see the world, or at a few wonderful places, but right now I feel like Mickey Rorke in the wrestler, after his heart attack, and I’m not even trying to be dramatic just for the sake of it. But I can’t lie, it’s just how I feel right now! Demolalized! But who knows. I could wake tomorrow morning (assuming I can actually go to sleep) and crank out 15 one-arms, but more than likely my shoulder will still hurt like hell and I’ll still be really bummed. What’s done is done, so there is no point in saying, or even thinking I could or should have done or not done anything differently. All I can do now is hope it’s something that can heal without surgery and be optimistic… at least I can still type! Actually typing makes it sore too;(
The weekend was going well prevuous to the explosion of my shoulder… even though I was kinda bummed I wasn’t feeling stronger, I was still having a good time and getting to catch up with old friends. I placed 8th in the quallies, behind some really strong kids. It’s crazy how strong the kids are these days. I think there were probably only two guys in the finals who were older than I am. In my mind I keep reliving the moments leading up to the demise of my shoulder… I’m not really trying to, the memories just keep flooding back. The best way I can describe what happened on the second move of men’s final #2 was that I extended my arm to do this huge campus/dyno rose move and as soon as my left shoulder took the first bit of my body weight, it went snap, crackle, pop, like a rice krispy. I knew it was OVER for me. My shoulder was filled with white hot pain, and so was my head. Even thouh I wasn’t in all that much pain, I was in shock from realizing the gravity of what I had just done… so ironic that I just announced a new sponsor, planned a five month trip oversees, and got really psyched up to start training and going outside again! I’m gonna call up my doctor and make an appointment for tomorow, assuming I can get one then, and go get an MRI as soon as I can. I’ll try to keep everyone posted.
MAJOR bummer. Hopefully it will heal up quickly.
Ethan,
I’ve been through abit of rough patches myself with my climbing (i.e. I was in a house fire with 3rd degree burns, drug addiction, etc.)…you’ll get thru. I’ll commit your situation to prayer.
2 Corinthians 12:8
My[=God's] grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness
positive thinking is all I can recommend! life isn’t over and the shoulder will fix itself. Even bumbly climbers like myself have been through crap injuries involving several month lay-offs and come through it (and actually stronger in the end).
Best of luck with the MRI!
Ethan, keep your head up!
It may seem like the end of your world, but life goes on. I suffered a serious shoulder injury several years ago on my right shoulder – torn lebrum. I had surgery to repair the tear as well as tighten the socket, and recovery was a long road – 6 months with NO training. No weight lifting, no climbing, no pushups, no pullups.
It sucked.
However, these days my repaired shoulder (right) is now stronger and more stable than my left!
Just find a good physical therapist and do the exercises. Once your shoulder starts to feel stronger I would also recommend some resistance training to strengthen the muscles around the joint. Consult with your physical therapist before beginning these exercises. I have found that the more I strengthen the muscles, the better the joint feels.
It sounds as if you will take the down time to reevaluate your life, and it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to reevaluate your training regimen. Educate yourself and be smart with your recovery and barring some exotic injury, I see no reason you can’t return to your top form.
Injuries suck, but full recoveries are absolutely possible with discipline and smart work!
So again, keep your head up!
Sorry to hear that Ethan. Something very similar happened to me after the start of last summer when I went to Spain to climb (for the entire summer). I signed up for a bouldering comp and on the last qualifying problem I did a dyno on a slightly overhanging wall to a sloping rail and stuck it, but heard snap crackle, & pop in my shoulder. Turned out to likely be an inflamed long head of my biceps. It bothered me for MONTHS — even with taking well over a month off completely — before I got a cortisone shot and all got better. I never got an MRI, but all the physical tests were negative for a rotator cuff tear (woohoo! med school pays off!). My thoughts go out to you and wish you the best!
Damn…
Chris Webb Parsons from Australia seems to have shoulder issues to.
http://www.chriswebbparsons.com/news.php
Hope you recover soon and get crushing again.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/17/sports/17blood.php
Dont know how relevant it could be, just trying to inject some optimism out there. Good luck anyways.
Ethan, your rotator cuff is probably badly torn. Good luck with your rehab process. It will probably be at least a few months of little or no climbing.
Shit dude. I feel your pain. Not so long ago I dislocated my shoulder and I thought that was me well fucked. But you’d be amazed what a good physical therapist can get you through.
So, here’s hoping you get fixed up quick and return to top form. If you put in the work, life usually rewards you.
Cheers,
j
duuuuuuuuuuuude! the gravity! i am so sorry for the suck situation you find yourself in. hope the doctor gives you baller better news than you think you will get. we’re pulling for you! (we, as in me, but you can assume we, as in the climbing stratosphere!)
I’ll be taking a serious look at this if I need more shoulder work:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/sports/17blood.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp
Good luck!
keep your chin up man, I have been going through the same thing with my shoulder as a result of full contact raquetball, totally bummed, thought my climbing days were over. 4 weeks later, listend to my physiotherapist and doctor, feels alot better, climbing again will happen. yippee. take the time to rehab. you have many years of climbing ahead of you. peace out.
Thanks for the support gang… Yeah, life ain’t over, I may just need a long time to heal. I have a doctor’s visit today at 4:30 and then hopefully I’ll e able to get down to Los Gatos to use the better MRI machine tomorrow or Thursday.
So sad about chris webb too. Godamn shoulders! He thinks he will most likely need surgery on a torn Labrum.
A friend called me this morning and told me about the Platelet rich plasma therapy… I wonder if it could work with a torn labrum or rotator cuff. Gonne try to find out. It’s a lot less scary of a prospect than surgery.
Yo Pringle…DUDE you have my deepest sympathys man. Last year I jacked my shoulder on The Crew in Rifle and then again a month later at the Industrial Wall and it still has not healed. Like I am in PAIN one year later…of course I am a idiot and dont have insurance so I never got an MRI yada yada. So you are lucky you have coverage and are getting it checked out. I have been able to climb some 5.13′s in Indain Creek but that was not smart and really puts me in pain-instead I have had to take months off at a time and then I can go climb some big moderates like Petit Grepon in RMNP (amazing stuff out there actully) it is not China Doll (congradulations by the way) but as SICK AND TWISTED as this sounds-for me my injury has ended up helping me enjoy my climbing more instead of always being so focused and driven by my next hard inspiring project I am now forced to simply enjoy being alive and being able to climb at all. That is the kind of jibberish crap that you SO do not want to hear right now I realize but its funny how much pressure we put on ourselfs to preform at such a high level like all the time, when our bodys (even the most fit bodys ever) are simply NOT meant to be put through the abuse that we put them through. These injurys are something that every elite climber (even Chris the never injured Sharma) will have to face one day or another and strangley they can make us better people, better climbers and ultimately stronger and more fufilled in all ways…OR they really just piss us off and we become super hella bitter and unappreciative of even the little things in life because were pissed that we cant climb 5.14 anymore.
You will be back man…and when you do touch that rock again…it will have more meaning and ignite more of your passion for the sport than you ever have had before. Maybe you will come back and on-site a bunch of routes on El Capitian-or hook up that Jumbo Love…booooooyachhhhhhhaaaaa…kaaaaboommmm. Yeah boyyyie! I look at your climbing accomplishments and think WOW anyone would be proud to hold such a fine trophy of ascents, adventures and memories…you are blessed one of America’s finest athleates.
What I am trying to say hear is DONT LET THIS GET YOU DOWN MAN-you have got a lot of passion and soul…you cant rock climb right now so put that passion into other areas of your life because climbing is only one part of Ethan Pringle. They say that God will use even the bad crap that happens to us for our good and to better us. I am sure you will have a good story to tell and I cant wait to hear it…until then my thoughts and prays go to you and your shoulder.
Hey Ethan
Im really sorry to here about your shoulder mate I know exactly how you feel. I’m one month into my 8 month climbing trip and my shoulder is now fucked too, but i think positive thinking could make a big diffrance in recovery time. You will be back and we should go climb some rocks together.
All the best mate!
Chris
My guess is that you have a torn labrum with a partial tear in your bicep tendon and bankhart tear. Yeah I had injury the same time as Jason Karn. 6-8 weeks in a sling immobilized and then rehab for a 3-6 months. I know I did more rehab than Jason after talking with him. I do not climb anywhere near your level but I am back at it. Get it the MRI. I tried physical therapy and it did nothing, if the Labrum is torn it will not heal on its own because no blood gets to it.
Sorry to hear about everything Ethan. I was really looking forward to coming out west and getting in some routes with you and Stephanie Forte. Take the time to heal right. There are plenty of people climbing into their 60′s these days. No rush on healing fast. Do it right and take the time in PT. Best of luck my friend and perhaps we’ll get you back out to the Northeast and to Rumney!
wow! shitty! you’ll bounce back bro. all of us at rocksport here in reno hope for a speedy recovery.
I have completed exactly 12 months of no real climbing after my shoulder decided to be a pussy too. One thing I can say for sure is that the V0 warm up at the gym will one day feel like heaven and that everything else you do in your career will be appreciated a hundred times more once you are back… sooner than you think.
Keep ya head up hommie….Brian Kimball had a very relevant word. Good lookin Brian. Ethan…you will be back. It’s lay low time…NO big deal in the large span of your climbing life. We are athletes and injuries are part of the game….
Hey Ethan,
Hang in, think good thoughts, this too shall pass. The body always heals and finds ways to compensate for any damage. Having had 8-month and 18-month layoffs a couple times, but always bouncing back, I can tell you you’ll be OK.
Matt
ethan,
it sounds like a rotator cuff. i had the exact same problem when i hurt on gaston move on ‘run for the border’ at mt. charleston. hopefully it isn’t. dave steinber might be able to help. all the vegas climbers go to him since he’s a strong climber himself, he won’t BS you.
Quit yer whining. C’mon, walk it off. Back in the game.
An MRI and arthrogram (iodinated contrast injected into your shoulder joint capsule prior to the MRI scan) are about 85% conclusive.
Find the best shoulder-specific orthopedist in your area. Make sure he fully understands the type of movement you need to accomplish post-surgery.
Turn every weakness into a strength!
so sorry to hear that, ethan. take your time, rehab, and get well. we look forward to when you come back and your future exploits. take care.
hey Ethan, it’ll be fine. Fucked shoulders happens now and then with good climbers, and all of them are back climbing again today. So stay cool
and all the best!
Eth,
I can’t imagine how devastated you must feel after your injury. I guess I’d recommend getting a few opinions from doctors before going ahead with surgery (if necessary-inshallah). Some of those guys are gunning to cut into people (or implant embryos) given the chance. Take care. Maybe surfing w/ one shoulder could be fun?
stay positive man, i’m another guy with a shoulder that is stronger now, post-op, than before.
make sure your surgeon is as super star.