Shoulder bursitis for wheelchair users?
 

Hi, I've just had an MRI on my shoulders which shows moderate grade subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis and additional tendinitis in the left. I use a manual wheelchair. I've been having physio weekly for 3 months & take NSAIDs daily since 2013. I do regular exercises prescribed by the physio. I guess I'm thinking how things would go if I had shoulder surgery - I'm already looking at power assist wheels. My RSD is in my legs and back after surgeries but so far nothing in my arms, and my fear is that surgery will bring it on, but by the same token this pain is on par than the RSD.

Had anyone has any experience as either a wheelchair user or had their RSD spread to another region after surgery in that area/limb?

Cheers all
Mairi

CRPS, osteoarthritis, failed spinal surgery, migraines, L3 spina bifida occulta, extra lumbar vertebra L6. Quickie Q7 chair user, training assistance dog Ivy, mum of 2 sons, 3 cats, 3 chooks, 3 foxes. 1997 C section, bilat carpal tunnel decompression, 2000 C section, 2010 L5 microdiscection, 2012 L5-L6 ALIF, 2013 L6-S1 ALIF, 2016 L lateral cuboid cuniform fusion.

Did they propose the surgery to you already, or are you just a little fearful for the future?

Mine was in both legs fully already, before I had knee surgery. And it got progressively worse in both legs equally, which was odd. Anyway, my knee had to be fixed! I have chronic, recalcitrant, RSD in both legs.

It later spread to both arms but that part is still treatable.

I wish you all the best. Surgery or no. Can anything be done with PT, rest, and medicine?

Yes surgery is on the cards. It's hard to rest the shoulders when I rely on them to propel my wheelchair but I am having lots of physio and medication.

I guess it comes down to the lesser of 2 evils! CRPS pain or bursitis pain ...

CRPS, osteoarthritis, failed spinal surgery, migraines, L3 spina bifida occulta, extra lumbar vertebra L6. Quickie Q7 chair user, training assistance dog Ivy, mum of 2 sons, 3 cats, 3 chooks, 3 foxes. 1997 C section, bilat carpal tunnel decompression, 2000 C section, 2010 L5 microdiscection, 2012 L5-L6 ALIF, 2013 L6-S1 ALIF, 2016 L lateral cuboid cuniform fusion.

Hi Mairi,

I'm sorry you're having trouble with your shoulder. Mobility devices can certainly cause a lot of aggravation. Have any less invasive treatment methods such as an ultrasound guided cortisone injection been tried for that angry bursa? These can be helpful in getting the bursa to calm down. Sometimes they can remove fluid by needle from the bursa as well. Something like this would be less risky than surgery.

I know it can be scary increasing the level of help you get from mobility devices. However, if the temporary use of an electric wheelchair would allow you to heal with rest and PT that could be a very thing.

If you do need to go ahead there are things your anesthesiologist can do to reduce the risks. Biobased posted an article not too long on surgery and CRPS. It is in the "I got bad news today" thread a few rows down.

Good luck and hugs. I hope you recover soon! :hug:

I see you're typing this or copy/pasting this into every message. Wouldn't it be more useful and *easy* to you to have this in your signature. :) Just look in your profile, and you should be able to create a signature!

It *is* in my signature, I don't add it every time 😝

CRPS, osteoarthritis, failed spinal surgery, migraines, L3 spina bifida occulta, extra lumbar vertebra L6. Quickie Q7 chair user, training assistance dog Ivy, mum of 2 sons, 3 cats, 3 chooks, 3 foxes. 1997 C section, bilat carpal tunnel decompression, 2000 C section, 2010 L5 microdiscection, 2012 L5-L6 ALIF, 2013 L6-S1 ALIF, 2016 L lateral cuboid cuniform fusion.

Thanks Littlepaw, yes cortisone will probably happen, although it's never worked for me before, and aspiration is also an option. I just seem to always end up under the knife. Just lucky I guess! Thanks for the info about the post from Biobased, it was very helpful.

CRPS, osteoarthritis, failed spinal surgery, migraines, L3 spina bifida occulta, extra lumbar vertebra L6. Quickie Q7 chair user, training assistance dog Ivy, mum of 2 sons, 3 cats, 3 chooks, 3 foxes. 1997 C section, bilat carpal tunnel decompression, 2000 C section, 2010 L5 microdiscection, 2012 L5-L6 ALIF, 2013 L6-S1 ALIF, 2016 L lateral cuboid cuniform fusion.

Oh, well I must be mistaken then. It's so odd because signatures don't usually appear in quoted messages, and yours somehow does.