Shoulder Surgery? Yes or no

allbaseball, first off welcome to the HSBBW. If me I would want to be absolutely sure as to the nature of the problem. You didn't mention if there had been any imaging (x-ray, MRI, etc). Not that your doc is wrong, but he's obviously being conservative, and as you mentioned time is a factor here. Is he an ortho? An upper extremity specialist? A second opinion might be wise in any case. If it is a bone spur that's causing impingement, then without surgery your son might be looking at a chronic or re-occcuring problem as long as he's playing/throwing. A therapist can help strengthen the shoulder girdle and teach compensatory techniques, but they can't do much about correcting a biomechanical anomaly such as a spur. Hope this helps.

Yes, there's alot being left out here but we have gone to two doctors. The first did nothing and said it was bursitis. The second one (Dr. Conway-supposed to be one of the best) is the one that saw the bone spur on an X-ray. Then he also saw the impingment on the MRI but these are two separate problems. Both doctors are ortho and I'm very comfortable with Dr. Conways advise. Basically, my understanding is that by getting the inflamation down(he got a shot)and getting rid of the pain for a while he can strengthen it back up and then it might not flare up again. And your right if its the bone spur causing the problem what's to say it won't be chronic.

Another question I have is what happens if he goes ahead and plays his senior year and then maybe we do the surgery in the summer is all hope lost for college ball?

How come your son doesn't have his college ball situation cleared up by now? Spring of senior year is a bit late to get noticed except to walk on.

allbaseball,
Whether the injury ends up being complicated or not, it's probably going to get complicated for him if he is to take on the challenge of overcoming arm trouble AND pursue baseball at the next level- it's not easy for the healthy ones.

How does your son feel about all this? Does he have the talent, desire, and the commitment? Are his expectations commensurate with yours?

If he can play, and he wants it bad enough, there will likely still be limited options even if he delays the surgery. Maybe not his dream school, but possibly a place that fits his needs and vice versa.

Don't get discouraged yourself, as your son may need some stoic support to get through this difficult transition. Besides, if the surgery is somehow not needed, you save yourself a whole bunch of unwarranted grief.

It sounds as if maybe his senior year is very important to him, as it is for most HS seniors. It's a huge time in their lives and facing surgery plus rehab is not normally part of the ritual. Whatever happens, good luck and please keep us posted.

quote:

Originally posted by TG:
How come your son doesn't have his college ball situation cleared up by now? Spring of senior year is a bit late to get noticed except to walk on.

Au contraire. Many players don't have their baseball situation settled until spring of their senior year. Some don't until the summer.

Welcome to the HSBBW.

What you describe is not all that uncommon. Unfortunetly, without surgery, it's hard to tell what is really going on. It's hard to determine if the bone spur is the cause of the problem.

Surgery should always be the LAST option, because any surgery that involves the shoulder could take longer to rehab than originally planned. Sometimes surgery that has been rushed can lead to the end of a baseball career.

IMO, two weeks after a shot and beginning a throwing program seems to be a very short period to give the problem enough time to heal on it's own. My son, a pitcher, had an issue this summer and was shut down for weeks with strengthening excercises before he began just light toss. After two months he is just beginning to pitch, I am not sure if he should have even had longer time to rehab but I am not in control of his health care, you are. The problem with surgery is the rush to find a solution and that is not always the best option.

I understand your dilemma and this is a personal decision, I am not a doctor, but I would do all that is possible first before anyone took a knife to son's shoulder, regardless of his situation or position.

Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by play baseball:

quote:

Originally posted by TG:
How come your son doesn't have his college ball situation cleared up by now? Spring of senior year is a bit late to get noticed except to walk on.

Au contraire. Many players don't have their baseball situation settled until spring of their senior year. Some don't until the summer.

Most sign their NLI in November or April which is before the senior baseball season, or before it's over. These means they've had offers on the table beforehand. Now we're before the senior season.

Yes there are a handful of leftover rides due to some players who signed NLI's signing pro instead of playing college ball, but it's not a lot.

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Stay away from those nasty leftovers...they're moldy!


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TG,
Only D1 recruits sign an NLI in November, there are many many players who do not play Div 1 baseball.

I understood what you were trying to say to the poster, but don't refer to those who don't sign as leftovers. There are still many opportunities available.

quote:

How come your son doesn't have his college ball situation cleared up by now? Spring of senior year is a bit late to get noticed except to walk on.

In all my time, this is probably the least correct statement I've ever heard regarding the recruitment process......

Between D1-D2-D3, NAIA and JUCO.........recruiting can and often does go on up to and until the classes start in August.........

In the real world of post HS baseball, only the smaller number of players has his situation cleared up by now.......a majority will have well into the senior season........

TPM...


piaa_ump...

I agree with pia ump.

I can see why anxiety runs high this time of year. Any parent or player with no commitment now begins to feel they are part of a smaller group (leftover) when they are actually part of a larger group.

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Might be worth considering (Correct me if I am wrong....)

The timetables for college ball don't begin running until you have enrolled as a full time student. The option would exist to take a year of "greyshirt"...

...Taking less than full time units while rehabing to both get fully healthy and get ahead of the academic game.

Also would concur..for those of us who do not have Bluechip recruits...the recruitng game was not over until it was over...and for some we knew that was the day before class began...

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Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it goes but right now we are saying no surgery. His senior year is important to him and he doesn't want to risk that.

And on the Baseball and college stuff. We aren't looking at going D1 and there were a lot of kids last year that got something their senior year as well as during the summer. That's what we are working at and hoping will happen but it's also in God's hands.

Keep us posted albaseball.

Much success to your family and your son on his senior season and your ongoing college search.

TG - thanks for the warm welcome for allbaseball. They asked a valid question and you choose to post a snotty comment. I'll bet allbaseball is well aware of who is signing when/where in DFW area.

Try a little more kindness to a new poster next time. It will take you further.

P.S. - FYI - still plenty of talent left in DFW that hasn't signed.

quote:

Originally posted by splitter7:
TG - thanks for the warm welcome for allbaseball. They asked a valid question and you choose to post a snotty comment. I'll bet allbaseball is well aware of who is signing when/where in DFW area.

Try a little more kindness to a new poster next time. It will take you further.

P.S. - FYI - still plenty of talent left in DFW that hasn't signed.

I asked what I felt to be a valid question. Going back to when I played and friend's sons now, I don't know of many players who didn't know where they were going by the time their senior season started.

I know one from last year. He never got a shot to play until his senior year of high school. He had to walk on. None of the interested colleges had any rides left. One school told him it was too late to apply in May.

As for your comment about signings in your area, the NLI period for seniors happened yet. Now that I've explained why I feel my question is valid, I refuse to get in a ****ing match over it.

Not looking for a match with you at all. I graciously invite you to step over to the Texas Forum for a shake and a howdy and to celebrate our 2008 Commits. However, don't mistake that list as a complete list. There are still too many to count DI prospects out there that haven't committed for whatever reason.

It seemed more a jab at a new poster than a valid question that could be helpful.

Try to be nice when you visit the Texas Forum. The Texans are true Southerners and won't take kindly to you acting like you know it all and the rest of us are stupid.

TG

I do not know where you get your info but the majority of players that I know who are looking to make that senior year decision regarding college have not done so nor can they be accepted for admission at this early date