Rebuilding my game after shoulder surgery.

[Dayute]

So I've had shoulder problems for about the last 5 years or so. I had a catch in my shoulder that made it impossible to throw a backhand for most of this time. I was pretty proficient with just my forehand and was sitting on about a little over 350' with a Starfire, sometimes a Wraith, and when I felt like bombing it a Destroyer.
Then I got in a car wreck. Dislocated my shoulder out of the back side, tore my rotator cuff, tore my labrum, broke some ribs, chipped a bone in my shoulder, and have a lot of brakeoplaxis pain. (I dont know how to spell half of what was wrong with me.) I had Surgery, repaired rotator cuff, fixed bone chip, and tightened everything down for my Labrum injury. This was last July. I was immobilized until January and have been really hitting PT and OT hard. I started throwing again for the first time this week.
The good news is there's no catch in my backhand anymore, but my Physical Therapist said not to try forehanding it anymore. My arm is also the weakest its ever been since I was a kid. I'm pretty much starting from scratch since I've completely forgotten how to throw a backhand. I dont have the power to throw anything in my bag right anymore. I've been O.K. with a Sidewinder the last couple times I've played but I cant even start to make a Starfire fly correctly anymore.

I guess my questions are has anyone here ever tried to come back from an injury like this? With my really low power and complete lack of form what drivers should I start with to give me a little distance, help my form to improve, but still give me room to fly farther as my strength improves? Its frustrating trying to play with my friends when they're a stroke ahead of me every hole. I'd like to stick with Innova because thats what I know best but I have no idea where to start with a reliable driver that doesnt need much power behind it to get some distance. I know my road is daunting but my goal is to be competitive recreationally by the end of summer and be able to be back to my game (or better now that I'm a backhand thrower again) by next Spring. Any advice or tips are appreciated.

[JR]

So I've had shoulder problems for about the last 5 years or so. I had a catch in my shoulder that made it impossible to throw a backhand for most of this time. I was pretty proficient with just my forehand and was sitting on about a little over 350' with a Starfire, sometimes a Wraith, and when I felt like bombing it a Destroyer.
Then I got in a car wreck. Dislocated my shoulder out of the back side, tore my rotator cuff, tore my labrum, broke some ribs, chipped a bone in my shoulder, and have a lot of brakeoplaxis pain. (I dont know how to spell half of what was wrong with me.) I had Surgery, repaired rotator cuff, fixed bone chip, and tightened everything down for my Labrum injury. This was last July. I was immobilized until January and have been really hitting PT and OT hard. I started throwing again for the first time this week.
The good news is there's no catch in my backhand anymore, but my Physical Therapist said not to try forehanding it anymore. My arm is also the weakest its ever been since I was a kid. I'm pretty much starting from scratch since I've completely forgotten how to throw a backhand. I dont have the power to throw anything in my bag right anymore. I've been O.K. with a Sidewinder the last couple times I've played but I cant even start to make a Starfire fly correctly anymore.

I guess my questions are has anyone here ever tried to come back from an injury like this? With my really low power and complete lack of form what drivers should I start with to give me a little distance, help my form to improve, but still give me room to fly farther as my strength improves? Its frustrating trying to play with my friends when they're a stroke ahead of me every hole. I'd like to stick with Innova because thats what I know best but I have no idea where to start with a reliable driver that doesnt need much power behind it to get some distance. I know my road is daunting but my goal is to be competitive recreationally by the end of summer and be able to be back to my game (or better now that I'm a backhand thrower again) by next Spring. Any advice or tips are appreciated.

No experience of shoulder injuries but if a Leopard is too much then you need to look at tweeners like a Squall and a Kite.

[Jay Dub]

You know what my reply is.

Good luck again.

[OKNate]

Shoulder surgery is a VERY long recovery. You dont realize the strength your shoulder has developed over use of just.. life. Until you get surgery and it's gone. I had surgery from a torn labrum a bunch of years ago from pitching. It was a very long recovery. I didn't even try to tax it too much until over a year later or more. Where i started getting strength back quickly was about 2 years later i started doing light front-of-head military press (big no no apparently) and it built the strength up very quickly. I stuck with it and started incorporating other lifts in with it, and then ended up phasing it out after a year or so. It's a long road you're on, a very long road. don't get discouraged. the shoulder is an area that takes a VERY long time to build strength in. Stick hard with the resistance bands and really let it isolate by holding the positions at the peak with it and feel the burn. It'll come back, just have to keep at it.

[Clonan]

Why did your Physical Therapist tell you NOT to throw forehand any more? I am just curious because I currently have a Labrum Tear (Bankart Lesion) in my right shoulder which is my throwing arm. The only thing that doesn't bring 10/10 pain from throwing backhand is medium length Putts, so i throw all forehand. I never once have felt ANY pain in my shoulder from the forehand motion and am wondering why, if your shoulder is repaired, would you not be able to continue this motion?



I enjoy forehand allot and am having my shoulder repaired this year and am interested in your experience. How are you throwing now? Thanks a ton!! Hope your game has gotten better