I've had a stiff left shoulder, arm and hand ever since I woke in icu. Ive never had an explanation of why. Yesterday I saw a physiotherapist about my broken leg. I mentioned the arm, she said it's very common in icu survivors, caused by all the drip lines etc. going into one arm and ventilator tubes keeping it immobile.
Does anyone else have the same problem? Is it that common? Is it likely to be permanent or does time and exercise restore it to normal?
Were you proned while you were in ICU? This can put stress on your shoulder and make it stiff. Some patients even have nerve damage from this. This has happened a lot with Covid as proning was used too much to improve the oxygen patients had in their blood.
I do, with excact same arm. I was told that it's because neuropathology caused by my long comatose stay, my shoulders and legs lying contracted and that the nurses often let me rest on my left side during my coma because my heartrate and blood pressure was better in that position. Now my shoulders gotten very stiff, and my fingers on the left hand too. My physios has told me what works is a lot of movement to make the muscles more elastic and flexible.
As far as I know I was on my back throughout.
I was told by my wife and sisters that the nurses moved me from side to side and on my back in different positions, to avoid stiffness, so I don't know much about it from myself. I also apparantly had physiotherapy there in my sleep. Neuropathology happening to a lot of pasients after ICU. Soft movements and physiotherapy seems to help a little, but it will probably take a long while.
I was proned when I had covid on a number of occassions. Also physios saw me when I was sedated to move my muscles.I have no lasting effects from this.
I had a blood clot in my left shoulder but that was dispersed with a daily injection.
All the tubes etc had to go in my right arm, as my left had a haematoma. There are no after effects to either arm. The joints in my fingers and toes are stiff but think this is covid related.
I’m just the same , left arm just above bicep facing forwards.If I stretch its painful and difficult putting coat jumpers etc on Was just going to call Docs but will only get pain relief .
Hi I was the same (didn't have covid)but arm and shoulder really hurt couldn't lift arm had pain killers from doctor for months who thought it was Arthritis then ended up seeing a orthopaedic doctor who said it was frozen shoulder had steroid injection and have been fine ever since. Good luck hope you get it sorted x
Proning for many of us cause shoulder issues(?)
It is so hard to get your muscles back, I feel like a skeleton shoulder muscle wise
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