I'm crooked!

[SteveK]

I am going on 8 weeks post op, have been back to work two weeks, and am feeling almost back to normal.
But... I am still having pain in my right shoulder and the area between my shoulder and neck. When I look in the mirror the right side of my body appears to be higher then my left side. My right nipple looks to be at least an inch higher than the other one and so does my shoulder. Is it possible my sternum was put back together unevenly? Or do I just need to wait a few more weeks for full recovery? Any exercises that would help? Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Ross]

Awe this is an easy one Steve, your looking in a circus mirror. You must find a normal mirror for viewing the differences in sides.

It's possible you weren't put back together right, but it's also very highly unlikely. I'd say give it time, but if it bothers you, by all means contact the Doctor.

 

[Nancy]

You might be having muscle spasms in your back on one side which is causing this. Remember that they maneuver your thoracic area on the operating table to give the surgeon a better view, and it isn't necessarily a "happy" experience for your body.

I think that's why so many people benefit from massages.

Call the surgeon and ask about it, or call your PCP and have him/her take a look.

At least I hope that's what the problem is.

 

[Raverlaw]

Here is my tip:

1. Make sure you have BOTH shoes on when looking in the mirror.


Seriously, I agree with Nancy. Muscles are very strong and can pull your bones all out of whack. Consult with your surgeon and ask him to prescribe some PT to loosen up those muscles so everything can fall into place. Ask to see your post-op chest x-ray if you're concerned that your sternum wasn't aligned- I think it will relieve any anxiety you may have about that.

 

[Nancy]

I was just thinking about a friend who had a knee replacement and I spent a some time with her prior to and just after her surgery. She had a brace on her knee prior to surgery and walked with a limp.

After the surgery she was very, very upset because she told me that the surgeon had made her leg a different length than the other. And I could also see that she was walking lopsided. Everyone reassured her that both legs were the same. I told her that if her surgeon had been in the habit of making people like mountain goats, he'd surely be out of business once word got around.

As it turned out, she was just fine, but her muscles were so out of shape from years of walking crooked with the old knee, that it took a while in PT to get her "unkinked". She's just fine now.

So I hope it's the same for you.

 

[SteveK]

I really didn't think my sternum was crooked, I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem and how they fixed it.
I think it may be some sort of tension in the muscle as I am able to drop my shoulder if I try and everything lines up. I just don't know if I should wait for it to go away or try some kind of exercise to correct it.
Thanks for the help, and the laughs.

 

[Ross]

Massaging a few times a day may help. It sounds like the muscle group is staying in a tensed manor regardless of what your doing. I don't have any quick easy answer.

 

[Gisele]

Steve

Steve

welcome to my world.................my first OHS I was sewn back evenly, but this time (11/11/03) my left and right side are not even. My local cardiologist referred me to a plastic surgeon who said he didn't think I should repair it, but if I wanted to, he could straighten it out.

I have still have pain in the upper part of my sternum especially where this unevenness is located. I just don't feel that my sternum is healing properly and my muscles still feel like they are pulling. The right side is the side that is sewn lower and that is the side that pulls the most. My doctor has given me Darvocet for the pain, but it makes me drowsy so I avoid it if I can. Some days I am more sore than others. The unevenness is visually apparent when looking at my incision.

You will have to let me know how you make out as am putting this on the back burner for now and trying to resolve why my foot is still numb..............stroke damage vs nerve damage.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

My guess is manipulation and positioning during surgery as Nancy pointed out.

Can't tell you how very very sore I was around the shoulder blade on the left side for 3 weeks or so. I would sleep with a rolled up towel under that area. Why..I am not sure. It felt better putting pressure on it.

Last summer...4 years out from surgery....... it flared again. They tell me it's a trapezius muscle injury. The muscle actually turned itself on and stayed that way for 6 weeks! To date...physical therapy has recommended doing light push ups in the corner. Moving the neck from side to side with each set.

Usually just do this at the end of each of my regular exercise session x3 weekly. I think the exercise and the push ups have strengthened that area dramatically.

 

[elphie]

I seem to be put back together ok, but since my surgery, it seems like I've become Quasimodo. When I try to straighten my shoulders back, it seems so unnatural and takes a lot of effort to stay that way, then I'm back to slouching as soon as I start thinking about something else. Anybody else notice this or have any suggestions?

 

[Nancy]

Hi elphie-

Husband Joe has had 5 thoracic surgeries. After all of them he maintained what I call a "chest protection" stance, shoulders hunched forward and slightly bent over. It does take quite a while to get rid of this posture, and I'm not sure after all of those surgeries that Joe could completely eliminate it.

What happens is that the muscles of your back stretch out and the muscles of your chest shorten.

Some people have been given special stretching exercises by their doctors to try to loosen the chest muscles. You might ask about getting a physical therapy consult.

 

[Kevin M]

I had this also. Massages helped (gentle ones). I had someone show me a zillion stretches and I gently did these several times a day. It still took a few weeks to subside.

The stretches really helped.
Kev

 

[ticktock]

crooked

crooked

Had the same thing, during all 4 surgeries!! Interesting to read someone else noticing it. My Doctor told me from the beginning of Postop to "straighten up"! He told me if I didn't I would be "crooked"... so I took great pains to stand erect. If you don't you favor one side, shortening muscles on the opposing side. It will work itself out, but you have to learn to relax, and to maintain a good posture, with shoulders (both) down.