The recreational game

[Mr Mwenda]

Update on my last post. Played half a game for my debut and did well enough to start in the next game, which lasted 5mins. I was guarding a ruck, turned my head when the scrum half passed the ball away and a guy blindsided me, lifted me up and dumped me on my shoulder.

I now have a grade 4 shoulder separation that will ‘almost certainly’ require surgery. Anyone had shoulder surgery before?

In truth, I think that’s me formally retired now but interested to hear if anyone has had surgery and can give any advice on recovery.

Thankfully it’s my left side so I’m still semi functional.

That sucks, sorry mate!

Being one of the older ones on the pitch quite often (not always), I always call out the kids I see doing dodgy shit. It's a game, we all want to play again the following week etc and don't need to kill each other with stupid off the ball shit.

Can't help you with the surgery thing, damaged both my shoulders doing jiu jitsu, but neither to the stage that required surgery.

Good on you, Raggs. It's a thing that should be spoken about a lot more - there are too many people playing in my experience who are using rugby as a vent for their violence issues. A factor in encouraging me stopping playing was being fed up with the number of dickheads on my own team who could ruin game after game by picking fights, getting carded, etc.

[Scrumhead]

+1. I’m fortunate enough not to have played with too many idiots. Unfortunately I encountered one playing for the oppo.

The worst thing about it is that it was totally senseless. There was nothing to be gained. The ruck was over, the ball was gone. It was just pure thuggery.

[Which Tyler]

More or less full recovery with plenty of physio, time to heal and the adherence to the right physio are absolutely key. I'm still playing but I do wonder how much longer for.

Absolutely this; and do the physio before even seeing a consultant - they might not be able to do anything, but they'll give you plenty more information to base your decision on.

And absolutely look outside the NHS, find a private physio, or chiropractor, or osteopath, or sports therapist... with an interest in shoulders / sports injuries, ask them about it, ask for explanations, ask for homework, and why those exercises - and most importantly DO the homework - but knowing the whys makes that much easier to do, and to do correctly.

Beyond that, and the "I might now be an ex-player" remember there are other versions of the game; from 7s and 10s (there tends to be less violence in both), through beach and touch rugby, right down to walking rugby (tends to be more organised than beach or touch). They may sound / feel pathetic when coming from full rugby - but you'd be surprised how well they scratch that itch.

[jimKRFC]

Beyond that, and the "I might now be an ex-player" remember there are other versions of the game; from 7s and 10s (there tends to be less violence in both), through beach and touch rugby, right down to walking rugby (tends to be more organised than beach or touch). They may sound / feel pathetic when coming from full rugby - but you'd be surprised how well they scratch that itch.

There's also mixed ability rugby, it's a mix of contact and touch. Those in red scrum hats are touch players and those that aren't are full contact. Started playing recently as Bath Rugby are setting a few teams up (Melksham & Walcott) but Longlevens has a team as does Worcester. Melksham has a few SEN players as well some pretty good others that just wander about chatting and rarely getting the ball (like 3rd team wingers).

[twitchy]

Collarbone did it for as well, apparently one of the most common rugby injuries.

[Scrumhead]

More or less full recovery with plenty of physio, time to heal and the adherence to the right physio are absolutely key. I'm still playing but I do wonder how much longer for.

Absolutely this; and do the physio before even seeing a consultant - they might not be able to do anything, but they'll give you plenty more information to base your decision on.

And absolutely look outside the NHS, find a private physio, or chiropractor, or osteopath, or sports therapist... with an interest in shoulders / sports injuries, ask them about it, ask for explanations, ask for homework, and why those exercises - and most importantly DO the homework - but knowing the whys makes that much easier to do, and to do correctly.

Beyond that, and the "I might now be an ex-player" remember there are other versions of the game; from 7s and 10s (there tends to be less violence in both), through beach and touch rugby, right down to walking rugby (tends to be more organised than beach or touch). They may sound / feel pathetic when coming from full rugby - but you'd be surprised how well they scratch that itch.

I have good private health options through work so I’ll definitely be using those rather than limiting myself to he NHS.

I’m not dismissive of touch at all and I found it made me a much better team player. Generally, my game (with the ball) was very much hitting hard lines and involved very little passing, but when I started playing touch in the summer, I definitely saw an improvement in my passing, my awareness of space and probably a bit in defensive organisation too. I think I’ll probably end up playing more touch from now on.