Cortisone Opinions ...?

[lavinmeg]

Hey, I haven't posted in a while and before you read DON"T WORRY, I am NOT asking for a doctor/medical advice. However, I am looking for resources (articles) or your opinions. So here goes.
*this is for a school research paper*
I have to do a school research paper about the use of cortisone injections in athletes, and I was looking for your opinions and if you have an articles, preferably unbiased. My research will be on the pros and the cons and weather it is worth fighting through the pain, or damaging the tissue but being pain free. My research will also include if it is dangerous to use cortisone because it could make an injury worse, but you would still get to particiapate.

I know this problem comes up often in gymnastics, especially with many athletes being young (make it or break it ) My paper is going to cover all sports and any information you have is helpful.


so basically: do you know any articles or websites with unbiased information reguarding cortisone injections in athletes.

 

[wallinbl]

Home - PubMed - NCBI

If you want quality information, look in academic sources like the ones you'll find in the search on that page.

 

[lavinmeg]

Thanks ... that was helpful
I'm also looking for opinions even if you don't have an article anything counts

 

[Deleted member D3987]

they work less than 50% of the time. i don't know how i know this but it's in my head from medical literature and water soluble is the safest.

 

[gasrgoose]

Fix the problem don't just numb the pain particularly in young athletes.

 

[flipper's fan]

I can vouch for Dunno. I've had cortisone injections and they have not worked most of the time. I'm not a gymnast, just a victim of bursitis.

 

[SamIam]

Just for the interest of your paper, and certainly no more than my own experience.

I received my first cortisone injection about 2 weeks ago. I am in my 40's and have led a fairly active lifestyle in terms of sports, workouts, and that kind of thing. My pain started about 3 months ago when trying to go to sleep. It reached a more immediate concern level after swimming some laps and (of all things) throwing the ball for the dog. I did lose feeling from the shoulder to the finger tips for about an hour.

You may have guessed by now - rotator cuff / shooulder. Holy Moly until you experience it just sympathize with those that have it. I endured the pain and put off going to the Dr because I was afraid of what he would tell me. When I went and got x-rays and an evaluation it was determined that the joint was good, but bone spurs were rubbing the rotator tendon during the activities that were bothering me (aka rotator cuff tendonitis). The decision for cortisone was left completely up to me. The Dr said that with limited use and the "right" exercises it could be 70% better in about 6 weeks. With cortisone the relief would be instant allowing me to better do to the prescribed exercises. There was also the prescription of a "heavy duty" anti-inflammatory to take daily.

The Dr was correct. The pain was immediately lessened in my shoulder, and I am perfecctly aware that it is not "fixed", however the cortisone shot has helped me tremendously in doing everyday activities that before would cause pain. I would not suggest cortisone for an athelete to continue competing a sport. I agree with those who have said fix not mask the problem. In my case it has been wonderful though.

.02 worth

 

[iwannacoach]

MY own experience with cortizone injections(c/i) came in my freshman year of college. I had just started to train again after taking a year off between highschool and college to earn some $. During that time I separated both a/c joints and overused my right arm in a repetitive work motion which resulted in bicepts-shoulder tendonitis. The sports doc gave me a c/i with instructions to lay off a couple of weeks and slowly get back at it. Well all it did was to make the tendon more sensitive to any arm curl or planche motion even though I was only moving thru the motion with totally no resistance. I started back slowly after the two weeks and by the end of week six the pain was just as bad as ever. The only thing that worked was three to four aspirins, followed by 20 minutes of heat before practice. After practice I would place two piles of ice against a roll-up mat so I could lay down and ice the back of my shoulders, and once positioned I would pull two towels full of ice onto the front of my shoulders. Twenty plus minutes later and all was good again. If I skipped a day of icing the pain would be right back the next day.

So if c/i's don't work you could always do what I did so I could swing rings with bursitis in both shoulders and tendonitis in one. Thirty plus years later I still have above average strength and mobility.