Build My Own FeedBD athlete Patxi Usobiaga has surgery on injured shoulder
Black Diamond athlete Patxi Usobiaga blew up his shoulder this past December and recently underwent major shoulder surgery that’ll put him on the shelf for 10-12 weeks (which for a climbing and training machine like Patxi is an eternity). We wish him well on a speedy and full recovery. Below is an email Patxi sent us describing the injury and surgery, as well as a post-op photo.
I was trying Pachamama (9a+) at Olíana, and after four tries I was really close to sending it and I started trying the route a muerte. Maybe was the 6th or 7th try, it was 16th of October around 6 pm. We were not lucky with the weather—so hot—and I was climbing when the right foothold broke! I didn’t want to fall so the left hand was in a bad undercling really high and the right one in a good edge really down. I could hold all my body without falling but I made so much power with the right arm that my shoulder went out! Luxation! It was really painful. I tried to climb again, and I was warm enough that I climb really high in that last attempt. I rest one day and I tried to climb, it was bad but I still made it to the last move before falling!!! I couldn’t understand what had happened in my shoulder—I was worried that all the World Cups and the projects on the rocks were finished for this season.
I returned home to my physiotherapist and I couldn’t take a rest because I had to be ready in three weeks to fight in the World Cup. It was really bad… I trained but I couldn't train hard and I felt bad. My shoulder: it wouldn’t improve! Training and working like three weeks everyday with the physios, I arrived to the last two World Cups only with one shoulder, but the motivation was enough to go fight. It was possible that the shoulder could have a luxation again. But I fight until the last Cup until the last route!! I am like this!!! Finally I was second, good enough for this situation also doing my best year in my life.
After that I rest a week and I went to Cataluña to the rocks, but nothing was improving and I decided to have a surgery. Everything was perfect! It is a common surgery and now I have to start rehabilitation. And in 10 or 12 weeks, ready for climbing again!
—Patxi
United States / English 
1 Feb 2010, 2:12AM
dont worry.i have big fall and after that i have a Arthroscopy and after 1 year i back to rock and ice.
you win!
31 Jan 2010, 2:27PM
Wish you a fast recovery,Patxi !!! :-))