Refusing to let shoulder surgery slow her down

Dr. Carrie Cardenas was really looking forward to her first Spartan Race. A true test of strength and endurance, the competition combines running with obstacles. Climbing walls and ropes, hauling heavy items, and army crawling under barbed wire are just a few of the many challenges participants may face.

Despite having never done anything remotely like a Spartan Race, Carrie was 51 and seeking to live a healthier life, so decided to give it a try. She began training, and it quickly became a passion.

“For me, the race gives me a purpose,” Carrie says. “A lot of it is mental health. I feel stronger and happier when I have a race to focus on.”

The first obstacle

Unfortunately, Carrie suffered a major setback at the gym just two months before her first race.

“It was a fluke thing,” she says. “I was bench-pressing, and the bar tipped. I felt a little pop in my shoulder.”

At first, Carrie says she was in denial that the injury was serious, even though she struggled to sleep at night because movement caused pain. A doctor herself, she finally relented and saw a physician. “Doctors truly make the worst patients,” she jokes.

Carrie was referred to Dr. Amar Arora, an orthopedic surgeon with Sharp Rees-Stealy and affiliated with Sharp Memorial Hospital.

“Every patient is different,” Dr. Arora says. “I try to understand what they’re thinking and what their goals are so I can design a treatment plan specific to them. It may take a few visits to get to know them well enough to do that, but it makes a big difference.”

Dr. Arora quickly realized Carrie was still determined to realize her dream of competing in Spartan Races. In addition to performing surgery to repair her shoulder, he worked with her on a recovery plan to make that happen.

The recovery

The rehabilitation process wasn’t easy, but according to Carrie, the hardest part was mental — having to adjust her expectations between what she wanted to do and what her body was capable of doing.

“I am so fortunate I was referred to Dr. Arora,” Carrie says. “He started as my physician and fixed me, but he became like my therapist, encouraging me in my recovery while also being honest and direct about what my limitations would be and for how long.”

According to Dr. Arora, it takes a lot of patience and hard work by a patient to get back to where they were before the surgery. That can only happen once the shoulder heals. “There really isn’t a way to speed that process up,” he says.

Dr. Arora says most patients can return to regular activities 4 to 6 months after surgery. However, it can take up to a year to return to full strength and range of motion. While her shoulder recovered, Dr. Arora suggested other ways Carrie could stay active.

“She still wanted and needed that mental release,” Dr Arora points out. “So, I said, ‘You may not be able to use the arm the way you want to, but you can work on your legs. You can still get your heart rate up. You can still be active while your shoulder heals.’”

The first race

In August of 2024, about seven months after the surgery, Carrie finally got to compete in a Spartan Race.

“I woke up that morning just excited to be participating,” she says. “I wasn’t worried about the result. I was just thankful I could do this crazy stuff.”

Much to her surprise, Carrie won first place in her group, an accomplishment made all the sweeter by the arduous journey to recover from her setback. “I’m not someone who is usually openly proud of myself, but I felt this pure pride and joy,” she recalls.

Dr. Arora felt the same. “I was floored when she told me she won,” he says. “I knew her recovery was going great, and she had built back much of her strength, but I was still a little anxious for her. It’s definitely one of those moments where you say, ‘This is why I do what I do.’”

Carrie is now scheduled to compete in several fitness competitions in 2025. Her event schedule will send her across the country, from Southern California to Florida.

Dr. Arora will be cheering her on. “Everybody’s going to go through a different journey,” he says. “There are always ups and downs and frustrations. But if you keep an open line of communication with your care team and follow that care plan, you can get back to where you need to be.”

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