My Shoulder Injury Journey: Lessons Learned from Cirque du Soleil

When I woke up from anesthesia, the world was a blur.

I reached for my phone and started calling my family, telling them about the "end of the world" and complaining about how thirsty I was.

It was the early days after my shoulder surgery in Kyiv.

At the same time, Cirque du Soleil's Alegria had just arrived in Ukraine.

As the anesthesia wore off, pain set in — and so did a deep sense of loss.

I had traveled across North America and Europe, performing in 47 cities in Canada 🇨🇦, 49 in the US 🇺🇸, and 42 across Europe 🇪🇺.

I had performed for 3 million people.

But I was just weeks away from performing in my home country, in front of my parents.

That chance was taken away.

In this article, I want to share my shoulder injury journey — how I dealt with the injury, surgery, and recovery.

If you're experiencing shoulder pain, this might help.

If you're an athlete — it's a must-read.

Shoulder Injuries: Common and Costly

Shoulder injuries are among the most common, especially for athletes and active people.

Around 21% of the population experiences shoulder pain, and 40% of those suffer for at least a year.

In the US alone, shoulder pain treatments cost about $39 billion annually.

Gymnasts are no strangers to shoulder pain.

From my experience, 99% of those I trained with — in the Ukrainian National Team and Cirque du Soleil — dealt with it at some point.

So, it was only a matter of time before I joined this "elite" group.

Understanding the Shoulder Joint

Think of your shoulder joint like a baseball on a stick (your arm) that fits into a baseball glove (your shoulder blade).

This structure allows your arm to move in all directions, but it's fragile compared to other joints.

Unlike the hip joint, where a ligament ties the "ball" to the "socket," the shoulder relies heavily on muscles and tendons to keep everything in place.

Remove those muscles, and your arm would literally fall off.

So it's no surprise shoulder injuries are so common in gymnastics.

How Did I Get Injured?

My shoulder injury occurred during a performance in Cirque du Soleil.

I performed in the High-Bar act in the show Alegria.

Gymnasts fly 12 meters in the air, performing insane tricks, and others catch them mid-air to bring them back to safety.

At that time, no one else in the world was doing the same act we were.

We were doing these tricks 8 times a week, 35 times a month, more than 350 times a year. For years.

At the beginning of my journey, my catching technique was bad.

One trick in particular gave me trouble, so I decided to use brute strength to fix it.

Big mistake.

On one performance, I felt a sharp pain, followed by a cold sensation in my arm.

I managed to catch my partner — but not my own bicep.

I learned a hard lesson: not everything can be solved with strength. Sometimes you need to think.

Diagnosis and Treatment

In every Cirque du Soleil show, two physiotherapists are always ready to help.

I finished my performance, then went straight to the physio team.

They ran movement tests and applied ice to my shoulder.

Ice is used to reduce pain and swelling. Pain is annoying, but swelling can make the injury worse and slow down healing. Ice cools the area, slows blood flow, and helps reduce inflammation.

Movement tests are one of the most important tools for physiotherapists and doctors.

For injuries, they help identify the type and severity of the problem and guide the recovery plan.

For healthy people, they help find strengths and weaknesses and create a personal training plan.

The tests showed something was wrong.

The next day, I got an MRI.

The result: a SLAP tear — the upper part of the labrum (cartilage in the shoulder joint) was torn where the biceps tendon connects.

The biceps has two parts. One connects to a part of the shoulder blade, and the long part dives deep into the shoulder joint and attaches to the labrum — a cartilage ring that helps make the socket deeper.

My biceps didn't fully tear off — it just partially tore the labrum it was attached to.

The doctors' conclusion: if the pain didn't interfere with my work, I could keep performing.

They recommended physiotherapy and gradual strengthening.

But if the pain got worse or I took a long break, surgery would be the next step.

The injury was moderate.

So I kept working for two more years.

The toughest parts were always the first two weeks of a tour section and the last two — when muscles were either not yet ready or already tired.

Surgery

At some point, the company decided I needed surgery.

I didn't agree.

The timing was terrible — we were in Estonia, and the tour was finally getting close to home.

In four weeks, we were supposed to perform in Kyiv.

Between performances, we kept having meetings where they tried to convince me.

This drained me.

During one show, I strained my abdominal muscle.

Now I had two sources of pain.

I couldn't keep working and had to give in.

Normally Cirque du Soleil artists were operated on in Montreal, but this time they gave me a choice — if I could find a qualified doctor in my country, I could recover at home.

Being home made the tough recovery feel more like a break.

Who Did I Trust to Operate on Me?

When I first met Dr. Ivan Andreevich Zasadnyuk, I could tell he had deep knowledge, real professionalism, and a passion for innovation.

His office walls were filled with European certificates and diplomas.

The examination process was similar to what I'd experienced in Canada and the US.

I knew I was in good hands.

I got tickets for the doctor so he could see the show and understand the kind of work I needed to return to.

After the show, we met and he explained the surgery plan.

Two options:

Option 1: Fix the labrum with 4–5 small screws. Good enough for everyday life.

Option 2: Detach the biceps from the labrum and reattach it to the humerus with a large biodegradable bolt. Stronger. Built for athletic performance.

If I wanted to return to the show, Option 2 was more reliable.

Even though the show was closing, I said I planned to return — and I wasn't wrong.

How the Surgery Went

By coincidence, my surgery lined up with the arrival of Alegria in Kyiv.

I invited my father from Donetsk to see the show and help me recover.

It was my first — and hopefully last — surgery.

I felt scared: "They're going to cut me open."

And curious: "They're going to fix me with screws like a robot, cool."

I was sad I couldn't perform for my parents, but happy they would see the show live.

The operating room was bright, high-tech, with jazz music playing.

I lay down, got an IV, and they started asking how I was feeling.

I was out before I could answer the second question.

I woke up extremely thirsty, head foggy, thoughts leaking out of my ears onto the pillow.

Kind of like a hangover, but without the headache.

I noticed my left arm in a sling, held tight to my body.

That's when I realized it was done.

The doctor came in and explained: they followed Option 2.

One biodegradable screw that would dissolve and turn into bone over time.

Main message: start moving your fingers and wrist as soon as the inflammation goes down.

Goal: avoid muscle atrophy.

"You can rest a couple of hours and then go home."

My Rehabilitation Process

My recovery took about 6 months, split into 5 phases.

Phase 1: Early Rehabilitation (0–6 weeks)

Goals: reduce pain and swelling, maintain mobility in elbow, wrist, and hand, gently begin restoring shoulder mobility.

Methods:

• Sling or shoulder brace for 4–6 weeks.
• Passive exercises by a physiotherapist.
• Ice and anti-inflammatory medication.

The goal of this stage was to adapt to life with one active hand: showering, playing with my daughter, driving, doing chores.

The more I moved, the more my arm moved unconsciously — which sped up recovery.

Yes, every movement hurt at this stage.

But as long as I didn't fear the pain, it got easier each day.

Phase 2: Initial Active Rehabilitation (6–12 weeks)

Goals: gradually increase shoulder mobility, begin strengthening the shoulder muscles.

Methods:

• Move from passive to active exercises to increase range of motion.
• Light resistance exercises for rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers.
• Ice after exercises, gradual reduction of anti-inflammatory meds.

Finally, the sling came off.

Freedom.

The pain shifted from sharp to a dull ache, so it was time to start moving again.

One of my biggest motivations was football.

I stood on the sidelines watching my friends play while I couldn't.

Pure torture — but also very motivating.

One day they didn't have enough players, so I decided to try.

"I'll just jog carefully with the ball."

Then I collided with a big guy, easily around 100 kg.

It felt like a train had hit me.

Sharp pain. I thought: "That's it, all the bolts flew out."

A few days later I called my doctor and explained what happened.

He chuckled.

"No, Oleksiy. Everything is securely in place. You can continue."

Phase 3: Intermediate Rehabilitation (12–16 weeks)

Goals: regain full shoulder range of motion, strengthen muscles for daily activities.

Methods:

• Stretching and arm movement exercises for mobility.
• Resistance bands and light dumbbells for strength.
• Functional movements mimicking everyday tasks.

At this stage, I went back to work at a fitness club.

Having gym equipment everywhere motivated me to squeeze in recovery exercises whenever I could.

Around this time, I got really into anatomy — curious about how the bolts in my shoulder worked.

This helped me understand which exercises were best for recovery and what to avoid.

I also started recording my exercises on video.

It was tough to find recovery content online, so I thought it would be useful to share my journey.

Phase 4: Late Rehabilitation and Return to Sport (16–24 weeks)

Goals: fully recover strength and endurance, gradually return to full athletic activity.

Methods:

• Free weights, machines, and functional exercises.
• Special focus on muscles around the shoulder and back for joint stability.
• Plyometric exercises: explosive movements like throws and jumps.
• Sport-specific practice: mimicking catching and lifting movements.

At this stage, I returned to the gymnastics hall where my Cirque du Soleil journey had begun.

Gymnastics was perfect for testing my shoulder — we spend at least 50% of training time on our hands.

The first few sessions came with pain.

Hanging from the bar for the first time, it felt like my shoulder was being pulled apart.

Walking on my hands felt like stepping on an old creaky floor.

But after a few sessions, the pain lessened and my confidence returned.

The moment I completed a dismount with a double backflip, I knew I was ready.

Phase 5: Return to Sport (24 weeks and beyond)

Goals: maintain optimal physical condition, prevent re-injury.

Methods:

• Continuing strength and functional workouts.
• Regular flexibility and mobility exercises.
• Regular check-ups with a physiotherapist or sports doctor.

This phase was delayed for 4 long years.

In 2014, Cirque du Soleil's Alegria show was closed.

There was no show to return to.

Instead of a world tour, I got a "tour" around Ukraine due to the conflict in Donetsk.

Gymnastics helped restore my shoulder 100%.

But could I handle the intense overloading from catching flyers?

That question remained unanswered for three years.

In 2018, Alegria was revived by Cirque du Soleil, and I was invited back.

My shoulder held up.

Thank you, doctor. Thank you to all the physiotherapists I worked with. And thank you to myself for pushing through the tedious recovery process.

Case closed.

Please remember — this is my personal experience, meant to offer extra insights and inspiration.

A rehabilitation plan is a complex, personalized process that should always be guided by your doctor and physiotherapist.

An injury is not the end of the road.

It's the start of a new journey.

Recovery teaches patience, builds mental toughness, and helps you develop a deeper respect for your body.

Real strength isn't about never falling — it's about always getting back up.

Take care of yourself, and remember: you're always capable of more.

FAQ

What is a SLAP tear?

A SLAP tear is damage to the upper part of the labrum — the cartilage ring inside your shoulder joint — at the point where the biceps tendon connects. It's common in athletes who do a lot of overhead or catching movements.

Is shoulder surgery always necessary for a SLAP tear?

Not always. In this case, the injury was managed with physiotherapy for two years before surgery became necessary. The decision depends on the severity of the tear and how much it interferes with daily activity or athletic performance.

How long does shoulder surgery recovery take?

In this case, the full recovery took about 6 months, moving through 5 phases: early rehab, initial active rehab, intermediate rehab, late rehab and return to sport, and finally full return to performance.

What was the biggest lesson from this injury?

Not everything can be solved with strength. When technique breaks down, forcing through with raw power often makes things worse. Understanding the body — and respecting it — matters more than pushing harder.