Shoulder Injury... yet another thread about it...

**johnny_on_the_spot** · January 21st, 2008, 03:50 PM

First, I did do a search, nothing seemed to be relevant to my particular problem...

i'm not sure when i hurt my shoulder but i think it was when I was doing dumbbell flies on a crunch ball (to target the abs for stabalizing). i lost my balance and let a 40 lb dumbbell go the wrong way - if you were laying down holding dumb bells, imagine sitting up, they go to your side towards your hips, i went the other way towards my head). now i cant lift my left hand up laterally and hold it straight out without a little bit of pain on the back side of my shoulder.

this happened in november. right now, i have limited what exercises i do. no presses because they put pressure on it. i can do my regular back workout. shoulders - i cant do lat or front raises or arnold press, but i can do upright rows and shrugs. arms, i can do all biceps, tris -i cant do overhead dumbbell extension, skull crushers, or dips but i can do tricep pulldowns on a cable machine. and oddly enough, squats hurt because the angle i need to hold the bar...

any idea of what i could have done? or how long it will take to recover? i know i should go see a doctor, but i am stubborn and try to avoid them

Thanks,
Johnny

**tooncesthecat** · January 21st, 2008, 05:29 PM

You may have torn your shoulder's labium. The only way to be sure is to go see your family doctor. He/she might refer you to an orthopedic doctor. Either way, if this is the diagnosis, you are pretty much limited to surgery. If the shoulder is limiting you from doing things you enjoy or need to do, this might be worth it.

If you have not torn your labium, you may have torn, strained, or sprained one or more of your rotator cuff muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Might want to get an appointment with a sports medicine specialist/physical therapist. A proper diagnosis is the first step. Then follow up with specific recommendations from a professional based on that diagnosis.

**wildstang** · January 21st, 2008, 06:31 PM

i'd definitely follow up with a doctor. if its been november and your still feeling discomfort thats not a good sign. did you take a couple of weeks off from the gym when you first noticed the injury? i had fell on the ice and thought id done my rotator in, but it luckly turned out to be strained. took a months worth of light weights strengthening and range of motion work before i got better. i hated not being able to do my other lifts but without reconditioning it your asking for trouble with a possible serious injury, thats if it is just strained.

**johnny_on_the_spot** · January 21st, 2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildstang

i'd definitely follow up with a doctor. if its been november and your still feeling discomfort thats not a good sign. did you take a couple of weeks off from the gym when you first noticed the injury? i had fell on the ice and thought id done my rotator in, but it luckly turned out to be strained. took a months worth of light weights strengthening and range of motion work before i got better. i hated not being able to do my other lifts but without reconditioning it your asking for trouble with a possible serious injury, thats if it is just strained.

yeah, i took off most of december, and anything that hurt it when i lifted, i have basically taken out of my workout routine for the time being... but such is life, it starts feeling better and something happens (outside lifting) when i seem to do something to it again because it doesnt seem fully healed...

i am going to see a doctor soon if it doesnt seem to get better, just kinda holding off because i dont feel like taking off work...

**wildstang** · January 21st, 2008, 11:31 PM

there is an cheaper x-ray method of checking if its a torn rotator cuff injury other then the more exspensive MRI. i had this done to me. they inject dye in the joint and shoot a little air in there and do a series of xrays as the radiologist moves your arm around. i guess the air helps force the dye around the joint and it highlights any tears present right down to it being frayed. i know the air part seems strange but i was assured it wasnt much and i didnt have anything to worry about and i'd be completely numbed up first not feeling anything. honestly it didnt hurt just felt pressure is all.

**johnny_on_the_spot** · January 22nd, 2008, 07:00 AM

Quote:

there is an cheaper x-ray method of checking if its a torn rotator cuff injury other then the more exspensive MRI. i had this done to me. they inject dye in the joint and shoot a little air in there and do a series of xrays as the radiologist moves your arm around. i guess the air helps force the dye around the joint and it highlights any tears present right down to it being frayed. i know the air part seems strange but i was assured it wasnt much and i didnt have anything to worry about and i'd be completely numbed up first not feeling anything. honestly it didnt hurt just felt pressure is all.

i'm really not worried about the cost of anything, just really the time off as i am fairly busy all the time... but i will look into it when i am at a doctors office... getting doctors around here to take mri's is like pulling teeth anyway, i had a partially torn ligament in my foot, the first doctor told me thats what it was or something else, but didnt want to take an mri... and now my ankle cracks all the time...

**sleepyles** · January 22nd, 2008, 07:25 AM

To me it does sound that you may have a rotator cuff injury as others have said. Since there is pain, I doubt anything is broken (bone wise), pain is a good thing for injuries IMO, since it means the nerves are responding, etc.

Here are a few signs of a Rotator Cuff Injury:

Signs and symptoms of a rotator cuff injury may include:

- Pain and tenderness in your shoulder when reaching overhead, reaching behind your back, lifting, pulling or sleeping on the affected side
- Shoulder weakness, and loss of power
- Loss of range in motion in the shoulder

There are some things you can do as "self care" to help this pain if it is Rotator Cuff related:
- Rest the shoulder: Limit heavy lifting and overhead activity for about a week or two
- Apply hot and cold therapy every couple of hours to help reduce the inflamation in the area injured
- Pain relievers: Iboprofen, Naproxen (Aleve), NSAID's, or Tylenol (OTC's - Over the counter)
- Stretches light working of the muscle to keep it limber and active

There are other ways than an MRI to find out the injury, as some have mentioned X-Rays is one way. Also an ultrasound can be conducted in the area to find out. Ultrasounds if possible, would have a shorter waiting time than an MRI.

If the pain is severe and unbearable (can't even use it) I would suggest seeking a doctor right away before further injury.

**johnny_on_the_spot** · February 7th, 2008, 03:20 PM

so i went to the doc, like everyone said, he said also... rotator cuff is inflammed...

gave me a cortisone shot (monday), shoulder hurt like a bitch on tuesday (worse then it ever felt before), and has gotten better. today there is virtually no pain. he gave me a band and some exercises to do with it and said i can start lifting again on monday

any suggestions on what i should avoid lifting for the first few weeks?

**ColdFX** · February 7th, 2008, 04:09 PM

Over the summer I had a bad shoulder injury as well, except it kind of made a "clicking" sound whenever I would bench, and would hurt as soon as I brought the bar near my chest.

I intially just started benching only the bar, to get my shoulder used to benching again (after I took some time off). Then I GRADUALLY increased the weight every day or so, until I was back to where I was.

**tooncesthecat** · February 7th, 2008, 05:07 PM

I agree with ColdFX - gradual increases in weight are the smart move. I would just go really light on any exercises which put a great degree of pull on the shoulder. Examples might include flies, lateral raises, chins, pulldowns (esp wide grip), anything overhead.

I wouldn't even go close to that original exercise you were doing when you hurt the shoulder. Just pay very close attention to any strain or discomfort in the shoulder. Obviously, if you encounter either, stop the exercise and avoid it until you let the exercises your doctor gave you start strengthening your rotator cuff muscles.

**wildstang** · February 7th, 2008, 05:12 PM

do a search here and on the internet in general about rotator cuff excercises. work those types of excercises first before even trying to bench again. patience is a virtue! you dont want to go to quickly and reinjure. good luck.

**sleepyles** · February 7th, 2008, 06:13 PM

Well it is good news to hear that you went to the doctor first and foremost.

To recovery from Rotator Cuff injuries stretching and stretches are the most important thing. Also in the first few weeks do not lift heavy, I would suggest resistance exercises just to strenghten it back again. But again stretching first and thoroughly.

I don't think there would be any limitations on what you can lift, but I would be very mindful about the weight you are going to be lifting.

You should be able to do Downward Lateral Pulls, Incline Chest press, etc.

The pain you felt after the Cortisone shot, is normal, as there is a period of crystalization where the pain can be worse than what it was before, but it normally only lasts one or two days. Ice the area that the shot was given to, and that would help the pain.

**johnny_on_the_spot** · February 7th, 2008, 07:46 PM

thanks a lot everyone...

like i said, he gave me a band and a few exercises to do daily, i can start on them today he said and i can start lifting on monday he said, so i'll let you all know how it goes...

again, thanks for the help!

**wildstang** · February 7th, 2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnny_on_the_spot

thanks a lot everyone...

like i said, he gave me a band and a few exercises to do daily, i can start on them today he said and i can start lifting on monday he said, so i'll let you all know how it goes...

again, thanks for the help!

just dont rush anything go lighter then usual and back off if any severe discomfort. treat it as any injury. time heals!