Injured left shoulder...what exercises to do?

[superman2269]

About three weeks ago, I screwed my left shoulder up by lifting a cooler out of the bed of my pickup. I heard a pop and knew I had made a mistake. The thing that sucks is, just prior to this injury, I had just gotten back to my regular routine in the gym. I was feeling great, making good gains, and getting stronger.

So, when I injured it, I figured I would stay out of the gym for a week or so and see if it got better. Of course it got worse and I finally listened to my wife and had the docs check it out. At this point, it was keeping me up at night. It really sucked because it would actually wake me up. So they gave me a muscle relaxer and vicodin, which made it feel better. Or wait, not feel at all. But that stuff ran out quick and now, here I am. The doc referred me to a physical therapist and I finally went in today.

He beat the crap out of the area by pushing around and grinding in deep where it hurts most. He also used some type of roller that he said would break up the scar tissue in there. And yes, this area was injurred several times in the past.

Anyway, I have a couple more weeks with him, and he told me if I don't get better, I would have to go to a specialist (aka. surgoen) So, it has been driving me crazy not being able to work out. I lost a lot of muscle and gained some fat around my belly.

What would you do in this situation? regarding working out, etc.


I went to the gym for the first time today and road the seated stationary bike for thirty minutes. Then I did some crunches and that was about it.

[vinnyau]

what is your exact shoulder problem? what did the doc/physio say was causing the problem? the roller thing is exactly that, a foam roller, it's good for removing scar tissue, improving the quality of the tissue-(ie its length) . Its inexpensive and useful overall.

It's likely that this shoulder problem hasn't happened overnight, and it is possible that you may have muscular imbalances, mobility issues and various other postural issues(are you hunched over all the time). When you try lifting your shoulder in all directions does it hurt?
what type of a pain is it? what movements in the gym can you perform without causing you pain? can you do seated rows, push-ups. if all these upper body movements are causing you pain i would keep your gym workout strictly lower body based-squats (maybe-you may need to replace back squats for front squats), lunges, unilateral lower body movements.

In regard to surgery, i wouldn't hurry with it unless it is unavoidable. Perhaps find a more qualified physio, one that particularly deals with shoulder issues. I had/have shoulder problems currently, and after several poor attempts at finding a good practitioner i finally found an ART practitioner who has helped me tremendously. Nevertheless, i would stick with the physio for a few weeks just to see if his/her treatment is improving your condition, if not i would try find someone else. surgery is always the last resort, and in some cases it may only be a short term fix as it will not always fix the root problem. Postural issues, muscular imbalances and mobility issues -(such those in your hips and ankles) could all be causing problems, and these structural flaws will always remain even after the surgery has removed the painful symptoms that you are experiencing in your shoulder.

[BradleyS]

About three weeks ago, I screwed my left shoulder up by lifting a cooler out of the bed of my pickup. I heard a pop and knew I had made a mistake. The thing that sucks is, just prior to this injury, I had just gotten back to my regular routine in the gym. I was feeling great, making good gains, and getting stronger.

So, when I injured it, I figured I would stay out of the gym for a week or so and see if it got better. Of course it got worse and I finally listened to my wife and had the docs check it out. At this point, it was keeping me up at night. It really sucked because it would actually wake me up. So they gave me a muscle relaxer and vicodin, which made it feel better. Or wait, not feel at all. But that stuff ran out quick and now, here I am. The doc referred me to a physical therapist and I finally went in today.

He beat the crap out of the area by pushing around and grinding in deep where it hurts most. He also used some type of roller that he said would break up the scar tissue in there. And yes, this area was injurred several times in the past.

Anyway, I have a couple more weeks with him, and he told me if I don't get better, I would have to go to a specialist (aka. surgoen) So, it has been driving me crazy not being able to work out. I lost a lot of muscle and gained some fat around my belly.

What would you do in this situation? regarding working out, etc.


I went to the gym for the first time today and road the seated stationary bike for thirty minutes. Then I did some crunches and that was about it.

I am sorry you have shoulder problems, they are tough to deal with. The best thing you can do currently is focus on nutrition and staying active.

If you are gaining fat while being inactive, it sounds like you need to lower your daily caloric intake to your maintenance level. Keep your protein up, do cadio such as elliptical or bike if you can. Do you do lower body at all still? I know keeping you arm back while squating can be painful

If you visit a surgeon and he recommends a MRI, make sure to ask if it is a arthrogram (where they inject dye) so they can see every possibly injury in your shoulder.

[ccounts54]

Sorry, if I'm hijacking this thread, but I have a similar problem. I dislocated my shoulder doing db shoulder press a week or so ago. I wanted to know what may be some good shoulder exercises in the future that may not put as much stress on the wrong joints of my shoulders, as I know it's likely this shoulder will dislocate again. When I'm able to get back to the gym (hopefully in another two weeks when I get this immobilizer off my arm), should I move to lower weight, higher rep sets for a while/for good to try and protect this shoulder? Thanks in advance.

[superman2269]

I have had problems with both of my shoulders for years. I pole vaulted in high school, which caused a lot of strain on them both. But the exact problem with my left shoulder has always been tolereable (spelling?) up until now.

The recent cause for the pain was when I was lifting my cooler out of the bed of my truck. The truck is lifted a little and I was basically lifting with my thumbs up and straight armed. This caused a poping sensation in the shoulder. mainly the back of the shoulder.

Doctors said it is the superspanatus. or something like that.
The tool that the pt used was more like plastic or wood, as it was hard and felt sharp. I don't think it was foam, but I didn't look at it. Now I have major brusing where he pushed and rolled around.

The pain is more like a dull aching. It gets worse when I sit or stand for long time.

The doctors told me that I likely have two muscle tears deep in the superspanatus area, near the rotator cuff. Lifting stuff is not too painful unless I have my arm straight out and lift upward. I have been trying to baby it. Sometimes it hurts to drive with my left hand on the stearing wheel.

[Hefaistion]

i tried it so many times before,.- 3 years i tried to do some bodybuilding, never learned the rigth way to do it, so i got injured alot!!
all i?ve could give you is, in some advise is REST or you only would prolong the duration of your injurie, YES it hurts to see the body loose muscle you worked so hard to get, but hey, it?ll come back,
. trust me on that one.

[bb1235]

Your supraspinatus is one of 4 muscles that make up your rotator cuff. I'd bite the bullet and take it easy for a while because a rotator cuff muscle is something you dont want to mess up, espically having surgery on it, out for a while and long strenous rehab. Dull achy pain= muscle, Shooting, sharp= Nerve

[bb1235]

Sorry, if I'm hijacking this thread, but I have a similar problem. I dislocated my shoulder doing db shoulder press a week or so ago. I wanted to know what may be some good shoulder exercises in the future that may not put as much stress on the wrong joints of my shoulders, as I know it's likely this shoulder will dislocate again. When I'm able to get back to the gym (hopefully in another two weeks when I get this immobilizer off my arm), should I move to lower weight, higher rep sets for a while/for good to try and protect this shoulder? Thanks in advance.

You would want to strengthn your rotator cuff muscles because they do alot in keeping your shoulder from dislocating.