Shoulder injury and recovery

**bonknhead** · 03-21-2009, 03:56 PM

I had just finished squatting and moved onto benching. I did a warm-up set of 135x10, rested a couple of minutes and did a 1RM of 225 with a spotter. I tried a second rep, but could not.

We took off one of the 45s on each side and put on 25s (185 now) and got a drink of water. I started my work set, finished the first rep, then as I started pushing the bar up for my second rep, I heard a crunching sound from my left shoulder, followed by pain. I yelled to my spotter, and we brought the bar back up. I was done for the day. I went home and took some pain meds.

So, I have some questions:

Did I do a dumb thing by trying 1RM after my warm-up? If so, when do you attempt a 1RM?

Also, anyone have an idea of what I actually injured in this scenario, and what's the typical recovery time? My workout partner thought maybe it might be a rotator cuff injury. I don't know.

Is the normal course of action for this ice and pain meds? Anything else?

Sorry for being so long in the first thread I started - appreciate any advice.

**Holmstrom** · 03-21-2009, 04:03 PM

135x10 is not a warm up. In the future work your way up to the max.

Ice it for a few days and if the pain is still there go get an MRI.

**LyingSac** · 03-21-2009, 04:19 PM

135.....185....205....225 would be how i work up......just a couple of reps to feel the weight.......135 to225 is to much too fast....IMO

**Old-Time-Lifter** · 03-21-2009, 05:51 PM

yeah, on bench a 90 lb jump is a bit much.......... to expand on Roy's illustration

135x7
185x3-5
205x1
225x1

if you're trying to find your max warm up at 135 don't workout with it

**egoatdoor** · 03-21-2009, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by bonknhead

I had just finished squatting and moved onto benching. I did a warm-up set of 135x10, rested a couple of minutes and did a 1RM of 225 with a spotter. I tried a second rep, but could not.

We took off one of the 45s on each side and put on 25s (185 now) and got a drink of water. I started my work set, finished the first rep, then as I started pushing the bar up for my second rep, I heard a crunching sound from my left shoulder, followed by pain. I yelled to my spotter, and we brought the bar back up. I was done for the day. I went home and took some pain meds.

So, I have some questions:

Did I do a dumb thing by trying 1RM after my warm-up? If so, when do you attempt a 1RM?

Also, anyone have an idea of what I actually injured in this scenario, and what's the typical recovery time? My workout partner thought maybe it might be a rotator cuff injury. I don't know.

Is the normal course of action for this ice and pain meds? Anything else?

Sorry for being so long in the first thread I started - appreciate any advice.

Advice from someone whose had two shoulder injuries, the first nine years ago doing things similar to what you did.

1) Warm up the upper body before starting any chest, shoulder or back work. And that is NOT starting with benching with a barbell. Warm up the rotator cuffs and then the chest with stretches, light presses (REALLY LIGHT DUMBBELLS) and some push ups.

2) There is no reason to be starting at 135 when you need a spotter at 225. Leave your ego at the door and start with something like 85 or 95 pounds ( 10s or 25s plus the bar). There are other plates in the gym besides 45s.

3) Yes, it was not smart to do one warm up and then do a one rep max. Powerlifters do several warm and acclimation sets, steadily increasing the weight before they attempt any maximum lifts.

4) You may have injured a rotator cuff and if you did, hope it is a strain and not a tear. See a doctor immediately. I strained mine in 2000, was in physical therapy for six weeks and lost about three months total time on my upper body. My left shoulder will never be 100% again. It was an expensive injury.

**LyingSac** · 03-21-2009, 06:12 PM

this one guy grabs two 10lb plates one in each hand and uses them to warm up his shoulder by doing a motion like side lateral,and front laterals.he weighs 150 and is as strong as me....

**egoatdoor** · 03-21-2009, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by LyingSac

this one guy grabs two 10lb plates one in each hand and uses them to warm up his shoulder by doing a motion like side lateral,and front laterals.he weighs 150 and is as strong as me....

I actually use 2 1/2 pound plates for warming up my cuffs, then for shoulder presses and side laterals. My chest dumbbell bench presses are 10 pounders and arm curls are 5.

Its all to warm up properly, not show off because I'm worried about what others around me are thinking. I'm also not unnecessarily fatiguing my muscles. The energy is better spent on the real sets.

**bonknhead** · 03-21-2009, 07:23 PM

Thanks for all the replies and advice. It actually doesn't hurt so bad right now. I iced up the shoulder and took a paid med when I got home and am taking it easy not moving the shoulder too much.

How can I tell if I've torn my RC? I'll try to see a doctor tomorrow.

**egoatdoor** · 03-21-2009, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by bonknhead

How can I tell if I've torn my RC? I'll try to see a doctor tomorrow.

You can't. Only a medical exam will tell.

aneas · 03-22-2009, 01:50 AM

Yeah you went a tad crazy with the lack of warm up.

For me the next morning is the true test for the shoulder. I have thought I was fine and woke up the next morning in agony. Best of luck.

**erod13** · 03-22-2009, 06:25 AM

Need the MRI, back in May of last year I was doing DB presses when I felt something similiar, I could of sworn I heard a crunch & tear even though I had a Ipod on. Ice the shoulder and dont put off going to the doctor. I had two tears from that one, laberal & rotator.
Ed

**theKurp** · 03-22-2009, 07:33 AM

For exactly this reason (injury) I've never felt it necessary to perform a 1RM or even know what my 1RM is on ANY movement. Then again, I'm not a powerlifter or have any aspirations to be one.

**jellodirt** · 03-22-2009, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by bonknhead

I had just finished squatting and moved onto benching. I did a warm-up set of 135x10, rested a couple of minutes and did a 1RM of 225 with a spotter. I tried a second rep, but could not.

We took off one of the 45s on each side and put on 25s (185 now) and got a drink of water. I started my work set, finished the first rep, then as I started pushing the bar up for my second rep, I heard a crunching sound from my left shoulder, followed by pain. I yelled to my spotter, and we brought the bar back up. I was done for the day. I went home and took some pain meds.

So, I have some questions:

Did I do a dumb thing by trying 1RM after my warm-up? If so, when do you attempt a 1RM?

Also, anyone have an idea of what I actually injured in this scenario, and what's the typical recovery time? My workout partner thought maybe it might be a rotator cuff injury. I don't know.

Is the normal course of action for this ice and pain meds? Anything else?

Sorry for being so long in the first thread I started - appreciate any advice.

With the max calculators that can be found online I rarely "max out". IMO at this age if I could have back all the missed workouts due to injuries caused by "maxing out" I'd be a lot bigger and stronger than I am now...

**CaptChip40** · 03-22-2009, 02:21 PM

Keep putting ice on it for 15-20 minutes at at time. If in the next few days the pain is still there, especially when raising your arm to your head (like combing your hair) or putting on a shirt you may have torn the rotator cuff.
Hope not for your sake cause that injury just plain SUCKS.

**boathead** · 03-23-2009, 02:18 PM

a good warm up is actually broken down into actual warm up, followed by weight acclimation. both are important. imo, if you first did squats, you probably need less in the way of warm up, but you definately need some, and you definately need the weight acclimation in increments.

**beancntr** · 03-23-2009, 03:23 PM

Wish I had seen this thread a year ago when I started lifting. I learned the hard way about how important warming up is. I jacked my shoulder up in August doing behind the neck military presses without much of a warm-up. While my shoulder is much better now it is still not back to 100% and probably never will be. Go to the Dr. ASAP and find out exactly what's wrong and get going on any rehab. I spent 2 months thinking it would just go away. Another bad noob idea.

Now I warm up and stretch for a good 10 to 15 minutes before I ever touch a db, bb or machine for any warm-up sets. It takes longer but a hell of a lot less time than rehabbing an injury. Looking like a tool to the rest of the people in the gym flapping my arms around and doing toe-touchers beats the hell out of an injury. Good luck!

**egoatdoor** · 03-23-2009, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by beancntr

Now I warm up and stretch for a good 10 to 15 minutes before I ever touch a db, bb or machine for any warm-up sets. It takes longer but a hell of a lot less time than rehabbing an injury. Looking like a tool to the rest of the people in the gym flapping my arms around and doing toe-touchers beats the hell out of an injury. Good luck!

My warm up is not as long as yours, but you're right on the money about warming up properly. The teenagers especially think I'm a tool for messing around with 2 1/2 pound plates and 5 pound dumbbells in my warm up, but who cares what they think?

**bonknhead** · 03-23-2009, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by CaptChip40

Keep putting ice on it for 15-20 minutes at at time. If in the next few days the pain is still there, especially when raising your arm to your head (like combing your hair) or putting on a shirt you may have torn the rotator cuff.
Hope not for your sake cause that injury just plain SUCKS.

The doctor I saw yesterday said I just strained my RC. I was able to reach overhead and to the sides right after the injury. I'm stiff now, but he told me that it's normal because of the inflammation. I can't take any NSAIDs due to kidney problems, but I've got some Vicodin I'm taking for the pain.

I've been icing on and off for 30 mins at a time, and the swelling is going down. I'm slowly but surely getting more mobility too.

Definitely learned my lesson. I used to warm-up with 135x10 followed by 5 sets of 185x5. I've been doing that twice a week for the past 3 weeks, but I guess pressing that 225 for 1 rep, then going back down to 185 wasn't a good idea, lol.

Thanks for the advice about warming up properly - I'll heed the advice when I get back to lifting, hopefully soon.

**egoatdoor** · 03-24-2009, 04:37 AM

Good news that its not a tear and it looks like you don't need physical therapy.

As advice, here are exercises to avoid right now ( and possibly permanently if you start to do them down the road and feel pain in the cuffs) as these are stressful on the cuffs;

Upright rows
Behind the neck presses
Pulldowns to rear

Possibly incline barbell presses and heavy incline DB Presses. I found the incline barbells to be murder on my cuffs and switched to the Smith Machine. The cuffs can be strained getting incline dumbbells up into position at the start of the set, so be careful here. This was actually how I hurt mine the second time 1 1/2 years ago.

**NorCal930** · 03-24-2009, 04:41 AM

I have been using this routine from DieselCrew to warm up my shoulders. Works great, very light weights used.

**Trooper59** · 03-24-2009, 05:59 AM

I got some really good info on RC rehab in the post from BernieD. There are some very good rehab exercises in there that have helped me strengthen my RC.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=529968

**bonknhead** · 03-24-2009, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by Trooper59

I got some really good info on RC rehab in the post from BernieD. There are some very good rehab exercises in there that have helped me strengthen my RC.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=529968

I read that article after I injured my shoulder. Lots of good info there that I'll use.

I think I'll take up the doc's advice of going to PT after the pain has subsided a bit more. I'll work on more cardio and use (gasp!) machines for legs and abs for a couple of weeks.

**brava** · 03-24-2009, 09:20 AM

Do you have any pain if you bench with tucked elbows??

I also have a shoulder pain following a heavy benching with flared elbows 10 days ago...although I can still feel some pain in my shoulder, I noticed that I can still bench painless with tucked elbows.

Would it be safe to start benching again at this stage?

**mbboy0865** · 03-24-2009, 10:02 AM

[QUOTE=Holmstrom;305175111]135x10 is not a warm up. In the future work your way up to the max.

I agree with that big time. I find when I make too big of a jump you might think "this feels really heavy" and be phyched out.

**bonknhead** · 03-24-2009, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Holmstrom

135x10 is not a warm up. In the future work your way up to the max.

Originally Posted by mbboy0865

I agree with that big time. I find when I make too big of a jump you might think "this feels really heavy" and be phyched out.

Yeah, my mistake was going to 225 right after the 135x10. I've been doing 135x10 for the past 5 weeks as my "warm-up", then 5 sets of 185x5. That's my version of 5x5. My thinking was that since I had just finished squats, and a set of 135x10, I would be ready for a 1 rep max. I was confident I could lift 225 at least once - and I did - but I guess the strain of doing that resulted in the injury when I went down to 185.

I'm done with trying to find out a max - 1RM are more ego anyway right? When I heal, I'll start warming up with 95 or so, then go to 135 for 5 or so reps, then start my work sets of whatever weight I think I can do for 5 sets of 5. Does that sound more reasonable?

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