Cortisone Injections?

[ryguy557]

Hi guys, I'm currently 18, and I keep getting tendonitis in my shoulders. I have had tendonitis MINIMUM 7 times between both shoulders since the age of 14. I stretch very well, lift with good form, and have tried basically everything to heal my shoulders. This is my 4th or 5th time getting tendonitis in my left shoulder from benching, which I have been doing with proper form for about 3 years now (By proper form, I mean that I pinch my sholder blades together, plant my feet directly under my butt, and squeeze my buttcheeks and hands like it was my d**k). I have been taking extra time to stretch my upper body before lifting,too. My guess of why I keep geting tendonitis is because my tendons have been getting weaker and weaker each time I get it. So my main question is: Do you think it's time for cortisol injections? I know they are pretty safe and usually a last resort, but quite frankly, I'm tired of having to take weeks off for my shoulders to heal. Thoughts?

[Whiskeyjack]

Only a physician can give medical advice. But why not do exercises that exacerbate it less, if you can?

[ryguy557]

Only a physician can give medical advice. But why not do exercises that exacerbate it less, if you can?

It's mainly my bench that's hurting it, I don't know why. To go with that, I'm benching 270 lbs right now, with my goal being 300 lbs by September. I bench every 5 days (German Volume training), and I've been doing 10x5's lately with heavy weight. I don't think I can afford to switch exercises or take another week off.

[ironwill2008]

It's mainly my bench that's hurting it, I don't know why.


I don't think I can afford to switch exercises or take another week off.

huh?

You can't afford to take time off to heal up, but you can go ahead and possibly wreck your shoulders at 18 years of age?



Your priorities are whack. Stop training and have your doc refer you to a qualified Ortho.

[TrueBLOOD1]

Are you sure that it's tendonitis? If you're lifting with good form, resting for long periods of time and still have a persistent pain, you may have torn something. You need to get in to see an ortho doc. Xray's, from my experience, don't show anything so you will most likely need an MRI to rule out a tear. Cortisone shots do work but they are only a temporary solution, so you need to find what's causing your shoulder pain.

[BLaaR]

Really, at your age if you have so much problem now, wait till you are older. Rather go see a doctor now you have many years ahead of you, don't regret not seeing a doctor.

[hammerfelt]

I have been having shoulder pain. My family Dr. said sprained shoulder. Referred me to Physical Therapist. PT said radical nerve issues after doing some tests.

I did not get the Cortisone shot. Both told me is does not make it heal any faster, just helps with the pain. Killing the pain in this case would give me false sense of security and start lifting again.

Doing PT 2 or 2 times a week for 6 weeks to heal.

After only 3 sessions it is already feeling much better.

Seek out a Dr. and get diagnosed correctly.

[ryguy557]

huh?

You can't afford to take time off to heal up, but you can go ahead and possibly wreck your shoulders at 18 years of age?



Your priorities are whack. Stop training and have your doc refer you to a qualified Ortho.

I've BEEN taking time off, but way too much for my liking. I've taken numerous weeks off for the past two shoulder injuries, and I'm sick of having to halt my gains because of it.

[Whiskeyjack]

Ryguy - I rarely come back to a post if I see that my advice is not yielding results but in this case it's worth it because you're so young. Here's how I see it:
- You're 18 with bad shoulders already.
- You know the benches are hurting your shoulders.
- You do GVT benches and are worried about strength in your bench.
- It is not clear to me which is more important when you say "gains" - the magical 300 or big pecs.
- In your BodySpace you state that you're an emergency room technician. I believe that's involved in the medical field. You must, then, recognize the importance of medical expertise and the proportional little value of random people on the internet telling you to go for cortisone shots, which is what you appear to want.
- Even those people have correctly stated that such shots only mask pain; they don't cure it, and even the masking is only temporary.
- Ergo, taking the shots will in fact make your shoulders worse because you'll be disregarding wholly the pain signals your brain is sending you telling you to stop.

It looks like the answer is:
- Determine your real goals - bodybuilding or a power bench.
- Stop benching/stop benching heavy. Do alternate exercises.
- See a doctor about your situation. Get the medical facts about your condition, and the relative value (or not) of cortisone shots.

[Skoorbmax]

Hi guys, I'm currently 18, and I keep getting tendonitis in my shoulders. I have had tendonitis MINIMUM 7 times between both shoulders since the age of 14. I stretch very well, lift with good form, and have tried basically everything to heal my shoulders. This is my 4th or 5th time getting tendonitis in my left shoulder from benching, which I have been doing with proper form for about 3 years now (By proper form, I mean that I pinch my sholder blades together, plant my feet directly under my butt, and squeeze my buttcheeks and hands like it was my d**k). I have been taking extra time to stretch my upper body before lifting,too. My guess of why I keep geting tendonitis is because my tendons have been getting weaker and weaker each time I get it. So my main question is: Do you think it's time for cortisol injections? I know they are pretty safe and usually a last resort, but quite frankly, I'm tired of having to take weeks off for my shoulders to heal. Thoughts?

Wow, this is actually easy. Stop benching.

I have had tendinosis (that is what you probably have too, btw--assuming tendon is actually your source of pain) for many years, in one tendon chronically and shorter term in two others and it's no ****ing joke. let me repeat that: it's no ****ing joke. Whatever you're doing to antagonize if you MUST stop. This can be a PERMANENT injury to your tendon (mine is--7 years now in my patella tendon) so you need to stop flirting with it.

Stretching isn't going to help you now. You need to stop benching. Continue working other muscle groups: chest with dumbells, lots of shoulder work. MAYBE return to benching in several months and see how it is, but it's insane and 100% guaranteed not to work to get cortisone on this tendon just to return to benching again.

BTW, cortisone only helps with genuine inflammation of the tendon. If you keep hurting it it's because you have a degenerative condition and cortisone not only won't help, it can make it worse; at least one study has found increased rupture rates of achilles tendons following cortisone injections.

I don't think I can afford to switch exercises or take another week off.

Really? Can you afford to permanently injure your tendon? When's the world championship event you're attending? Because if you're not, all you are is a recreational athlete like the rest of us and trust me when I say a tendon injury is nothing to dick around with.

Trueblood1 makes a good point--this may not be tendon at all.

I've BEEN taking time off, but way too much for my liking. I've taken numerous weeks off for the past two shoulder injuries, and I'm sick of having to halt my gains because of it.

Yeah, life's a bitch, but you play the hand you're dealt. I haven't been able to run without pain now for more than half a decade because I wasn't given good advice early on (including by medical professionals) and willfully was ignorant of what I had done to myself. It just pains me to see another person go down the same path.

Realize that everybody here has told you to stop benching, too.

[ironwill2008]

I've BEEN taking time off, but way too much for my liking. I've taken numerous weeks off for the past two shoulder injuries, and I'm sick of having to halt my gains because of it.

Then disregard all the advice ITT which, BTW, is all telling you the same thing.



Just continue on as you've been doing, and then see how "sick" you get from not being able to perform any common daily functions without pain, or being able to sleep all night because every time you move, your shoulder pain awakens you.






I'm out.

[azeeb]

I've had shoulder problems for years from benching. I would go for about 6 months, hurt my shoulder, continue for another couple months, and then take a couple months off. Struggled through this cycle for the last several years.

This past March I realized I have to change things up. The first thing I did was move my grip in on the bench. Previously I had always benched with a pretty wide grip, and i moved it in a good 2-3 inches on each hand, so that my forearms are vertical at the bottom of the press, with the bar hitting low on my chest. I had to cut the weight down quite a bit when I started, but after almost four months, I am close to where I was last summer.

The second thing I realized, was that I didn't work my back anywhere near as much as I did my pressing movements. I have significantly upped my back work with chins, rows, dead lifts, power cleans, face pulls, etc. to try to balance it out.

I've hit 325 on the bench in the past, which is usually right around the point where my shoulders would get really bad. I haven't tried to max, but I'm guessing I'm back over 300 with the narrower grip and my shoulders are still feeling really good, so we will see what happens the next few months.

Cortisone shots are a temporary band aid that will make you feel good for a couple months at best. Not something I would want to be doing at 18. The problem is just going to get worse if you don't change your routine.

[dungeonmistress]

Cortisone is just a powerful anti inflammatory. If you keep aggravating the injury all the cortisone in thr world won't help. I had a problem with my right shoulder and had a cortisone shot. It helped all but the long head biceps tendinosis. I had to modify my training and cannot do flat barbell benching any more. overworking pecs aggravates it too.

[DocHoss]

I got a cortisone shot once for tennis elbow - felt good for a few hours, then was in great pain for 2 days. Finally it subsided to the level I had before. No more cortisone for me.

I had (probably still do) shoulder issues that made flat benching painful. In the end I stopped entirely for several months - I did decline and incline, machine flyes, and some machine presses. You may not like it, but you CAN train without flat bench. You don't need to take my word for it (and if you check out my bodyspace pics, I'm sure I'll be the last person you'll be asking for advice), but there are lots of much more advanced lifters giving you the same advice.

Check your ego and listen to your body

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink...

[MecGen]

I did not get the Cortisone shot. Both told me is does not make it heal any faster, just helps with the pain.

Cortisone is not a pain killer, it reduces pain by reducing inflammation... sorry to split hairs

BTW, cortisone only helps with genuine inflammation of the tendon. If you keep hurting it it's because you have a degenerative condition and cortisone not only won't help, it can make it worse; at least one study has found increased rupture rates of achilles tendons following cortisone injections.

^^^gold^^^

Cortisone is just a powerful anti inflammatory. If you keep aggravating the injury all the cortisone in thr world won't help.

^^^gold^^^


I regret 66% of all the shots I took, get a MRI instead even if you have to pay for it
Regards

[billb7581]

Dont go down the road of cortisone injections.. srs. You're just hiding the problem.