Shoulder problem, unsure if it's the rotator cuff

iK0n · 10-23-2007, 11:01 PM

Last week I did pull ups and felt an uncomfortable feeling around my rear deltoid. The next day I didn't think anything of it until I tried to do pull-ups again and felt the same pain in the same area so I decided not to do anything shoulder related.

On Sunday, I did a few searches online to see what the problem could be and I am assuming it's either tendinitis or maybe something worse. I looked up a few stretches and have been doing broomstick stretches and putting ice on my shoulder.

On Monday I tried to test out my shoulder so I decided to do pull-downs and I still felt the same pain, so I didn't even bother to do pull ups. But I could do front/side raises (with relatively moderate weight), cable rows and flat-bed/incline barbell bench presses without feeling anything in the area (I only did enough reps to 'test' out my shoulder, didn't try to actually do a normal workout routine). The same night, going back for cardio, after doing some broomstick stretches at home, I decided to "test out" my shoulder again and to my surprise I was able to do pull-downs and pull-ups without feeling anything (again only did very few reps just to see if the pain was still there).

Today I tried to do pull-ups on an assisted pull-up machine and felt the same pain except it seemed like I felt it more around my side deltoid.

Now I'm completely stumped as to what it could be. Hopefully it's not too serious as I don't feel any pain or discomfort doing anything other than pull-ups or pull downs. I appreciate any suggestions as I couldn't find anyone else who has experienced what I have when I did a search through the forums.

AutumnalPark · 10-24-2007, 12:02 AM

Pullups = chinups?

iK0n · 10-24-2007, 08:24 AM

Didn't try chin-ups, will try them today and see if I get the same pain.

jahanes40 · 10-24-2007, 10:04 AM

I just had my rotator cuff operated on last Wed. I torn it doing a flat bench press in January, while getting ready for a May Nanbf contest.
It really didn't hurt, but you could feel it "pull" when doing dips, front flys and pull ups. I've been working out for years and this is the first time I've had a problem.
Having an MRI is how they found mine. It is a common injury in the body building world.
Good Luck.

groovyslick · 10-24-2007, 10:42 AM

sounds like a you strained teres major.

it is a smaller muscle that assists lats in thier action.

jason

iK0n · 10-24-2007, 11:31 AM

Quote:

It really didn't hurt, but you could feel it "pull" when doing dips, front flys and pull ups. I've been working out for years and this is the first time I've had a problem.

Hm, I could do dips just fine as well as front flys. I don't feel a "pull" at all. This is the first time I had this problem though I'm wondering if this might be the beginning of a serious problem.

Quote:

sounds like a you strained teres major.

it is a smaller muscle that assists lats in thier action.

Should I completely stop doing upper body workouts for one-two weeks like many people have recommended in previous threads concerning shoulder injury?
Or should I just avoid doing pull-ups/pull downs for awhile and just continue going about my regular routine as it seems that those are the only two exercises that cause me any discomfort/pain?

I'm still doing broomstick stretches and putting ice packs around the area whenever I come home from school/gym/etc. I'm thinking about taking ibuprofen as well but also hesitant of it because of how I keep on reading about it's negative ffect on muscle growth/protein synthesis.

AutumnalPark · 10-24-2007, 04:35 PM

Describe what you call a pull-up please....may not be what I am thinking of.

iK0n · 10-24-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AutumnalPark

Describe what you call a pull-up please....may not be what I am thinking of.

Pull up : http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../WtPullup.html

I always had the impression that chin-up's were these: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...andChinup.html
but based on the site is seems that the pull-up/chin-up are the same.

I tried doing (underhanded) chin-ups on an assisted machine today and I felt pressure in the rear/side deltoid area again (same pain) so I'm hoping that it's what groovyslick mentioned and not a rotator cuff injury.