The Complete Shoulder and RC Injury Article

[QUOTE=perryvillelax93;611566093]Thank you for this article. I never had a specific injury, but my shoulders are always cracking/clicking and feel vulnerable. I wrestled and I play lacrosse so shoulder safety is a must. I'll be doing these as a preventative measure.

Are there any articles similar to this for strengthening/rehabbing knees and hips?[/QUOTE]

There's some good information in this thread. I'm suffering from a shoulder-related injury that I haven't gotten looked at. Strangely enough, the injury is mainly affecting my ability to bench. I usually bench 75 lbs dumbbells and I could barely even do 40 lbs yesterday. What's even stranger is that I can do most compound shoulder exercises fine - shoulder dumbbell press, seated barbell overhead press (military), seated overhead press (smith) and barbell raises. The exercises I can't do are: front lateral raises, side lateral raises (cables only), bench and flies.

I've had this once a month ago and the issue disappeared after about a week, but this time it's been around for almost 4 days now.

[QUOTE=Yodums;615055593]There's some good information in this thread. I'm suffering from a shoulder-related injury that I haven't gotten looked at. Strangely enough, the injury is mainly affecting my ability to bench. I usually bench 75 lbs dumbbells and I could barely even do 40 lbs yesterday. What's even stranger is that I can do most compound shoulder exercises fine - shoulder dumbbell press, seated barbell overhead press (military), seated overhead press (smith) and barbell raises. The exercises I can't do are: front lateral raises, side lateral raises (cables only), bench and flies.

I've had this once a month ago and the issue disappeared after about a week, but this time it's been around for almost 4 days now.[/QUOTE]

I gave up the DB bench over a year ago, just too painful with my shoulder. I'm off anything overhead right now and still in PT for my set of injuries. I have a slight RC tear, an impingement, issues with my AC joint, a total labrum tear.. and a few other gems in there.

You should really get it looked at, in my case the MRI showed that I'd do more damage to my front RC if I kept going the way I was. I have a bone spur that was shredding it.
BG

[QUOTE=beachguy498;615115073] I have a slight RC tear, an impingement, issues with my AC joint, a total labrum tear.. and a few other gems in there.
[/QUOTE]

damn man, I feel bad for you. Hope it will get fixed soon.


Question for anyone...
What is recommended for a shoulder injury, Osteopath or Physio?

Before my right right shoulder was very painful and clicking, especially felt very painful after doing bench press in gym.

This last for 2-3 years. To ease the pain, I do lots of stretching every day, it helped a bit. But recently, the pain seems not went away even after 3 day stretch. So I decided to go to hospital and have treatment.

In the hospital, I have MRI scanning, and found out minor tears in my right AC joint. The doctor then made a injection in my shoulder, i think is steroids. And, in a minute, 80% of the pain gone. Magic. But it cost so expensive. :<

The doc said i can do sports from now on, but most probably, pain will come back if i do very heavy bench press again.

I asked the doctor if any stretching or rehab exercises need to do before go to gym again, surprisingly, he said there is no need.

BUT, I decide to give my shoulder a 4 week rest, and do some stretching or rehab exercises before go back to gym again.

Now still having little pain, and the doctor said it is normal. I think the pain will not completely go away.

Should I do both stretching (e.g. Broomstick Stretch, Towel stretch, etc.) and rehab exercises (etc. Anterior/Lateral Rotation ) from now on
or
start stretching for 1 week first, then in week 2-4, do both stretching and rehab exercises?

Thanks!

You said ideally you would do the RC exercises before each upper body workout. Would it be Ok if I performed these exercises AFTER any upper body workout (Upper Back, Chest, Shoulders)? And by after-wards I mean an hour or so later.

Similarly, could I do these hours before a workout or would that somehow fatigue the joint and possibly cause instability later on during the workout?

My main point is: Are these exercises like doing a full blown tricep workout right before a chest workout? Do you need to let the muscles rest between working a complementary muscle group.

MY shoulder makes a cracking noise when i try to stretch it is this normal?

I just wanted to give my input here after years of research and trial/error and what has worked for me, to help others.

I injured my right should, not during workouts/lifting, but playing dodgeball... thats right. I threw my arm out; I'm sure you know the feeling. Instead of stopping, I decided I was having too much fun and continued to throw as hard as I could. No surprise I woke up the next morning to have a screwed up RC for the next several years.

It got slightly better with time, but over the last few months when I started lifting in the gym more seriously/consistantly, I had to fix this issue to continue to bench press.

I'm taking a joing supplement (animal flex, but any full profile supplement should help) which I know has made a large difference in my recovery. Twice a week I perform the same routine below, which is a conglomerate of exercises I have picked up:

-3 sets of 20 reps per arm- internal rotations in a standing position using a medium strength band wrapped around a power rack. I started out with a low strength band at first b/c it was still painful.
-3 sets of 20 reps per arm- external rotations in a standing position using a medium strength band wrapped around a power rack. Same as above on the strength of the band. This one seemed to target my injury moreso than internal rotations.
-2 sets of 24 reps - bent over arm circles/figure 8's. I used an 8lb weight at first, moved up to a 12 lb now. I do figure 12 figure 8's in one direction and then reverse and do 12 in the other direction. Do this with both arms twice.
-3 sets of 12 per arm - "Sword draw" where you move your arm from the opposing hip up to pointing to the sky. Like drawing a sword or doing the trendy disco dance, only keeping your arm mostly straight, but not locked. I started with 8 lbs, moved up to 12.
-2 sets of 20 per arm - the exercise with no name. Almost like arm raises, but with your hands rotated almost 180 degrees from their natural position (so that if you were holding a cup of water, you would be holding it upside down), bring your arms up straight from the front of your legs up 90 degrees. From a birds eye view, your arms should be about halfway between straight out to the sides and straight out in front. 5 lbs.
-3 sets of 30 reps - Low weight but high rep overhead dumbell press. This really helped my shoulder out. Do 15 lbs, 20 lbs, then 30 lbs. for example.
-stretch - using a long straight bar stretch your should joint forwards and backwards by creating a 90 degree angle with your arm, bicep section of your arm parallel to the ground. Link: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGWMSbdaUL0[/url]

Do what this guy does, as well as the opposite way with your hand facing the group and pulling the bar forward instead of backward.

My shoulder is worlds better now at only a month and a half in..

Now, I have injured my neck :(

Garn,
Just wondering, but are you still lifting during your home grown rehab routine?

[QUOTE=tylan;634294643]Garn,
Just wondering, but are you still lifting during your home grown rehab routine?[/QUOTE]

Hey tylan,

A bit more background; as I had mentioned my shoulder had been messed up for a while, and then I made it worse (I think from too much weight on military press) and things really got bad for it. Instead of discomfort, it was sharp pain and I just couldn't do certain exercises with it any longer. For the first couple of weeks I didn't do any bench or military press, or anything that seemed to agitate my right shoulder, just my "shoulder recovery routien." After that I started doing light weight on bench and military press.

The lightweight/high rep military press I had adopted as part of my routine to help my shoulder because I noticed the days after I did this, my shoulder felt "solid" and "tight" in a good way (wouldn't pop or seem to move out of socket like it did before with certain movements).

With bench I would do like 40 reps of just the bar to warm things up, then didn't go more than a plate on each side for those couple of weeks, just whatever felt comfortable. For any exercise that would agitate my shoulder, I would do pretty much the full shoulder routine I mentioned before even doing them, and then do them very light.

Over the course of a month or so I was starting to go a little heavier, but was real careful with my shoulder; about a month and a half now, I'm going heavier than I had before and my shoulder really does feel great now, even better than before I most recently tweaked it, so I am going to keep doing what I'm doing!

When I say "heavy" I mean 185x8 and 205x4 on bench for example; I'm an "experienced beginner." I've been lifting on and off for several years but never stayed commited until recently going to a gym and getting some people to routinely workout with to try and pack on some muscle. Before it was all done in my basement, which is hard to stay consistent and motivated with so many possible distractions and no one to spot you and encourage you!

[QUOTE=Joeykablowy;630731643]You said ideally you would do the RC exercises before each upper body workout. Would it be Ok if I performed these exercises AFTER any upper body workout (Upper Back, Chest, Shoulders)? And by after-wards I mean an hour or so later.

Similarly, could I do these hours before a workout or would that somehow fatigue the joint and possibly cause instability later on during the workout?

My main point is: Are these exercises like doing a full blown tricep workout right before a chest workout? Do you need to let the muscles rest between working a complementary muscle group.[/QUOTE]

Do them before you do weight lifting that is uncomfortable or affects your particular shoulder injuries. These exercises are all with very light weight. Plus, it gets fluids in the shoulder area, making things nice and supported before you begin really using the shoulder area to lift heavier weight that targets larger muscle groups. The RC muscles are supporting muscles, but without taking care of them, your primary lifts will either go nowhere, or cause injury.

Thanks for all your info garn,

I asked cause I have injured my rotator cuff by forcing out the last 3 reps on my overhead dumbbell press. Seemed like just a strain... pretty dull and mild pain. I took about a week off, feeling good, and I lifted a big bag of groceries awkwardly out of the car... and boom... I feel like I just lost all the healing that took place in the past 10-12 days.

The questions that I've come up with after reading this (and other RC articles) are..

What to do while "self rehabbing"? (You answered nicely)

and a new one:

Should I even attempt these RC exercises if I still have some pain/dull aches? Or wait until pain free?

[QUOTE=tylan;634518963]Thanks for all your info garn,

I asked cause I have injured my rotator cuff by forcing out the last 3 reps on my overhead dumbbell press. Seemed like just a strain... pretty dull and mild pain. I took about a week off, feeling good, and I lifted a big bag of groceries awkwardly out of the car... and boom... I feel like I just lost all the healing that took place in the past 10-12 days.

The questions that I've come up with after reading this (and other RC articles) are..

What to do while "self rehabbing"? (You answered nicely)

and a new one:

Should I even attempt these RC exercises if I still have some pain/dull aches? Or wait until pain free?[/QUOTE]

I would attempt all of these exercises starting with the lowest weight possible at first. If there is a slight discomfort when doing them, that is probably fine (mine were). This is my unproffessional opinion. If it is enough pain to make you grimace while doing these exercises, then I would probably do just stretching and wait a week or two before trying again. Instead, use alternating ice and heat on the area, then maybe massage it some too.

The gym I go to has several bands of different strength; I believe yellow is the lowest. If it isn't stretched taught, it has VERY little resistance, so I'm confident you can do all of these exercises at least with a band at first.

I was referring to the time immediately after an injury (first week or two) When you are still sore from the injury - The general dull ache you have throughout the day. That type of pain. Do rehab? Or wait til you have no pain and then start rehab?

I went back and read pages 2-7 and it seems like many people start the shoulder rehab whil still putting up with the daily pain. Maybe for some the pain won't go away until the RC gets some exercise?

[QUOTE=tylan;634589213]I was referring to the time immediately after an injury (first week or two) When you are still sore from the injury - The general dull ache you have throughout the day. That type of pain. Do rehab? Or wait til you have no pain and then start rehab?

I went back and read pages 2-7 and it seems like many people start the shoulder rehab whil still putting up with the daily pain. Maybe for some the pain won't go away until the RC gets some exercise?[/QUOTE]

I began working with those exercises almost immediately, but what I was saying was don't do them if it hurts (not just discomfort, but enough pain to make you grimace) while doing the exercises.

[QUOTE=garn;636459173]I began working with those exercises almost immediately, but what I was saying was don't do them if it hurts (not just discomfort, but enough pain to make you grimace) while doing the exercises.[/QUOTE]

That's what I was looking for. I have no pain when doing them, just a dull ache from time to time.

I started doing rotary cuff exercises and now I don't get any type of clicking or pain any where in my shoulders.

Last Friday I had what I thought was a good shoulder/back workout. The next morning my right shoulder was a mess.

Particularly frontal and lateral movement up to about 90 degrees past that and no pain. in that ROM it had been more than difficult to even poor milk in my cereal every morning.... Military press = no pain though

I haven't trained upper body since then(1 week) and have been doing the mentioned rehab exercises and they seem to provide relief only when I do them and for about a minute after.

Any thoughts on where I should go from here? I was thinking ortho or chiropractor

[QUOTE=BiggzMoNeY;646818013]Last Friday I had what I thought was a good shoulder/back workout. The next morning my right shoulder was a mess.

Particularly frontal and lateral movement up to about 90 degrees past that and no pain. in that ROM it had been more than difficult to even poor milk in my cereal every morning.... Military press = no pain though

I haven't trained upper body since then(1 week) and have been doing the mentioned rehab exercises and they seem to provide relief only when I do them and for about a minute after.

Any thoughts on where I should go from here? I was thinking ortho or chiropractor[/QUOTE]

ortho.

[QUOTE=bankhead;646857193]ortho.[/QUOTE]

ortho said I have impingment in my right shoulder from overuse and some tendonitis and bursitis.

He told me to make sure i work it every day to avoid getting a frozen shoulder.

Sleeping at night is near impossible and the pain is pretty excrutiating. Was wondering if you guys have any advice on how to geet a better nights sleep?

Only thing I have really done besides ice and heat before bed, is actually sleeping with a heating pad inbetween my armpit. It seemed to help a little bit. I have been getting less than 5 hours of sleep everynight for the past week.

[QUOTE=BiggzMoNeY;651499273]ortho said I have impingment in my right shoulder from overuse and some tendonitis and bursitis.

He told me to make sure i work it every day to avoid getting a frozen shoulder.

Sleeping at night is near impossible and the pain is pretty excrutiating. Was wondering if you guys have any advice on how to geet a better nights sleep?

Only thing I have really done besides ice and heat before bed, is actually sleeping with a heating pad inbetween my armpit. It seemed to help a little bit. I have been getting less than 5 hours of sleep everynight for the past week.[/QUOTE]
Yikes bro, sounds very rough. It sounds like I have a very, very minor case of what you've got there, although I've not been diagnosed. My left shoulder hurts if I twinge it the wrong way, usually bending it behind back or straightening arm and reaching in a certain direction, which stresses RC from what I understand.

I too took the last week off (snuck in one Bis/Tris/Chest/Back superworkout at home... used light weights and that was my only workout last week). I've been icing and heating shoulder, and for the last three days taking 2 Aspirin every 4 hours. Pain seems to be subsiding, but it was pretty minimal to begin with. Nothing like what you have. Still can reach far overhead and reach in most any direction with only occasional pain. Still, shoulder feels weaker.

I've been reading up on RC PT exercises and trying a few out. Hopefully the NSAIDS and nature are clearing it up anyway. Did the doc give you any specific exercises or advice to get it to improve, beyond heat?

Hey guys, I am very nervous. I was doing my normal workout for shoulders and back and people were using the free weights so instead of doing military press first I did rear delt raises and pullups. I then did military press and went to the reverse pec deck and for some reason when I tried to do 10 pounds my right shoulder felt very funky and it felt very hard to do the first rep, I ended up doing 12 reps but after that I did some wide grip pullups and my right shoulder hurts when I raise my arm over my head.

It feels very strange, I don't know what it could be but I am worried that I may have torn something? I am hoping it is nothing too bad and goes away in a couple of days.


I may not have stretched or warmed up properly, since I usually do military press first I warmup on that but everything seemed to be fine until that first rep of reverse pec deck.

I do external and internal rotations and I do the broomstick exercise already to help shoulder strength and flexibility.

No problems there bro. The only problem is, reverse or forward, PEC DECK SUCKS!

Hope any irritation has gone away. I have not been so lucky. It appears I have some form of impingement going on. It's been going on for about a month now. Sucks hardocore... Anyway, I haven't lifted in over a week. I think it is slowly improving, but I could be totally wrong. Have an appointment with an Ortho next week for my knee, and if my shoulder issues haven't cleared up by then, I will have him check it out.

My question for anyone knowledgeable about impingement recovery is... is it normal to feel some minor pain or irritation while doing rehab exercises? I have been doing some RC exercises, mainly rotations, to try and increase bloodflow and strengthen the muscles this week. It is a circuit and the video can be found by googling "Diesel Crew Shoulder Rehab." Today I did Cuban press, External rotations, and Doggcrapp Broomstick stretch (or shoulder dislocaters). Anyway, have some minor irritation going on while doing exercises. Is this normal for PT exercises, or should I stop? I'd think some minor irritation from whatever is still inflamed would be normal.

Great read thank you very much, I have been struggling with shoulder problems for over a year now and have been told I need surgery, but don't wanna be out for 6 months while recovering. I will try these tips and see if it gets any better. Love you

So here I am, back from the dead...haven't been on this site in a few years, but glad to see that people are still finding this article useful. I feel like a minor celebrity hehe. One woman even PMed me saying that my article was so great and she goes "Don't tell my husband, but I love you" haha. Funny stuff. She even asked me my field of study, as if I'm in exercise science or something. I'm in grad school for psychology, nothing to do with physical therapy...this is all just information I picked up along the way.

I won't even attempt to answer a bunch of the questions posted, as some have already answered them, but keep on rehabbing those shoulders. And, when in doubt, see a specialist. Internet diagnosis/treatment planning is a hairy situation. Good luck ya'll.

Also, if it's easier for people, I have uploaded the text of the original post online. Here's a link to a Word Document:

[url]http://www.mediafire.com/?zcj61m3bc13icl2[/url]

Thanks, I love mediaFire. That was very helpful.

[url]http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/in_defense_of_overhead_lifting[/url]

interesting article.

Time to re-read Bernie's wealth of info here...injured my shoulder last night while doing tricep dips. I should have known better with my bad shoulders. This sucks. :(

I'm wondering if I have a shoulder injury. Most presses don't really hurt my left shoulder, but most lateral raises and any other raises cause my left shoulder to start burning as if it had been lifting for 20 reps....

have you ever heard of having pain on the top of your shoulder, like in the bone area? I'm guessing its the Acromion, or the AC joint in my right shoulder. Also I've had a little bit of pain in the front of my shoulder as well, like maybe the upper part of my front portion of my shoulder.

I mostly have it in my right shoulder, but i can have it some in my left too.

Not sure what movements aggravate it, i haven't lifted in almost 4 months do to it.

Been through therapy which didn't help much. Just made the pain hurt a little less and and a little less frequent.