Rotator Cuff Injury...

[hochspeyer]

Use Resistance bands or something like Bodylastics @ the gym.

Do free weight exercises like planks. Take a few weeks off no workouts.. try some things with your diet like adding flax seeds which is an organic tendon/ligament lubricator that come as seeds that you can add to food like yogurt.

When you start working out again start with really low weights and spend a month working back up slowly while taking time off and also stretching.

You should be back in full form and strength in a month and a half if all done at maximum potential of healing. 2 months at full strength/ form with more average techniques.

Also ice and hot water shower. Stay at higher reps smooth


EDIT: IF it is just a strain which it sounds like given you are at full strength you'll be find in a couple weeks.. but it could become a serious injury if you don't manage ti.

Great thread. I injured "something" benching a few years back. I swear I heard something like a shredding sound and then there was a tremendous pain in my bicep; I had to yell for my son to deload the bar which I could not get off my chest. I had just been laid off, so I never had the injury diagnosed, but from the symptoms it seemed like an RC injury. I'm not so sure any more, but I do know that using RS specific rehab exercises I found on the internet, it healed.

FWIW, these things can take a VERY LONG time (6+ months) to heal. It's been almost two years, and that shoulder is still much weaker.

[FCB02062]

Thanks to everyone for their input. It's now one month since I injured myself and I think (fingers crossed big time) I'm on the road to recovery. Still playing phone tag with the Dr r.e. the MRI results - Christmas, New Years, and the big snow storm up my way have made it difficult to get in touch. She did leave me a semi detailed vm and basically said "good news, no tear or rupture, but mri did reveal a strain. timetable is usually 4-6 weeks for these type of injuries". I'm going to call her today and finally/hopefully ask her a few questions.
After fiddling around with certain grips and arm positions on different machines, I'm pretty sure I caused the injury with sh#tty form on the bench. I'm 90% sure my elbows were not and were never "tucked in" so as to relieve some of the stress on the shoulder/RC. I hopped on a smith mach with very light weight and with elbows tucked I could press one 25 on each side and same for incline (i could have done more weight on incline but absolutely did not want to push anything now). I only did this to fiddle around with grip and how it felt on my shoulder.
I'm feeling better and i'm also doing a rehab regimen of stretches/range of motion exercises for the RC. I've been doing these for the last two weeks (I did nothing but ice and heat (aft 3 days) and stretch what little i could for first week post injury) and this weekend I started doing the range of motion exercises with a 2 1/2 lb weight. I'll slowly increase. I need to get my strength back. At any rate, I'm back at the gym doing what I can at a reasonable level, such that I feel better physically and mentally. The week that I did nothing but pop pain pills, ice, heat, and sit on the couch really sucked - I can only imagine what folks who've blown out their RC and have needed surgery have to go through - my thoughts and prayers are with all you guys.
My goal is to be able to press the 75s for 12 reps by the start of the summer. Right now I can barely do the 20s for 3 reps....

[scotpak1979]

Thanks to everyone for their input. It's now one month since I injured myself and I think (fingers crossed big time) I'm on the road to recovery. Still playing phone tag with the Dr r.e. the MRI results - Christmas, New Years, and the big snow storm up my way have made it difficult to get in touch. She did leave me a semi detailed vm and basically said "good news, no tear or rupture, but mri did reveal a strain. timetable is usually 4-6 weeks for these type of injuries". I'm going to call her today and finally/hopefully ask her a few questions.
After fiddling around with certain grips and arm positions on different machines, I'm pretty sure I caused the injury with sh#tty form on the bench. I'm 90% sure my elbows were not and were never "tucked in" so as to relieve some of the stress on the shoulder/RC. I hopped on a smith mach with very light weight and with elbows tucked I could press one 25 on each side and same for incline (i could have done more weight on incline but absolutely did not want to push anything now). I only did this to fiddle around with grip and how it felt on my shoulder.
I'm feeling better and i'm also doing a rehab regimen of stretches/range of motion exercises for the RC. I've been doing these for the last two weeks (I did nothing but ice and heat (aft 3 days) and stretch what little i could for first week post injury) and this weekend I started doing the range of motion exercises with a 2 1/2 lb weight. I'll slowly increase. I need to get my strength back. At any rate, I'm back at the gym doing what I can at a reasonable level, such that I feel better physically and mentally. The week that I did nothing but pop pain pills, ice, heat, and sit on the couch really sucked - I can only imagine what folks who've blown out their RC and have needed surgery have to go through - my thoughts and prayers are with all you guys.
My goal is to be able to press the 75s for 12 reps by the start of the summer. Right now I can barely do the 20s for 3 reps....

great news op!! My MRI wasnt as positive as yours!! It was a medium level rotator cuff tendon tear that had to be repaired via anthroscopic op. Had to take 6 months off from lifting. Flat bench was also the main culprit. Solution is to use strict powerlifting form, or switch to declines that are much safer on the shoulders.

Good luck with the recovery.

[ThighoftheTiger]

Thanks to everyone for their input. It's now one month since I injured myself and I think (fingers crossed big time) I'm on the road to recovery. Still playing phone tag with the Dr r.e. the MRI results - Christmas, New Years, and the big snow storm up my way have made it difficult to get in touch. She did leave me a semi detailed vm and basically said "good news, no tear or rupture, but mri did reveal a strain. timetable is usually 4-6 weeks for these type of injuries". I'm going to call her today and finally/hopefully ask her a few questions.
After fiddling around with certain grips and arm positions on different machines, I'm pretty sure I caused the injury with sh#tty form on the bench. I'm 90% sure my elbows were not and were never "tucked in" so as to relieve some of the stress on the shoulder/RC. I hopped on a smith mach with very light weight and with elbows tucked I could press one 25 on each side and same for incline (i could have done more weight on incline but absolutely did not want to push anything now). I only did this to fiddle around with grip and how it felt on my shoulder.
I'm feeling better and i'm also doing a rehab regimen of stretches/range of motion exercises for the RC. I've been doing these for the last two weeks (I did nothing but ice and heat (aft 3 days) and stretch what little i could for first week post injury) and this weekend I started doing the range of motion exercises with a 2 1/2 lb weight. I'll slowly increase. I need to get my strength back. At any rate, I'm back at the gym doing what I can at a reasonable level, such that I feel better physically and mentally. The week that I did nothing but pop pain pills, ice, heat, and sit on the couch really sucked - I can only imagine what folks who've blown out their RC and have needed surgery have to go through - my thoughts and prayers are with all you guys.
My goal is to be able to press the 75s for 12 reps by the start of the summer. Right now I can barely do the 20s for 3 reps....

Are you doing any L-Fly movements to strengthen your external rotators?

[FCB02062]

Are you doing any L-Fly movements to strengthen your external rotators?

I really can't do those yet (hurts when I try to rotate towards floor), but I did them prior to the injury...

[shaunmkbennett]

I'm about to hit the gym at lunch (cardio only :-( ) and for the heck of it I tried a "girl" push up in my conference room at work - couldn't do it. F#ck, this sucks. i have range of motion back with very little pain but if i can't even do a girl push up now...man, this sucks. Wish i skipped the gym last Sunday...

There are quite a few exercises u can do that'll help with a rotator injury that physios do and of course you can do at home. Research them and do it for a week or two and see. Don't push it. I had mine operated on eventually and IT SUCKS!!!!! Tickets for about 6 months. So don't be brave heart and try and train it