Shoulder problems.. rotator cuff?

[KaraK]

For some years now I've been having problems with my right shoulder (AFAIK it traces back to me breaking the collarbone about 10+ years ago but has got much worse over the last year or so), general symptoms are:

• restricted movement - if I stand straight and try and raise the arm up and away from my body I can generally only get the arm to 90 degrees, sometimes a few degrees more on a "good" day and less on a "bad" day IYSWIM before the pain of doing so stops me going further

• continual pain - I don't mean to sound like a wuss here but it hurts all the time, intensity varies from day to day and is generally worse first and last thing.

• reduced strength - I think the muscles themselves are ok, on good days they will still bear a reasonable amount of weight but most of the time even holding a say a full glass in my hand gives an uncomfortable feeling of "pulling" on the shoulder if that makes sense

• knots up to hell - I end up with serious knotting of my muscles which causes further pain and spills out to other areas like my neck, mid-back and arm

• spasms - a couple of days recently I've had what the medics have described as my muscles going into spasm and trapping a nerve, this is pretty unnerving tbh as it makes me largely unable to move my right arm, gives me pins and needles in the arm and leaves me unable to grip anything with my right hand (when prompted by the nurse I couldn't pick my phone up off the table for example)

• reduced circulation in the arm (I think) - noticed this yesterday when I was in "spasm" that my right hand seemed noticeably colder then my left which I can only think is a lack of blood flow to the hand, the same effect is present today (although I can at least move and grip today - the shoulder/neck is pretty darn painful though) and I know this isn't just my brain telling me this as I had a colleague touch both of my hands and they confirmed that the right is definitely colder than the left.

I'm slowly making my way through the NHS process with it, and the current theory is that I've got a rotator cuff problem of some kind, either an impingement or some kind of tear - I had an MRI done last week and will be getting the results in another fortnight but I'm wondering if there is anything I can do in the meantime to be making it more manageable? I've been using ibuprofen for the pain () and inflammation, liberally slathering Tiger Balm on the shoulder, neck and arm and generally trying to keep it warm and mobile where possible but it's starting to feel like I'm swimming against the tide. Yesterday was a complete write-off as I had to bail on work because my right arm was a useless meat sack attached to my shoulder and as a righty that made me rather useless!

Today has been better than that but the longer I'm spending at my desk the more I can feel the tightness and pain creeping back up again and I know it's only a matter of time before I'm back there again which means I can't work, I can't drive, hell even buttering toast was a pathetic display straight out of a bad sitcom! So what does the wisdom of PH think - anything I should/shouldn't be doing to mitigate this?

[nitrodave]

my partner has this and been told the only cure is regular physiotherapy. Try regularly stretching and exercising it - 3 times a day at a minimum.

[Hoofy]

I popped something in my shoulder when doing a stupid climbing move once. Couldn't lift it (easily) above 45 degrees or so! Did similar to the above, just keeping it mobile using the weight of the arm and now it's not a problem.

I'm no expert so best off seeing a physio as your other arm might fall off.

[KaraK]

if it's physio that could be good.. I'm decidedly unkeen on the notion of getting cut open for it as the few times I've had surgery it's really knocked the stuffing out of me!

[JQ]

Just get yourself to a good sports physio and they'll sort you out. I currently have a rotator cuff impingement and have been given lots of exercises to do, by mine.

You don't need to go through the NHS, just get yourself booked in.

[craig1912]

had a problem for 9 months. Was frozen with possible tear, now specialist says impingement and bursitis. Had 28 sessions of Physio, including ultrasound and dry needling. You need to do the right exercises. These are a good start

http://youtu.be/shRRejoJspo

I haven't had a scan as the specialist says it won't tell him anything he doesn't already know. I've another 5/6 weeks which hopefully will see it sorted.

[campionissimo]

i've got the same problems at the moment - mine is a tight shoulder capsule, and a tear in one of shoulder muscles (in and around the rotator cuff thingy - i can't remember it's name.)


Had the MRI and they found the above on the scan. got my first physio in two weeks time - once you have the diagnosis, you can go to a really good sports therapist rather than wait for an NHS one. They will be able to sort out most anything.

[bridgdav]

I've spent just short of $1500 since November on my shoulder. Living in the USA! With a good insurance plan...!
No Trauma or accident to cause the injury. I have limited movement and no strength on left shoulder.

3 MRI scans, Cortisone injection, X-rays and now physio.
I have what has been described as - fatty deposits in the 2 main rotator muscles and a slight slap tear.

Regular Physio and exercise is the best way to treat it. I have just bought a Cencept 2 rower to improve upper body strength overall, as well as the shoulder strengthening exercises.

My Doc advised - If you have a full tear in the muscle or ligaments then surgery is the only way to go. If the injury is minor then light stretch and mobilisation should be used.

My current excercise sheet :

[krallicious]

I managed to tear mine playing rugby when I was 16. I went through nearly two years of physio that worked very well but I still suffered dislocations. Eventually went to a doctor who said that I had never experienced a dislocation which was odd. I got a second opinion and was sent straight for an MRI which showed the tear. Within a month I had an exploratory operation follwed by the main one.

I have never fully recovered the strengh that I used to have and I have some limits to the movement which can occasionally be very painful but the dislocations have stopped. The massive problem is that I can no longer play the sport which I loved so much

[Hoofy]

bridgdav said:

My current excercise sheet :

Years of desk jockeying plus climbing injuries mean that 58 was a toughie. I do it with a pole (some people use a band but the flexibility of the band doesn't exercise your shoulders enough but it's good for the ego ) - when I started, it was really painful (not in a bad way) due to pisspoor mobility but now with my hands in the same position, I can go up, over and down to my lower back with the pole.

This guy's pretty good because he doesn't stick his chest out. I still have to.
http://ignorelimits.com/mobility/1-quick-drill-to-...

[jonamv8]

One of my clients is a shoulder specialist there's a section on his website http://shoulderelbowsurgeon.co.uk/shoulder.html#si...

[Cheib]

Dislocated my shoulder last year, had to have an operations to repair the dame but I was lucky I didn't do ligament or muscle damage....hard to say what was better for my rehab with a personal trainer, physio, sports massage. They all played a massive part. What I do know is that if you have a standard half hour physio appointment there is really sufficient time for them either to treat or help you with rehab properly....it's a bit of both without enough time being spent on either.

I'd say the physio was great for monitoring progress but the most important thing is exercising and stretching yourself combined with what I can only describe as bd painful massage and also working with a really good personal trainer.

I'll be honest I don't think the resources the NHS will throw at you are going to be enough to get you back to where you want to be. The physio I has also worked for the NHS....he said it was a losing battle treating people for rehab because of the amount of time he had with them and and how often he got to see people.

I reckon you need to spend six or seven hours a week on it if you really want to get results...for probably six months. You can easily spend an hour doing stretching and exercising every day. The problem generally is that the major muscle groups tend to tighten up to protect the damaged shoulder....they need to be loosened off and stretched whilst you also need to isolate the rotator cuff muscles and strengthen them.

[vonuber]

I broke the top of the Humerus skiing two years ago. Started off with very little movement but regular physio via the NHS has got it back to about 95% movement - the only thing I cant do is put my hand on the back of my head and move the elbow to 90 degrees of my body.

[KaraK]

Well I had my appt yesterday to get the results of the MRI - there was nothing they could see on the scan which would be causing the problems They could however see signs of edema apparently and are referring me to the musculo-skeletal clinic for further investigation. The doc seemed to think it might be Complex Regional Pain Syndrome which I did some reading up on last night and in many ways it does fit what symptoms I'm having but fk knows at this point, I'll just have to see what the specialist says