What’s wrong with my shoulder?

[Driller]

Started a three day/week workout routine based on 9 workouts a 6 months ago and now have have pain/weakness in the left shoulder. Can’t do proper bench press or any overhead lifting.

I guess it’s either rotator cuff or anterior deltoid strain. Been doing some rotator cuff rehab stuff but it’s been 3 months and it’s still not right.

I think it was either dips or military press that did it or both. One thing that helps temporarily is holding the arm straight overhead and pulling an elastic forward which has been fixed on the wall behind.

Any ideas?

[popeyewhite]

Driller said:

One thing that helps temporarily is holding the arm straight overhead and pulling an elastic forward which has been fixed on the wall behind.

Any ideas?

Yes, that's external rotation. A physio will tell you why you should avoid any bench pressing or overhead exercises. They will also suggest remedial exercises.

I'd opt for ant deltoid strain. Can you remember what exercise you were doing/had previously done when you first felt pain?

[Driller]

popeyewhite said:

Yes, that's external rotation. A physio will tell you why you should avoid any bench pressing or overhead exercises. They will also suggest remedial exercises.

I'd opt for ant deltoid strain. Can you remember what exercise you were doing/had previously done when you first felt pain?

Not absolutely sure but I remember doing some dips which I hadn’t done for a few years and remember it was really heavy going. I felt pain a few days later doing press-ups.

When you say don’t do press-ups or overhead press do you mean during the rehab or ever?!

[popeyewhite]

Driller said:

Not absolutely sure but I remember doing some dips which I hadn’t done for a few years and remember it was really heavy going. I felt pain a few days later doing press-ups.

When you say don’t do press-ups or overhead press do you mean during the rehab or ever?!

Until the shoulder is healed. In fact I'd be wary about doing dips at all (avoid pressups, and decline bench etc for a while), but that's up to you. Front deltoid injuries are quite common during dips btw. You've not really mentioned how severe the pain is but generally if an injured joint hurts the whole time/interrupts sleep it's serious time out, if you just are unable to do an exercise it's lay off the exercise and seek alternatives for 8-10 weeks. Either see a physio if the pain's not too worrying or do lots of exercises (see youtube) to build up the smaller RC muscles (int/ext rotation - vertical/lateral).

[anonymous-user]

I have similar, it's gotten much worse over the last 6 months to the point where I can't sleep on that side and I've had to stop weight training and cycling.

I'm off to have some shoulder physio this week and I'm hoping there's a miracle cure for it.

I'm thinking rotator cuff issue with a bit of frozen shoulder chucked in for good measure.

[Hoofy]

Rest is your only hope. You might be able to get away with pulling exercises, though.

I fked a shoulder during stupid rock climbing moves once so am very wary of such injuries; the injury came back when I was doing DB bench presses.

I tend to stay away from moving pushing exercises these days as I prefer having usable shoulders for sports. So I'll do planks in wide push up position which means I can purposely lock my shoulders down and back and there's no risk of them moving out of position during a normal push up. Slow light DB flyes are also my preferred choice.

I have also done one hand dumbbell holds and one hand partial rep dumbbell shoulder presses where I can think about form and monitor every subtle sensation to avoid a sudden twinge/pain/injury. By partial reps, I mean the elbow is already above the shoulder to start with.

This is post-healing, though, not during injury recovery.

I also tend to make sure my elbows don't pass the shoulders during the exercise eg for upright rows, there's very little movement from the bottom to the highest position - 8-10 inches? But my shoulders will still feel the pump.

Not very manly but such is life as I like to play tennis and other sports.

[popeyewhite]

Coin Slot. said:

I have similar, it's gotten much worse over the last 6 months to the point where I can't sleep on that side

Doctor - anti inflammatories (naproxen is good) - physio - period off any shoulder related exercise - rehab exercises and stretching. Sounds like it could be tendonitis.

[anonymous-user]

popeyewhite said:

Doctor - anti inflammatories (naproxen is good) - physio - period off any shoulder related exercise - rehab exercises and stretching. Sounds like it could be tendonitis.

Thanks dude, doctor was useless and just wanted to refer me elsewhere. There's a specialist physio near me who specialise in sports injuries and shoulder rehab, so I'm hoping they can do the trick.

[Driller]

Yep same for me, hurts to sleep on that side.

Definitely not doing any dips ever again ever!

I got pissed off a few weeks back and tried to push through it doing bench and overhead press whilst ignoring the pain

[popeyewhite]

Driller said:

...tried to push through it doing bench and overhead press whilst ignoring the pain

[Hoofy]

No pain, no gain!

Yep, you've gained a long term injury! Any self-respecting crossfitter will high five you once they can lift their arms.

[wibble cb]

I have something similar, but not even sure how I did it....it was either shoveling snow, or manhandling the wife's summer tyres into the mezzanine in the garage, eitherway my right shoulder is f#cked at the moment, the pain is constant. I have seen a doctor to organize an MRI scan, but this won't happen for another 3 weeks, I have had issues in the past with pain killers not having much effect on me, ibuprofen only works on headaches, naproxen doesn't work at all, I tried using voltaren emugel, thats not much use either, does anyone have any other suggestions?

[sas62]

Zapain worked for my sciatica. (prescription only)

[Tiggsy]

Interestingly, I've had an MRI and a chat with one of the top shoulder doctors in the country last week. I get shoulder pain during any press movement and external rotation. He has basically said....

"Doing those exercises will cause you pain but won't actually make the injury any worse........ once you get fed up with the pain, set aside six weeks to be in a sling and we can operate/fix you"

So I plod on....might sort the op in the autumn....may go a few years - he did not seem that fussed and dismissed my worries that I was making it worse.

[Slagathore]

wibble cb said:

I have something similar, but not even sure how I did it....it was either shoveling snow, or manhandling the wife's summer tyres into the mezzanine in the garage, eitherway my right shoulder is f#cked at the moment, the pain is constant. I have seen a doctor to organize an MRI scan, but this won't happen for another 3 weeks, I have had issues in the past with pain killers not having much effect on me, ibuprofen only works on headaches, naproxen doesn't work at all, I tried using voltaren emugel, thats not much use either, does anyone have any other suggestions?

I'll probably get flamed for this - partly because I'm not even sure myself if it was that or the massage, but acupuncture done by a physio worked well for me.

Had a constant ache/pain on the right and down the shoulder a bit. 1 session of massage, stretching and acupuncture and that pain was gone. 2 weeks of the rehab exercises and it was much better. Now, 3 months on, it's feeling as good as it will probably get and not giving me any issues.

I did have another issue from bench pressing, but that was put down to a strain on a bicep tendon that inserts into the shoulder, so I've just started a new program without bench press and it feels good.

Possibly no good for your injury, but worth a try? Maybe if you have a tear or something, it won't be of use, but for £35-50 or whatever people are charging in your area, could be worth it.

[craig1912]

I had something similiar, nagging pain, couldn’t sleep on that side etc.etc.

I had physio on and off for nearly 12 months- eventually had a MRI scan and there was a rotator cuff tear and some tendon issues- booked in for an op and the week before ruptured one of my biceps tendon.
Had an op but didn’t have the biceps tendon repaired (long recovery time and more invasive).
Much much better now but will never be 100%

[wibble cb]

I have had 3 weeks worth of chiropratic treatment as so far,but if anything, the pain is worse right now !

Its amazing how often you use your shoulders in everyday simple tasks, getting dressed is a major issue right now, let alone tying shoe laces...

[MC Bodge]

I had(have) a similar shoulder issue.

Pressups and presses became painful. As did lying on my side and lifting my arm up.

I went to physio expecting the worst. It turned out not be "damaged", but my right shoulder was impinging at the front as my shoulder blade wasn't sitting in the correct line with my back. Years of sedentary desk jockeying can't help this. Right pectoral had a very sore spot that I'd not been aware of.

Taping the shoulder instantly improved matters.

I was given some mobility exercises, some strengthening exercises and encouraged to do pulling exercises if they didn't hurt.

When it eventually eased after a few weeks I got some Indian clubs and gave been using them for a variety of exercises, which have been great for mobility and balancing up the shoulder muscles.

I can now lie on my right in bed and can do decline pressups (best using low stands/bars for my hands). Decline pressups give less impingement.

I still cannot overhead pressing without pain.

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 23 March 11:58

[Driller]

STOP PRESS!

Having tried all sorts of exercises from external rotations, stretches etc and physio and no result, for the last few days I've been trying the "hanging from a bar" technique.

It's given immediate and quite astonishing results and I would recommend this to anyone with rotator cuff type shoulder pain.

Have a look on YouTube, theres quite a few videos on this.

[anonymous-user]

Driller said:

STOP PRESS!

Having tried all sorts of exercises from external rotations, stretches etc and physio and no result, for the last few days I've been trying the "hanging from a bar" technique.

It's given immediate and quite astonishing results and I would recommend this to anyone with rotator cuff type shoulder pain.

Have a look on YouTube, theres quite a few videos on this.

I shall try this as 5 weeks of physio have not improved things at all, although ground stretches have given light relief for a few hours.