Shoulder Injury Help

Hi, I didn’t really know where to post this as it is injury related, but this forum seemed as good a place as any…

Basically, I would like some advice on my right shoulder.

About 5 years ago whilst playing soccer I took a bad fall on my right side with my arm stretched overhead, with the shoulder obviously taking the brunt of the force.

I went to the doctor at the time and got the classic quack response of rest it. Chronic pain obviously subsided so I just went on as I was and never bothered to go back, and I’ve been living with the discomfort ever since.

I’ve been doing some reading and something relating to the supraspinatus tendon seems to be my problem. If I am trying to lift my right arm upwards laterally from my side, then my scapula immediately comes into play as a compensation. If I hold my shoulder in place with the other arm, then when I raise my arm I feel a click and slight discomfort before I get to 90 degrees.

It seems to get aggravated by overhead pressing and bench pressing. The thing is, I never get what I would call ‘pain’, but just discomfort.

I am currently training using an Eric Cressey routine which involves a lot of light shoulder/rotator cuff activation/prehab and resistance work such as external rotations, cuban presses etc, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Total resting obviously temporarily alleviates, but then as soon as shoulder activity occurs again, the problem comes back, so I’m guessing there is an underlying problem there and not just ‘inflammation’ caused by overuse.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated, and I can give any more info as needed.

Many thanks

BBB

I’m not so much looking for a diagnosis, but rather a recommendation for what to do if that makes sense…

I have no faith in going to see a GP (I’m based in England so you’ll know the pitfalls of the typical NHS GP no doubt!) and do not know how suited a private physio would be? There is one based in the gym I use (Fitness First) - do you think going to see her would be a good way to get a diagnosis and rehab strategy, or would my money be wasted do you think?

I’ve been looking at some of the dynamic tests from Eric Cressey’s dvd, and I can see straight away that in the first 15 degrees of humeral abduction, my upper traps come straight into play and hike the scapular up. Consequently I am very tight there at the moment. Cressey recommends a movement to strengthen the supraspinatus for this ROM of movement by lying sideways on a 45degree bench and doing lateral raises. I am going to try this with very light bands and see where it gets me for the time being…