Shoulder Injury

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

Hi Guys
Hopefully someone on here can help me.
I started training about a year ago after a 10 year lay off. Things were going pretty well and I was getting a decent shape although carrying too much weight. A lot of things had changed in 10 years so I was surfing the web to try and catch up with new exercises etc:.

I was watching some video on youtube on the correct way to bench so decided to try it. Shoulder blades in to the bench,arched back. That kind of thing. After I had finished my chest and triceps my shoulder began to ache. Could I have torn something ?.

All my symptoms are. Pain in front of the shoulder,sometimes the rear. As soon as I start B/B curls the pain in my shoulder is extremely sore and in my forearm too. The other day I was doing military presses and the pain in the outside of my bicep was so bad I had to stop after 1 set and go home. Sometimes I can feel the pain at the bottom of my traps too.

I went to the Doc who referred me to the Physio and have been going there for 3 months but nothing has changed. They originally said I had winged scapula but are now saying it’s something to do with the pecs?.
All my weights have dropped to half and I’m still in agony training. By the way the Physio told me to keep training.

Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone ?. Any advice will be appreciated.
I’m 48 years old and know I can’t do what I did 20 years ago but just want to train. It’s really getting me down.
PS
Was taking 500mg ibuprofen but they never helped at all.
Would a Chiropractor be a better option ?

2

Go to a Chiro who performs Active Release Techniques. Place this in google and go to the ART website. You can then put in your zip code and see practictioners in your area. ART has been tremendous for me (but no guarantees)

Start taking fish oil as well.

3

Thanks for answering ghost87
I’ve tried to look ART up and although it has been practiced with good results in the US for two decades, it seems to be relatively new in the UK. I found one in London but none in Scotland.
I’ll try phone around a few Chiros to see if they practice it.
Again, thanks for answering. Much appreciated.

4

I have issues with my shoulders and made a similar post.

There were some very good suggestions on that thread that I am following and may help… I’m taking fish oil, icing more frequently and doing the mobility exercises daily along with extra warm up /mobility before upper body training. I think the mobility warm up and daily rehab exercises have been the most instrumental. It’s been around 3 weeks since I started and seems to be helping. I am still holding off on BB or Db benches as I am afraid of making it worse. Also taking Cissus…not sure if that is helping or not but things are getting some what better.

5

[quote]FishorLift wrote:
I have issues with my shoulders and made a similar post.

There were some very good suggestions on that thread that I am following and may help… I’m taking fish oil, icing more frequently and doing the mobility exercises daily along with extra warm up /mobility before upper body training. I think the mobility warm up and daily rehab exercises have been the most instrumental. It’s been around 3 weeks since I started and seems to be helping. I am still holding off on BB or Db benches as I am afraid of making it worse. Also taking Cissus…not sure if that is helping or not but things are getting some what better.[/quote]

I agree with the mobility drills, as long as you were cleared by your doc and he said nothing was torn or broken.

I recently bought Mike Robertson’s “Inside/Out: Ultimate Upper Body Warmup” DVD and its been helping with some chronic shoulder aching that I’ve had for a while. Check it out if you get a chance.

But I feel you on the shoulder problems. Had a torn labrum in high school and had to get surgery, then my other shoulder started to have pain 10 years down the road from lifting. It can be frustrating, but there are definitely ways to make your shoulders (and other joints) healthy and continue to lift heavy things. Check out Magnificent Mobility too for lower body mobility help.

6

Thanks for the answers guys
Was at the physio again yesterday and his answer was “I’m stumped”
I asked for a scan so he’s referring me back to my GP

It really gets you down when you’re injured. I thought I was getting some shape back too after not training for years.

7

Sorry to hear about the injury. It sounds a bit mysterious.

For general shoulder health, ESPECIALLY if returning to weights after significant time away, I’d strongly recommend reading and deploying exercises from “Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff”, Jim Johnson, available via Amazon both in the US and UK.

Also for shoulder stability the “shoulder horn” device is helpful in strengthening the infraspinatus and teres minor external rotators. Costs about $60 and worth it.

Since the physio and GP appear stumped you might as well get that Rotator Cuff book and test the stretching and strengthening exercises. Some very weird shoulder pain can be caused by the cuff inadequately holding the joint together.

Since the pain began after “proper form” bench presses, be aware that some authorities cite the “proper form” bench press (arms way out to the side for maximal pec involvement, lowering the bar to the chest) as placing the rotator cuff in a highly vulnerable position. Do your own research on the biomechanics; perhaps a slightly modified form would still permit benching, safer.

Good luck with this. Get the Rotator Cuff book and try some gentle rehab…

8

Thanks Tenax

9

Ask for a MRI, I had similar symptoms and an MRI showed a torn labrum

10

OP - sorry if I missed this but have you stopped benching?

11

I had a torn labrum repaired 4 months ago (btw, in some cases a torn labrum can involve the bicep tendon, Google SLAP tear). After 3 months the surgeon said I could go back to pretty much my regular routine. My shoulder still felt tight (like trying to raise my left arm straight looked more like a nazi salute) and doctor me to give it a month or so and of not better he’d get me some additional PT appointments.

Didn’t get much better and went to the PT. PT examined me with the shoulder “fixed” and determined I’m really tight in my chest and upper back. PT said it’s probably a combination of posture issues from 30 years at a desk job on the computer a bunch, a fairly long driving commute and bad movement patterns from adapting to the torn labrum which may have happened years ago.

12

One thing you can try which is quite simple, and that is to bring our grip in slightly.
I had shoulder surgery 2 years ago. I had a thread on here about the rehab.
When i started back on the bench, i started to get pain in the shoulder that i had not had surgery on. I went to my physio and explained the situation. He is a lifter himself and suggested that i brought in my bench grip. I now lift with my little finger on the rings and i have not had pain since. My bench weights have not suffered either. Last December i had a 1 to 1 with Andy Bolton and he said my bench form was fine with the closer grip.

13

[quote]Nobby wrote:
One thing you can try which is quite simple, and that is to bring our grip in slightly.
I had shoulder surgery 2 years ago. I had a thread on here about the rehab.
When i started back on the bench, i started to get pain in the shoulder that i had not had surgery on. I went to my physio and explained the situation. He is a lifter himself and suggested that i brought in my bench grip. I now lift with my little finger on the rings and i have not had pain since. My bench weights have not suffered either. Last December i had a 1 to 1 with Andy Bolton and he said my bench form was fine with the closer grip.[/quote]

Good point on modifying the grip. I found using a neural grip with dumbbells eliminated much of the pain I had benching.

14

[quote]Foochie wrote:
Ask for a MRI, I had similar symptoms and an MRI showed a torn labrum[/quote]

Agree, an MRI is really the only way to diagnose a torn labrum. Also the MRI should be done with contrast die. Here’s a quick overview:

15

It sounds like your main problem may be just bicep tendonitis. The only thing that will heal tendonitis is rest. If rest is not an option, then I would try doing more external rotations with bands to get your subscapula firing. Stop doing overhead presses and bicep curls for several weeks, and believe it or not try benching with you elbows flared with a wider than normal grip. I thought it was BS until I had shoulder issues and began benching with a wide grip and flared elbows, and the pain went away. 3 and 4 board pressing would give you an opportunity to continue training, and let the inflamation decrease. If you still have pain using boards, stop.

16

Anti oxidants, high dose vit-D, lots of fish oil, olive oil and massage therapy to release muscles in spasm. Chiro is good as well.

17

[quote]Braveheart1314 wrote:
Hi Guys
Hopefully someone on here can help me.
I started training about a year ago after a 10 year lay off. Things were going pretty well and I was getting a decent shape although carrying too much weight. A lot of things had changed in 10 years so I was surfing the web to try and catch up with new exercises etc:.

I was watching some video on youtube on the correct way to bench so decided to try it. Shoulder blades in to the bench,arched back. That kind of thing. After I had finished my chest and triceps my shoulder began to ache. Could I have torn something ?.

All my symptoms are. Pain in front of the shoulder,sometimes the rear. As soon as I start B/B curls the pain in my shoulder is extremely sore and in my forearm too. The other day I was doing military presses and the pain in the outside of my bicep was so bad I had to stop after 1 set and go home. Sometimes I can feel the pain at the bottom of my traps too.

I went to the Doc who referred me to the Physio and have been going there for 3 months but nothing has changed. They originally said I had winged scapula but are now saying it’s something to do with the pecs?.
All my weights have dropped to half and I’m still in agony training. By the way the Physio told me to keep training.

Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone ?. Any advice will be appreciated.
I’m 48 years old and know I can’t do what I did 20 years ago but just want to train. It’s really getting me down.
PS
Was taking 500mg ibuprofen but they never helped at all.
Would a Chiropractor be a better option ?[/quote]

18

I just checked on the Diesel Shoulder Rehab Program and I see that it covers the shoulder girdle very thoughroughly–you cannot go wrong in doing all of those movements, specially as the muscle-head you are and don’t really understand how your body responds to exercise in general. All you want to do are your favorites while thinking–Big/Grow. Which will lead to injuries/weakness/instability of the joints, which in turn prevent you from, God Forbid, working out and spending your miserable life in the Gym. That leads to more beer at your also favorite dive, where you can tell the “others” about how you used to Lift–Heavy.

All I can add to the Diesel Program is this: If the injuries have become chronic you will have to supplement those movements at Home with Soup Cans on a daily basis. Many repetitions while watching TV in between commercials. Also: Heat/Friction before training and Cold/Friction afterwards and any time you feel discomfort. That is the true approach to Rehab for the purpose of “Eradicating” the weaknesses, not just “Alleviating.”

That’s what Real Professional Athletes think and do to keep earning those many Big/$$$, which is something you don’t know anything about. In closing: Those simple movements with the light weights will give you a fantastic Pump, and that’s your bonus. I am a Corrective Exercise Specialist with over 40 years in this field helping the more intelligent trainees. Thank you for listening. Diosantiago.

19

[quote]Diosantiago wrote:
I just checked on the Diesel Shoulder Rehab Program and I see that it covers the shoulder girdle very thoughroughly–you cannot go wrong in doing all of those movements, specially as the muscle-head you are and don’t really understand how your body responds to exercise in general. All you want to do are your favorites while thinking–Big/Grow. Which will lead to injuries/weakness/instability of the joints, which in turn prevent you from, God Forbid, working out and spending your miserable life in the Gym. That leads to more beer at your also favorite dive, where you can tell the “others” about how you used to Lift–Heavy.

All I can add to the Diesel Program is this: If the injuries have become chronic you will have to supplement those movements at Home with Soup Cans on a daily basis. Many repetitions while watching TV in between commercials. Also: Heat/Friction before training and Cold/Friction afterwards and any time you feel discomfort. That is the true approach to Rehab for the purpose of “Eradicating” the weaknesses, not just “Alleviating.”

That’s what Real Professional Athletes think and do to keep earning those many Big/$$$, which is something you don’t know anything about. In closing: Those simple movements with the light weights will give you a fantastic Pump, and that’s your bonus. I am a Corrective Exercise Specialist with over 40 years in this field helping the more intelligent trainees. Thank you for listening. Diosantiago.[/quote]

The above is EXACTLY what I did to rehab my shoulder, along with a cortisone shot and taking a month off of benching, and two weeks off any upper body work at all (and doing all my squats with a safety squat bar for almost two months). After two weeks of no upper body activity, I started doing the Diesel Crew rehab (modified by removing anything that caused pain, and adding kettlebell traction and a lot of band rotation , scapular retraction, and facepulls). Then I spent a month very slowly working my bench back up to where it was prior to injury.

I was rehabbing my shoulder right up until my meet yesterday, where I hit a 36 lb bench PR, and today my shoulder feels fine. I’ll take a 36 lb PR after two months of no real max-effort benching any day of the week.

For ice, I bought this: http://totalicetherapy.com/2202/index.html and used it religiously. After any upper body work, the bags got filled and the harness went on for 30 minutes, then off for 30 minutes, then back on. I repeated cycling it until the ice had all melted to water. This usually got me 4-5 cycles. I found that having it in direct contact with my skin was much more effective than wearing it over a shirt. But be careful, as prolonged skin exposure to cold temperatures can damage your skin (so if you’re not watching the clock, wear it over a shirt instead).

20

Hey Braveheart, one of the first things I did when I moved down south was seek out an ART therapist (because there is none in Scotland to date). I wanted to address my AC joint issue, which I’ve had for 4-5 months now.

A sports-minded osteopath is also a good shout to ensure all joints are in the right place but, in my opinion, soft tissue manipulation is mandatory following this because this directly address repetitive strain-related injuries.

I’ve just posted a thread ‘DIY ART’ over on the Get A Life forum following my own discovery for the alternative use of a tennis ball. Might be worth a look, although it obviously comes with the usual health warning, i.e. this worked for me but might not be advised for other folks, blah, blah… Gid luck getin’ it sortit’ big yin!