Shoulder rehab | FerrariChat

Shoulder rehab

Discussion in 'Health & Fitness' started by GuyIncognito, Jul 27, 2008.

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  1. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 30, 2007
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    Alright friends, I'll bite on the new forum. I have had a persistent shoulder problem for years. I assume its tendonitis and/or a rotator cuff. The pattern is to lift weights for a few months, injure the shoulder, not be able to lift, lose all my upper-body strength, shoulder stops hurting, repeat.

    I'm 30 now and this has been a problem since college, its been so long I don't recall how I injured it in the first place.

    Any advice on how to get the shoulder back into a condition where I can start lifting again 3-4 times a week? My goals are nothing extreme, just some upper body strength, better muscle definition, and being able to ride a sport bike all day without my shoulder feeling like there's a steak knife stuck in it!

    Thanks in advance, friends
     
  2. Artherd

    Artherd F1 Veteran

    Jun 19, 2002
    6,588
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    Ben Cannon
    I think you have an unbalanced muscle pair. One's too strong for the other, so you keep injuring the other one. You need to work muscles in pairs, equally. So, figure out the muscle pair and do strengthening exercises in equal amounts for both sets. Build up gradually.

    If it's tendonitis, you need to ice the hell out of it to reduce the inflammation, and take a course of NSAIDs while you rest and let it heal.

    Consider joining a climbing gym...you give yourself an intense workout, but you are never lifting more than your body weight. So, you strengthen muscles but there is an upper limit to how much strain you put on them. Plus, the variation and compound movements give you an overall workout, rather than just building some muscles.
     
  3. PT 328

    PT 328 F1 Rookie
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    It is more than likely rotator cuff impingement. Look it up on google and if the symptoms are consistent with the description let me know and I'll tell you how to take care of it. It is mainly caused by weak rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff group are smaller muscles that do not get used with normal workouts they way they need to. Overhead motions are a no no and will lead to shoulder problems. I will elaborate if you feel RCI is the correct internet diagnosis.
     
  4. ZonderF

    ZonderF Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2008
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    Atlanta
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    Andrew
    Very good advice for someone who is having shoulder problems. I played baseball up until a few years ago and have had a total of 3 shoulder surgeries and every doctor I've been to has said to stop any overhead lifting. The muscles in your shoulder like your rotator cuff and labrum are not used all that much but can be torn quite easily with heavy lifting. You can do a quick google search and find a load of exercises to help you gain strength, most of them either user rubber bands or 1-2 lb weights.

    I've found that every time I try to lift heavy, I end up hurting myself. I like to stay on the lighter side and just do a lot of reps, and machines seem to work better for me because they won't let you overextend and hurt yourself.
     
  5. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    Have you been to the doctor to discuss this?

    I know good excercises for the tendone/cuffs are to use very light weight, 5lbs. Hold your arms with the weights at your sides, bring your foreams up to be parallel to the floor. Move your forearms to the right/left for 15 reps. Don't do it fast though. That's just one thing I've read a while back on bb.com.
     
  6. spazgaz

    spazgaz Karting

    Aug 1, 2007
    65
    Melbourne
    I can relate to persistent shoulder problems and the pattern you describe. I was able to work out that it was bench press and other chest exercises causing the problems while specific shoulder exercises did no harm. I'm now able to lift 4-5 times a week with no sign of problems except I'm too scared to go back to bench or push-ups. My advice is to find out the exact action that causes the problem and eliminate it for a long time. Each time the problem happened I was able to keep working out while the problem slowly dissipated over a couple of months. These type of injuries can take years to heal properly.
     
  7. hank sound

    hank sound F1 Veteran

    Jan 31, 2004
    5,953
    Burbank, CA
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    Hank Garfield
    Hi guys,

    Don't wait any longer ! Treat your problem as you would a problem with your Ferrari. Schedule an appt. for an MRI on your shoulder so that you will truly know what's going on. Right now, you're pissing into the wind as regards your problem. "Rehab" pertains to rebuilding the body part to get it as close to full and normal strength and motion as possible - and that follows (1) a proper diagnosis (MRI) and then (2) whatever corrective procedures are necessary--------------then comes (3) rehab.

    If it's a torn tendon, working out won't fix it even after periods of lay off - you could actually be doing continued, increased periodic damage.

    Good luck - - I've been there, with both shoulders.

    Cheers, Hank
     
  8. Fpassion

    Fpassion Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2005
    599
    Number one source of shoulder injury is "lat pull downs" not shoulder or bench press.

    What ever the source, strenghtening the shoulder after recovery is key. If and requires surgery its best to have it taken care of.

    If you have narrow bone structure and shoulders, chances are lifting over head will cause a "twitching" weak stabilizar muscle movement. Best way around this problem is barbel overhead presses I prefer behind the neck its less stress than military press (front press), try not to lean forward during eccentric or concentric motions.

    Proper warmup on all 3 shoulder muscle groups is manditory as is Icing after workout and streching after workout.
     
  9. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    I'm not surprised. People are using weight that is too heavy. And when the weight goes up, they "throw it up" instead of releasing it slowly.

    I think people are shocked seeing me do 90-100lbs on lat pull downs because of my size. And even more shocked that I maintain proper form with slow movements (resistance).
     
  10. Fpassion

    Fpassion Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2005
    599
    Yeh I usually lower the weights slowly only going below parallel line on smith on bars I don't go past parallel, then push the weights up in a controlled but tight manner.

    Behind the neck shoulder bar press is around 160lbs 5 reps 4 sets. :)
     
  11. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    Never tried to max mine. Probably around 120 or so. I usually mix it up. 2 sets behind the back 1 set "regular" and vice versa.

    I laugh and cringe everytime I watch someone doing pulldowns and you see their bodies pop up for a second on each release.
     
  12. PT 328

    PT 328 F1 Rookie
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    Overhead shoulder press is the worst exercise for shoulders. Anytime your elbow goes above the height of your shoulder in any plane of motion it can cause pinching of the rotator cuff tendon between the humerus ( upper arm bone ) and the acromion process which leads to rotator cuff tendonitis. If you have a strong rotator cuff group especially the supraspinatus muscle this condition is less likely. There are many different ways that the shoulder can be strengthened without increasing the chances of injury.

    Another manner in which rotator cuff impingement is caused is sleeping with your arm over your head. Difficult posture to change because you are sleeping.
     
  13. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    thanks for all the tips you guys have posted. I've been much more careful with my stretching, before and after the workouts, icing after I work out, and I've dropped my lat pull down weight considerably (doing about 75% of what I was before and focusing on much smoother movement).

    Also, I have started doing some shoulder shrugs as my first exercise with 25 lb weights. This seems to have really helped, perhaps strengthening some of the muscles that don't otherwise get worked. Shoulder is still a little sore but its much better than it was a few months ago. progress!
     
  14. Fpassion

    Fpassion Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2005
    599

    What do you recommend for strenghtening the shoulder without stressing the inner muscles?

    It seems surgery is the only solution which means shaving or removing parts of the acromion bone whichs 3 months rehab and 3 months training and possibility of permenant strength lose. Broken bones heal stronger removed bones create weaker enviornment.

    http://www.ortho-md.com/subacromial%20decompression.htm
     
  15. PT 328

    PT 328 F1 Rookie
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    The most conservative manner in which to decrease/treat rotator cuff impingement is to perform rotator cuff strengthening exercises with extremely light resistance, ice multiple times per day 15 minutes for each bout of icing, cease the activities that are causing the rotator cuff inflammation/impingement, increase the strength of the postural muscles, taking anti-inflammatory medication if so allowed. Approximately 80-90% of impingement issue can be resolved through these means.

    Rotator cuff impingement / tendonitis is 2 fold. There is a mechanical component as well as an inflammatory component. Both need to be addressed if you have a chance of resolving the issue.

    By performing postural exercise ( increasing the strength of the mid traps, posterior deltoid, rhomboids and strecthing the pec major, pec minor, etc ) it allows the shoulder complex to work as it is designed. If you have poor posture, forward rounded shoulders, forward head posture the spacing for the rotator cuff tendon is decreased.

    The purpose of using lighter resistance when performing rotator cuff strengthening is that they are small muscles. If you use too heavy of resistance you shut off the rotator cuff musculature and other muscles jump in to take over.

    It is difficult to state in writing exactly what exercise and exactly how they should be performed. I will, when i have time, try and find a couple websites that show pictures of the exercises you shoulder be doing and how they are correctly performed.

    Last case scenario is SAD ( sub acromial decompression ) I would only have surgery if I had exhausted all other avenues. I would make sure I had performed all exercises for at least six weeks as well as ceased aggravating activities. If I was compliant and still had moderate to severe pain after 6-8 weeks, then and only then would I consider surgery for myself. The shoulder has many more pain nerve endings than do our other joints. Because of this it is a painful rehab process for most. In addition because the shoulder has much more motion than lets say a knee it is less stable. The less stable a joint is the longer rehab can take.
     
  16. PT 328

    PT 328 F1 Rookie
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    I have been searching Google to find good pictures as well as good descriptions of proper rotator cuff strengthening exercises. Most of what I found was junk but this site was the best I could find. Make sure you do them to fatigue and with a controlled motion both up and down / back and forth. You can either use theraband or free weights for resistance. You could pop into any local physical therapy clinic and buy a piece of blue theraband for $ 5.00. Do not use more than 5 pounds, if using free weights, no matter how big you are. Just do more repetitions, a good number to start with is 30 reps or so and work up from there. Ice after for 15 minutes if your shoulder has been bothering you.

    http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/injuries/265.html
     
  17. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    good stuff, thanks. going to the gym tomorrow and I'll try these out. Also hadn't considered posture, I'll try to focus on that (I sit at a desk/table reading all day, I'm sure that doesn't help)

    I have found that shoulder shrugs as my first exercise has helped quite a bit. Pain is still there but not nearly as much as in the past.
     
  18. PT 328

    PT 328 F1 Rookie
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    No problem, while you are sitting at your desk pinch your shoulder blades together ( stick out your chest ) multiple times per day. This will let the rhomboids and the mid trapezius muscles know that you have not forgotten about them as well as help correct posture. Make sure you do not raise your shoulders toward your ears while performing this. If I find anymore good sites I will pass them along.
     

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