shoulder tendonitis

[caragoub]

My physical therapist says to do *no* upper body work at all until this goes away.

sharon NYC, I know you've had shoulder issues (thanks for your link in the Joyce challenge) ...did you quit all UB work?

has anyone else had this problem, and what did you do?

this is Joyce's fault! Well, no it's my fault for not modifying Joyce...and I was forewarned! :rolleyes:

My shoulders both hurt alot, and the PT says the less I move my arms in general, the better.

what do you all think?

thank you!!


Cara

[SharonNYC]

It was a partial dislocation and fracture so I had to do exercises outlined by my physical therapist to strengthen my rotator cuff to make up for the area of the shoulder I injured.

I think rest is usually prescribed for tendinitis with icing/heat etc. But I don't know much about what therapeutic exercises might be good. Maybe KarenP, Scooterchick or one of our other more serious lifters will know.

I can tell you that most of my exercises in the beginning used dynabands and some still do. Whether you can do that sort of thing or not I don't know though. I can report, however, that I have been amazed at how some of these band exercises have increased the strength in areas of my shoulder -- and, weirdly enough (although definition is not high in my goal list), definition increased in my shoulders with this regimen.

I hurt my shoulder in mid-October and I'm only just beginning to get back to my regular weight routine. My shoulder routine has been changed forever: no more overhead presses...ever. I have to do side raises with thumbs pointing up etc.

Another thing -- my pt doesn't think I should do bench presses too often either because it encourages forward rounding of the shoulder and I have to stress the counter moves to get back my full level of strength in the joint. (Turtling is evidently a big topic -- even figured in Paula Zahn's latest newsletter re: pilates.) Push-ups are fine though (darn!).

[SharonNYC]

...a tiny bit of information on your injury:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/libr..._shoulder4.htm

[KarenP]

I'm not qualified to give any rehab advice re injuries. The link Sharon provided gave a good summary of what I've heard of as typical rehab: rest w/icing and NSAIDs to reduce the inflamation, then stretching and strengthening exercises gradually added in to correct and imbalances. You want to be patient and follow your PT's advice, because I have heard of this injury lasting a LONG time in some people. While you're resting you might want to get a copy of THE SEVEN MINUTE ROTATOR CUFF SOLUTION which discusses your problem in detail. Keep us posted on your rehab -- this is a VERY common injury. For others, caragoub, how would you have modified these workouts to possibly prevent this injury?

SharonNYC wrote:
my pt doesn't think I should do bench presses too often either because it encourages forward rounding of the shoulder and I have to stress the counter moves to get back my full level of strength in the joint.

That sounds like great advice to me. Rounding one's shoulders on benches is a big mistake you see many folks making in the gym. And many folks let their pressing strength get way ahead of their mid back strength. That means to get strong in rows and chins or pull downs, as your PT suggests. This is a good idea for EVERYBODY -- even folks without an injury!

[Mollie F.]

Cara, how awful!

I think that you should follow your therapist's advice. I assume that he will give you aome exercises to rehabilitate your shoulders when he feels that they're ready for them. In the meantime, get out of pain.

I slightly injured my shoulder about three years ago (I was in a play and the set started to fall on me; fortunately, the play was Noises Off and it was the third act). I never went to a medical professional, and I tried to do rotator cuff exercises for it and just made it worse, frankly. Two years ago, my shoulders were so stiff that I couldn't do any ab work that involved putting my hands behind my head--it hurt to put my arms up and back. I started doing more stretching, and now things are fine.

My point is, listen to your medical practitioner's advice!

Cara, I can't remember from your previous posts--did you see both a doctor and a PT?

[luvcritters]

I'm sorry you're hurt. I just want you to know you aren't alone. I got hurt with Joyce in 1998 or whatever year it was and I still have pain. Mine wasn't the shoulder. It was low back and hip. I got caught up in the Joyce posts in the last few weeks and of course I had to do a workout or two. My injury came back to haunt me. I lost 2 pants/dress sizes back then but was it worth it? Not for a minute!! Please listen to your pt. Don't push your luck. Pain everyday is no fun. I truly am sorry you're hurt.

Linda

[Ctfitnut]

Thank you for the article.
Yes I have a similar injury. I rushed through some power yoga moves and pushups. This is the second time I have injured the shoulder area but the first time was on the other side and took much longer to heal than my current injury.
Take your time or it will not go away. My other shoulder is fine. It took a year or so to heal because I did not completely rest when I should have.
I understand how you feel. I am dying to get to the new Cathe dvds waiting for me at home but cannot go heavy on the weights (just started back slowly myself).
Take care of yourself.
Sheila

[caragoub]

Originally posted by KarenP
I'm not qualified to give any rehab advice re injuries. The link Sharon provided gave a good summary of what I've heard of as typical rehab: rest w/icing and NSAIDs to reduce the inflamation, then stretching and strengthening exercises gradually added in to correct and imbalances. You want to be patient and follow your PT's advice, because I have heard of this injury lasting a LONG time in some people. While you're resting you might want to get a copy of THE SEVEN MINUTE ROTATOR CUFF SOLUTION which discusses your problem in detail. Keep us posted on your rehab -- this is a VERY common injury. For others, caragoub, how would you have modified these workouts to possibly prevent this injury?



!

Karen and everyone, thanks so much for your encouragement and advice. It's interesting to hear I'm not the only one who got injured following Joyce, and you're right, the results aren't worth it!! And yes, I've heard this can be slow to heal. If I had it to do over, I would have not used weights at all with Joyce's upper body moves to start. I tried to go too fast. And I know which moves did this...the pull up (with one dumbell, in front of your body), the lateral raises she does behind her back (don't remember what she calls these, but they killed me) and yes, bench presses...because my shoulders both *naturally* tend to roll inside.

I sometimes tend to be cynical with what the French medical establishment tells me, but I thank you for seconding them. I tend to find them overly cautious (when I had a hernia, I was told to *never* strength train again, ever) but in this case, from everything I've read elswhere, there seems to be no real solution but rest. She (the PT) spent a half hour massaging both shoulders and boy did I feel it! I still feel it and it's 12 hours later. My other problem is that I *must* use my arms to lift my baby, and sometimes even the three-year old. So it's not like I'm doing nothing anyway. It would be better of course if I didn't have to lift these children, but there, I don't really have a choice.

I can't take anti-inflammatories because I'm still nursing. I take just 400mg once a day, but I don't dare take more, because I really shouldn't even be taking that. They do help though.

I look at this as an opportunity to do more cardio, and increase my endurance... a positive re-frame ! The psychotherapist in me has the last word. Sois positif!!


thanks everyone so much


Cara

[caragoub]

Yes, I did see my doctor before the PT. He was not that helpful, for once he was in a laconic mood and I didn't get much from him. :rolleyes:

The link you gave from About.com I had already found, but it also seconds the PT...thank you!!

and I'm going to check out that book.

Is Joyce bionic or something? She's about 25 years older than me, and going at it like... she's made of titanium. Hmmm. It's a plot. Allright now I'm getting paranoid. Let's stop while I'm ahead...


Cara

[luvcritters]

Joyce mentioned somewhere recently about having a torn meniscus fixed. She does a straight leg raise with ankle weights on BU gold instead of a squat or lunge. I don't remember which but she mentions that she got the exercise from physical therapy. That exercise is also in Peak Performance Fitness. I use it to rehab my knee but mine was a torn IT band. We don't always hear about other people injuries. Maybe we should ask. She posted on her board about ankle weights being bad and then used them in the video. I don't think they're bad unless we use too much weight. I'll believe Peak Performance Fitness by Jennifer Rhodes before I'll believe a lot of other people.

The lateral raise behind your back she calls a Pee Wee Lateral. I had a trainer once after I got hurt that used that move in particular and the FB tape in general as how not to lift weights. Too bad we only learn these things after we get hurt.

Take care.