Injuries and RehabTell us where it hurts! Do a quick search before asking about your shoulder injury to make sure your question hasn't already been answered (about 50 times), and read the sticky post first.
Hi, I spend a couple of hours last night searching this forum for info on shoulder trouble, and ended up with information overload and a brain of mush. There are lots of posts regarding shoulders, but it was really hard to tell if anyone had the same problem as I have been having, so to go with the recommendations given to them didn't seem quite right without having a go myself playing 20 questions. So I apologize if I should have found the answer--have pity on me!!!
1. When did the pain begin? It began several years ago and has been intermittent depending on my activity level. It improved almost 100% when I began lifting weights about 2 years ago and recently returned while in Stage 3 of NROL4W.
2. What were you doing at the time? Or did the pain come on gradually over time? Well, I bet I've got the only "nursing injury" on this forum! In all honesty, when my 4yo was a baby, I used to fall asleep nursing with my elbow way up under my head and my other arm stuck in front of me so I would be sure to stay in "position" and not roll onto him. I think this is what started it, as I would be very sore in whichever shoulder I was sleeping on when I woke up. Recently, the pain has been almost completely gone until I raised my weight significantly on lat pulldowns. I can't do the wide grip pulldowns at all, and even regular ones really hurt.
3. Where, anatomically, is the pain? Um, my shoulder?! (rt shoulder) I took a stab at the anatomy website but basically it's the top "inside" of my shoulder joint. (Inside meaning internal...)
4. What does the pain feel like? Sharp? Dull? Aching? Stabbing? Shooting? It's in between sharp and a bad ache. Also makes a nice "crunch" sometimes.
5. Is the pain constant, or intermittent, or only on certain motions? Only on certain motions.
6. What motions make your pain worse? Lat pulldowns at my highest weight (70-80#). Also, it's ONLY when raising the bar back to the starting position. The actual pulldown doesn't hurt, I just can't (without a lot of pain) get back to straight arms. Chinups or negative chinups hurt after a couple reps. Monday doing 1 armed db snatches, I had to lower the db in a different trajectory than I raised it (i.e. from top right diagonal to directly above my shoulder with arm extended, then straight down.) Sometimes something as simple as putting on a shirt or getting something down off the top shelf.
7. What, if anything, makes your pain better? Not doing the exercises above.
8. Does your pain radiate to any other part of your body? no
9. What things could you do before, that you cannot do now because of your injury? none, except that I feel that I need to lower weights b/c the pain is getting worse. Surprisingly, the prone cuban snatch and YTWL are fine except for a random crunch once in a while in the OPPOSITE shoulder.
10. What is your main concern regarding the pain and its consequences?
I don't want to make it worse but I really want to do the above exercises and continue to improve.
11. Have you ever injured that part of your body before? If so, how?
See #1.
12. Is your pain getting worse over time? And if so, how much worse over what time period? Yes, it seems to bother just a bit more each time I go to the gym.
Thanks in advance for your input and I hope my info was detailed enough.
It sounds like impingement if I am understanding you correctly ... care to post a picture? I would like to see your posture from the front, side, and back. Waist up is fine.
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Celeste,
You have some definite winging in both shoulders, but the left is worse. Your shoulderblades are also downwardly rotated and protracted. So, there are several things you are going to need to start doing ...
1. Levator Scapulae stretch; doorway chest stretch. 30 seconds x 2 each side, twice daily.
2. YTWLs, and cuban presses are okay to continue with as long as painfree; also add in supine serratus punches. Do these daily as part of a rehab routine.
3. Scapular repositioning ... this is a tough one without "in person" coaching ... but envision tipping your shoulderblades so that the lower angle is flat against your ribcage. It might help to have your hubby or someone manually tip your shoulderblade back this way, then you try to hold it. Sometimes it is also easier to do one at a time.
4. Avoid all painfree movements for now.
5. Do not sleep on it and do not lie with it overhead.
Give it two weeks and keep me posted. Also let me know if you need more tips on that scapular positioning ... it's really hard to explain over the 'net.
__________________
Life's a Journey ... Enjoy the Ride!
Well, I bet I've got the only "nursing injury" on this forum! In all honesty, when my 4yo was a baby, I used to fall asleep nursing with my elbow way up under my head and my other arm stuck in front of me so I would be sure to stay in "position" and not roll onto him. I think this is what started it, as I would be very sore in whichever shoulder I was sleeping on when I woke up.
I did something similar to my neck and shoulder by doing the same thing, so you aren't alone!
Celeste,
You have some definite winging in both shoulders, but the left is worse. Your shoulderblades are also downwardly rotated and protracted. So, there are several things you are going to need to start doing ...
1. Levator Scapulae stretch; doorway chest stretch. 30 seconds x 2 each side, twice daily.
2. YTWLs, and cuban presses are okay to continue with as long as painfree; also add in supine serratus punches. Do these daily as part of a rehab routine.
3. Scapular repositioning ... this is a tough one without "in person" coaching ... but envision tipping your shoulderblades so that the lower angle is flat against your ribcage. It might help to have your hubby or someone manually tip your shoulderblade back this way, then you try to hold it. Sometimes it is also easier to do one at a time.
4. Avoid all painfree movements for now.
5. Do not sleep on it and do not lie with it overhead.
Give it two weeks and keep me posted. Also let me know if you need more tips on that scapular positioning ... it's really hard to explain over the 'net.
Julie, thank you so much for your help. I asked a trainer about this several years ago (he's not at our gym any more), and he basically said I'd have to have surgery or live with it. I did some shoulder strengthening stuff on my own that helped somewhat, but that was it.
I've got to google the Levator Scapulae stretch, doorway chest stretch, and supine serratus punches, then I think I'll have a separate "rehab" workout each day b/c I've been forgetting sometimes to do the glute/hamstring exercises and I don't want my WHOLE body to be falling apart all at once!
Oh yeah, "avoid all painfree movements?!" I know what you mean though...
Quote:
Originally Posted by maggieandmommy
I did something similar to my neck and shoulder by doing the same thing, so you aren't alone!
LOL! Who knew motherhood was a full contact sport?! Who am I kidding, we all know that, don't we!
Julie,
I took a bit more than two weeks b/c I did these exercises and stretches for a week and slacked off... But I've been doing them for 3 weeks regularly. I'm kind of wondering what to do from here. Here's what I know as far as an update:
-I can't seem to stay off my side at night, so I know that I am often woken up by the pain during the night.
-Pain during the day seems to have lessened quite a bit in general activities (reaching something off a shelf, etc.)
-I do still sometimes get that random pain/clicking sometimes esp in my left shoulder
-Underhand lat pulldowns and chinups are painfree now!
-A huge painful knot that I had for months between my left shoulderblade and spine is almost completely gone!!!
So not to sound dumb, but what do I do now? Keep doing these things forever? Start adding in wide grip pulldowns which did bother me? Nothing? I also have the same questions about the knee pain and glute/hamstring exercises as well. I can resurrect that thread or just keep it all here in one place...
Thanks.
1. Start with the scapular "setting" we did above, face a wall standing really close to it (toes against it) palms on the wall at chest height. Slide the arms up overhead after "setting" the scapula. Both arms at the same time.
2. Incline pushups. Start as high as you need to (ie it might be a wall pushup) to keep the shoulderblade flat against your ribcage. Your hubby can feel to see if it is popping off.
3. What's your range of motion like? Can you post a picture of the left and right scratch tests for me?
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Life's a Journey ... Enjoy the Ride!
Thanks again Julie. I'll try the first two. Are we talking a certain # of times per day etc? As far as the last goes, I might need more detail. I think my ROM is good, it's just that random click/grind sometimes, but I can give more detail if I know how to frame the answer? And pics are no problem, but scratch test? Can you explain?
Thanks!
Sheepishly needing help with shoulder trouble
(rt shoulder) I took a stab at the anatomy website but basically it's the top "inside" of my shoulder joint. (Inside meaning internal...)
I know what you mean though...
I also have the same questions about the knee pain and glute/hamstring exercises as well. I can resurrect that thread or just keep it all here in one place...
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