Rotator Cuff Impingement. Anyone know how to fix this crap?

[BigBoyJ]

I'm pretty sure I have rotator cuff impingement in both shoulders. It's been bothering me for about 4 months. I can't do any over head movements, can't bench over 135 lbs, no incline, even heavy curls hurt it. It's making me shrink and it's pissing me off. I haven't been to a doctor about it because I've generally just had bad experiences with doctors. Does anyone have any ideas of how to help heal this.

 

[MightyJohn]

surgery

surgery

 

[homonunculus]

There are stretches that can be done.

If it is supraspinatus impingement, the stretches are external rotation in different degrees of abduction.

A good athletic trainer or physical therapist should be able to show these to you.

Look up the post by Doggcrapp over at Intensemuscle r.e. Shoulder Problems. The stretch described there works great for biceps impingement.

-Randy

 

[nemo]

are you doing the external rotation rotator cuff exercises 2-3 times a week? if not start immediately.

here are some pictures of what they look if you aren't doing them http://www.bullz-eye.com/furci/2004/exercise_of_month/external_rotation.htm

 

[Reload]

I feel your pain there BBJ. I have an MRI scheduled next week to find out what the F%!K I did to my left shoulder. Like you I havn't been able to do any pressing movements for over a month. It's one thing to come off gear and clean out the receptors, it's another when you can't even enjoy tossing your kid up in the air without severe pain.

Anyone here have shoulder surgery for a torn/partially torn rotator cuff? How was the surgery? How long was the recovery process? How long before you were back to pushing HEAVY again?

 

[Dave_19]

I would say get the nerve to get into the doc I really hate going myself, I have to go Monday to get stabbed in the stomach with a syringe I have such bad neck and back problems, I gave up on the chiropractor after he blew out my ear drum, im actually collecting $ from his med malpractice insurance. But I did waste over a year of my life letting him attempt to fix me and I just got worse. I have heard a lot of success stories with back/neck problems from people who have went to specialist even chiropractors. So I think honestly it depends on the person and their injury, along with who ever you seek for help. But some injuries seem to be more curable then others.

Also im not sure if you’re still cycling but incorporate some deca into your next one to help manage the pain, it may even take it away completely.

 

[BigBoyJ]

Thank's, my friends. I'm gonna start the stretching and exercises today. I appreciate it.

 

[bigwhite]

I had bad issues with shoulder pain also, an MRI reveild bone spurs and arthritis. I stopped doing flat bench and took IGF-1, never had a problem since.

 

[anthony roberts]

surgery

Go to www.t-nation.com and look up "Eric Cressey, MA, CSCS" - specifically his last 2 articles, which I believe were both about repairing your shoulders.

 

[gtj220]

I needed to have surgery for an impingment on my left shoulder. Mine took longer to heal than it should have 'cause i'm f*****g hard headed and was back in the gym in a week doin' a vertacle bench with like 100 lbs. If you opt for surgery get some PT rehap! The upside: my shoulder rarely hurts at all anymore and the surgery was back in '97. If you do it all correctly you could be pushing good weight in a few months. Mine took about a year to be 100%, but it was hurting for a couple of years before I had surgery.Of course my elbow hurts like hell all the time now! Need a cortisone shot to train for my contest, got any good elbow advises!

 

[lynx]

I had some impingements in my left shoulder. It got to the point where I couldn't sleep on that side or even put a bowl away in the cupboard. I went to an A.R.T. (Active Release Technique) specialist and he did a great job of breaking up the scar tissue and getting me back to normal. He gave me exercises to do everyday to get me back on track.

 

[G.E.R.M]

I'm pretty sure I have rotator cuff impingement in both shoulders. It's been bothering me for about 4 months. I can't do any over head movements, can't bench over 135 lbs, no incline, even heavy curls hurt it. It's making me shrink and it's pissing me off. I haven't been to a doctor about it because I've generally just had bad experiences with doctors. Does anyone have any ideas of how to help heal this.

gh fixed mine

 

[BigBoyJ]

Lots of good info. Thank's again. And Germ, yeah, I plan on using some gh as soon as I can.

 

[dragonfire101]

Most impingement syndrome can be treated and go away with the following unless you have a moderate tendons rupture or tear. NSAIDs, Physical therapy (strengthen exercises for rotator cuff etc.), subacromial steroid injection. Surgery should be a last resort for sever tears and ruptures.

I will elaborate on the main cause in weight training. Overuse of specific exercise and not training rotator cuffs tendons, which cause muscle imbalances over training the anterior muscle and neglecting the posterior muscle. Not stretching the anterior muscles leading to
fibrosis.

My Suggestion to Fast Rotator Cuff Treatment

1. Stop training for the next 4 weeks.
2..Get a subacromial steroid injection. (Cortisone) to stop the initial inflammation.
3. Start icing the shoulder now and in the future after training sessions.
4. Get a assessment by a physical therapist to assess muscle imbalances and they can prescribe specific exercise for those imbalances.
5. Many of the rotator cuff exercise can be found on the internet and on bodybuilding links found if you can’t get to a PT. Start using supinated exercises to reduce impingement. Such as underhand grip when doing lat pulldowns rows etc. and when benching the same thing use a hammer style grip. One of the worst exercises you can do is upright rows for shoulder impingement. So don’t do them for now.
6. Start stretching your anterior deltoids and pecs to prevent adoptive shortening of those muscles that cause muscle imbalaces of the shoulder.
7. Seek ART. Active Release Technique to break up the scar tissue. This will help immensely.
8. When your back at training use a moist heating pad before you leave for the gym and heat up the shoulder joint before workouts. Ice after all future workouts.
9. You may have to permanently alter your exercises in the future to prevent reoccurrence (supinate) an even eliminate a few and start incorporating the rotator cuff exercises religiously in to your routine.
10. I wasn’t really shooting for 10 things so do all the above and you should be on your way to recovery fast. I have use this very routine after a shoulder injury ( small supraspinatus tear from impingement) and it completely healed and the docs just want to perform surgery thats how they make a living.

 

[Sesshomaru]

Go **broken link removed**

And read "shoulder savers." Do everything there to the letter. Also, fix your posture. If you need to, post a pic yourself from the front, back, and side, both upper and lower body. That will give us a chance to see if you are making things worse outside fo the gym.

 

[CZ75]

Thank's, my friends. I'm gonna start the stretching and exercises today. I appreciate it.

The DC stretches made an enormous difference to my wrecked old shoulders. If you stick with them for a few weeks, you should notice an improvement and you might hopefully be able to avoid having to do anything more drastic.

 

[BigBoyJ]

Dragonfire, thank's. That looks like a good plan. Thank's for taking the time to write that.

Sess, I looked at Cressey's info, lots of good stuff there too.

CZ75, I did the DC shoulder towel exercise yesterday. It felt good. I didn't realize how completely inflexible my shoulders are. I couldn't bring my arms back past the top of my head. I'm sure that's a lot of the problem.

 

[CZ75]

CZ75, I did the DC shoulder towel exercise yesterday. It felt good. I didn't realize how completely inflexible my shoulders are. I couldn't bring my arms back past the top of my head. I'm sure that's a lot of the problem.

When I started doing the DC stretches, I was so damn inflexible that I couldn't use a broomstick, I had to use a rolled up bathtowel to get my arms far enough apart to complete the rotation over my head

I swear those things saved my lifting career.

 

[BigBoyJ]

When I started doing the DC stretches, I was so damn inflexible that I couldn't use a broomstick, I had to use a rolled up bathtowel to get my arms far enough apart to complete the rotation over my head

I swear those things saved my lifting career.

Yep, that's exactly what I'm doing now. I just can't get past my head. I'm a little stiff.

 

[EdMan]

I had shld sx last Aug for impingement secondary spurring. I am a physical therapist and work for a group of orthopedic surgeons. My advice would get injections first and begin internal and external rotation exercises with Theraband or tubing. Also perform scaption exercise, which is like performing frontal raises only arm out from front to side to about 30-45 degrees and lift up arm holding light dumbell with thumb down to shld level. Also take 600-800mg ibuprophen 3x daily with food. If no better after a month, find a orthopedic doctor and get MRI. If surgery required have it done arthroscopically. This will speed up recovery dramatically.
I plan on getting left shld MRI after competing this year because it's impinging with overhead ex.'s.
Good luck
EdMan