shoulder problems
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7th May '04, 1:16am
hi, i will tell u the sotry which i have told many physical therapists,
I first intialtlly started to get a small ache in my shoulder about a year ago, and didnt think much of it, but just in case, i went to physical therapy and the problem got worse, so i dumped that physical therapist and rested for bout 2 months and got back in, everything was smooth until i felt pain in my right schoulder, i could just never pin point where the pain was, it seemed so deep and so out of reach maybe i was just feeling the wrong areas, but wutever, next i seeked a orthapedist, (now before reading on, i had a back problem for about a year before this and recovered, but know the ways of these orthapedist's and physical therapists, so i know how to judge em) after seeing him, he took x rays and found out my acromium was a little bent, just how my shoulders are, he then told me to do rotaror cuff lifts on my side with 30 f***ing pounds, i responded with some rude remarks, but he made me, as did my mom because she felt that i dump physical therapists and orthapedist;s to quick before we give there therapy a shot, so i did his dumb ass exercises and now i feel a constant burn in the back of my right shoulder raning from the posterior deltoid, down to the teres minor, even in the backs of my triceps, it feels wrong when i swim, the problem than started to occur in my left shoulder i the same places, i get tired from overhead movement and basically anything in my arms, wutever thing i use my arms, the pain goes directly to my shoulders and triceps, now my biggest problem is, when i do exercises, i cant tell wut pain is regular, and wut pain is abnormal or not supposed to be there, someone please help me, i cant swim because whenever i try to get intensity and push down hard the pain in my triceps is like a burn which i dont remember feeling, and if i push down to hard, the pain goes to the backs of my shoulders and all over, i cant figure out wuts wrong, i cant remember what i used to feel when i swam, somebody please help me with this shoulder problem, it is complete and utter hell. Even after i swim and am at rest, i still feel a burn or a deep pain in the backs of my shoudlers, soetimes going down to my triceps.
(also, i can never find a way to stretch these muscles)
shoulder problems
7th May '04, 8:50am
Woh.
Seems like you have been given some misjudged info on shoulder rehab. I have been tought that you should not be strengthening the external rotator cuffs with weight greater than about 12-15lbs (7kg) which you have greatly exceeded.
Rotators only small muscles which cannot withstand great stress like the internal rotators and other bigger muscles. Strengthening them with30 lbs probably caused more problems by starting to recruit other surrounding muscles to help in the movement as it was too heavy causing more pain and discomfort.
You may find that the rotators and surrounding muscles are not functioning properly so when doing intense exercise, will cause pain as fatigue quickly and cannot stabilise. Re-education of these muscles are important. Try standing in front of a wall at arms length away with a round ball between palm of hand and the wall. Start rotating the palm of the hand in small circles clockwise and anticlockwise. Also move the ball side to side and up and down, and figure of eight movements. This will help the smaller muscles to start to work out what they are ment to do.
Try not to do any behind movements suchas lat pull down or shoulder press. Again will put too much pressure on the external rotators. Tends to be a big gulf in strength from internal to external rotator strength as internals include lat dorsi and teres major - both bigger and stronger than the external rotators. Pressing movements should not be brought down to the chest - have 2-3 inch gap from bar to chest.
I would start to external rotator work again but start off with no weight slowly building up with light weights. Try having your elbow supported by a bench while standing up. Complete the movement while standing. It make the movement slightly more comfortable and also put less stress around the joint.
You will need to start intergrating this isolation movement to bigger compound movements such as pushing and pulling exercises. Try completing lateral raises and frontal raises with light weight and building up the weight to strengthen the shoulder complex.
I cannot describe the stretches without demo but if you can get your hands on the book '7-minute rotator cuff solution' it has some good stretches (and exercises) in them.
I Would also seek another medical opinion as they may find something else to be the problem.
Hope this helps
Alex
shoulder problems
7th May '04, 2:12pm
Personally i would eliminate pressing movements altogether, because if you're external shoulder rotators are not strong or functioning correctly (they are the inner unit of your shoulder) then muscles such as the pec minor/major and deltoids (the outer unit of the shoulder) will overpower these smaller muscles meaning the head of your humerus is unstable within the joint capsule.
It's a tricky one without seeing you. The rehab exercise mentioned by Alex with a ball gaainst the wall is a good one, but i also agree with him that you should seek another medical opinion.
It may be that for eg you have an increased thoracic kyphosis and as a result, you are unable to reverse your thoracic curve, leading to overutilisation of the shoulder in over head activities - ie swimming!
You will need therefore to work on the stabilisation of your scapulae as the lower and mid traps may be weak, your serratus anterior may be weak also.
However, without seeing you and assessing, its impossible to say, so you must seek professional help. My advice would be to seek a C.H.E.K Practitioner in your area (ideally at least a level 3 if possible).
I sympathise with your pain!!!
James