Badly strained rotator cuff...who else?

S

sweaty1

Active Member
Hi everyone. I am so bummed about my rotator cuff. I have had it strained several times; but years ago from playing volley ball when I was in college. It hasn't bothered me otherwise. Well, for the last 3 months it was nagging and now I can't hardly sleep wiht the pain. I am doctoring for it and going to physical therapy. But it is so painful that I can't even type soemtimes. It shoots down my arm into my hand as well. It isn't torn, just strained.
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I have worked out for almost 20 years very consistently. I know good form and now that I am in my mid forties, I know I am susceptable to it because I have hurt it before. My question is: has anyone continued to work their upper body through this? All my physician said was biceps were OK if isolated very well. I have been researching and many weight lifting sources say to just not work upper body at all right now and when doing the kind of cardio we do with Cathe, to not even let that arm be active.

Just looking for someone who has been in the same boat or has some advice. If I don't use my upper body for 3 months; how serious will the atrophy be? Thoughts? Thanks!!!
 
Hi Becky,

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this. I have also had long term problems with both rotator cuffs (but my left one was worse). I spent most of last year in PT after if froze and was completely immobile. I also found once it started to heal that my chiropractor was also able to help a lot to maintain my progress and prevent injuries when little pains started creeping back.

I did find that the only work I could do was the PT exercises with the tubing until it was mostly healed. Then slowly I added other things back. I found that it was almost impossible to not affect my shoulder when doing other upper body parts. Just like you mentioned I had to stop using my arms in any cardio also. I am still struggling to find the right ways to work my shoulders without re-injuring myself.

I don't know how helpful I have been but I did recover and I know that with a little patience and good PT you will too. Last year I not only had shoulder injuries but back, hip and foot too. I know how frustrating it is and as I age the recovery does take more time. The work with the resistance tubing helped me so much! I do know that muscles have amazing memory and you will recover the strength you lose. Hang in there! My thoughts and prayers are with you for a speedy recovery.

Alison
 
I have rotator cuff disorder. Both fall out, but my right (primary) arm is much worse. The thing is, it only seems to fall out when I am NOT aware or focusing on it. It will fall out when shampooing my hair, or laying in bed, or just flipping off a switch on a wall while walking out of the room. It happens when my shoulder is in horizontal external rotation behind the frontal plane of my body. Knock on wood, it hasn't fallen out since Jan 1, 2007...I was drinking and I swung my arm to be funny and there it went.

I think I have become stronger because I workout like crazy and lift so much. It used to fall out regularly...now it has been 11+ months. I know how painful it is, and you sweat bullets when it falls out. This has happened for 14 years of my life now. It is the worst pain I can explain. I definitely say just keep lifting and you will see - it gets better. Do you know exercises for your rotators? I can help you if you need it. Let me know. Good luck!
Clarissa :)
 
Hi Becky,

Please heed my warning...DO NOT PUSH IT. I ignored my nagging rotator cuff and ended up tearing it completely off the bone. I had surgery and a year of PT.

It started with a nagging ache, some pain while lifting and sleeping on it. I was in the testing process for my black belt so taking time off was not an option. I kept working through the pain/ache until one day while sparring, I took an explosive blow which flung my arm behind my back and tore the rotator cuff.

My orthopedic surgeon assumed I started with an impingement which led to tendonitis that went untreated and led to the fraying/weakening of the cuff. After the surgery, he told me how surprised he was that I tore because I had one of the thickest RC tendons he had seen in years. A testament to my many years of strength training :D

I lost considerable upper body strength and it took about 6+ months to get it back once I was OK'd to start lifting heavy. I still have to be careful with certain shoulder exercises.

I am in my 40's too and have learned how age affects our tendons, ligaments and muscles. They become less elastic/pliable and we need to take extreme care when we are experiencing pain.

Take time off! Be faithful to your PT exercises and know that if you lose strength, it will come back. Good luck!

JJ
 
Thank you for your insight eveyone.

I did go to my PT today and I haven't really lost any strength or flexibility as of yet. But it is painful all day and really bad at night. She said that I can do whatever doesn't hurt it; but I do think, especially after JJ's post, that I will really rest it for now. It just isn't right. It is nice that we are strong from Cathe and the PT did notice that.

I will just look forward to a nicer lower body and left side upper body as I continue to work on those. I am just amazed at how painful it is...
 
The pain is unexplainable. No one could understand unless they have felt their shoulder dislocate. It is excruciating.
 
>I am just amazed at how painful it is...<

I know! It is extremely painful. When I tore mine, I was unable to raise my arm away from my body. My surgeon told me the rotator cuff initiates the lift of the arm to about 45 degrees then the delts take over. Try washing your hair when you can't raise your arm up to your headx(

I'm glad to hear you are resting it. That is really the only way to go if you want to avoid further damage.

JJ
 
Going through it right now. My right shoulder is jacked-up and I'm going through physical therapy, doing injury-specific stretches at home. Both the doctor and the physical therapist took me to task for stopping all exercise completely (the doctor said "Come on now... Your shoulder won't suffer from running on your treadmill ;-)." But both also said to avoid doing any upper body weight training. If you work your triceps while not working your biceps, for instance, you're not working your opposing muscles, which can turn a minor injury into a major injury in a hurry. My physical therapist is only seeing me once a week so being motivated enough to do all the stretches she's assigned, on my own, is crucial healing. She believes If I do as I'm supposed to my problem should be gone within 4-6 weeks. Nonetheless, I can still do cardio and can train my lower body. I have a very physical job and was seriously weight training when all this started but finally figured out what caused it: Using a too-short band while doing Cathe's upper body workouts in her Hardcore Series. I was always struggling with that thing but the damage had already been done by the time I got a longer band. Still, I kept "working through the pain." Not smart.
 
I did Low Impact Circuit tonight with one arm! I was very careful and modified it when needed. However, I can tell that one has to be extremly careful...I don't think working one side of the upper body is a good idea. I can already feel the imbalance of my back etc. in doing that. So, I am going to work lower and core, and light bis and tri kickbacks. Each PT and sports med person I talked to agree that that is fine...however, light weight and EASY as she goes. NO shoulder exercises, very limited back and chest. They told me they would give me PT exercises that will work those areas well enough to keep my muscles tweaked a bit. I liked that news.

I have a hard time slowing down when I work out...I love to kick butt! But I can't stand being injured...I dread sleeping. It is very painful. Thanks eveyrone for your encouragement and your warnings. I will heed them although it will be tough!

Becky
 
Oh one more thing. I think I hurt mine doing pikes on the ball! I love those and I did them a lot. I am a stickler for form; but I remember that my shoulder issues began as I increased that type of work and overall straight arm plank work. I love those exercises but I think I over did it.
 
You see, I am Batman, impervious to human frailties....until I hit 42 - OUCH, what the hell - my KNEE???? And then, jumping to chatturanga, a move I"ve done for 30 years, my arm "went out"...no pain until the next day....froze...never completely went away, and I kept lifting and working out hard...then this summer, whammo- the bursa in between the delts felt like fire...first 3 fingers felt like claws...I quit teaching bodypump, quit turbokick, and do everything I can NOT to use those areas....I'm doing it all naturally and with exercises from students of mine who are physical therapists...but this January...its cortisone shot and xray/mri...sigh....

At 46, realizing I"m human afterall!

x(
 
That is funny...but too true! I was impervious to any injury until I hit 40. Now I am done for. Even Cathe hurt her knee so yes, we are all human. Never give up!
 
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