Rotator cuff

[Hayabusa]

Ok last july I tore my right rotator cuff. I had surgury in September. I finally got to go back to work after being off for almost a year, and more importantly back to really lifting. This past friday I reinjured the same shoulder just putting shit in my car. I have to go get another MRI to see if there is any real damage. I have been to the gym since it happened and there are still things I can do that dont hurt. I can do some shoulder work too. Ironically I cant find a single bicep exercise that doesnt hurt thoough. My question is should I be in the gym at all. I know what I will be doing in physical therapy and I am doing all of it religiously. I warm up, stretch, lift light weights and only do exercises that dont hurt. It is my idea that as long as it doesnt hurt it has to help. Strengthining all the muscles that surround the rotator cuff will help cushion it and prevent it from more damage. Am I mistaken on this idea?

Second should I take anything to help speed up the process of healing? If so what? I am not talking about anti inflamatories or pain pills either.

Hayabusa

[GoneAway]

I can't answer any of your questions, however I have been experiencing pain in my right rotator cuff over the last few days. Can anyone give some advice in regards to warm-up, stretching, whether taking it easier for a while would help, or any past experiences? I don't want to screw up my arm, as I feel it is heading that way. Thanks!

[Tubbs]

Hi to both of you. Yep, you have to strengthen your rotator cuffs with internal and external rotations; do this on a cable pulley, you should be able to do at least 15 reps, no need to go heavy here or you'll end working everything but the rotator cuffs. 2 sets on each side, 2 exercises. Take glucosamine (2-3 g per day) and avoid heavy lifting. Best of luck to both of you

[BigAnt]

Hayabusa --I tore my supraspinatus(rotator cuff)--full thickness tear, had surgery in 2004, rehabbed myself (I have 5 years physical therapy experience) 6 months afterwards started to lift again was 100% better...well last Saturday, while doing heavy dumbbells shoulder presses, it felt kinda funny.  I iced it 3x a day for 20 minutes, and took Advil.  Stopped all upper body exercises!!!  Just got my MRI report, partial tear.  I am training through it.  Doing internal/external rotations, rev pec-dec, seated row with a pinch (squeeze shoulder blades together at end of movement) and light bicep and tricep work.  Do this as your PT exercises 4x a week! My shoulder is feeling much better in 1 week.  The bicep and tricep attach to the shoulder.  You are going to have to train them light with a pain free movement.  Maybe try seated dumbbell curls and work through a "pain free" range of motion.  Try 12-15 reps, get fresh blood and oxygen to the muscle to repair it..And  ice it as much as possible to avoid any inflammation. Take 10-15 days off all chest/shoulder work..DON'T WORRY YOU WILL NOT GET SMALL!!! Resume shoulder/chest work with machine exercise, week 1 20reps, week 2 15 reps, week 3 12 reps and week 4 10 reps.  If pain free at week 4 with 10 - reps on machine work, progress to light dumbbell work.  It is up to you and your orthopod. IF you choose surgery.  Most partial tears can be healed with PT work, and I had some experience with full-thickness tears also healing with just PT. Hit me up with an e-mail if you need more help!

Good luck!

[BigAnt]

Tubbs...long time no talk!

How is the shoulder?

[Hayabusa]

Hayabusa --I tore my supraspinatus(rotator cuff)--full thickness tear, had surgery in 2004, rehabbed myself (I have 5 years physical therapy experience) 6 months afterwards started to lift again was 100% better...well last Saturday, while doing heavy dumbbells shoulder presses, it felt kinda funny.  I iced it 3x a day for 20 minutes, and took Advil.  Stopped all upper body exercises!!!  Just got my MRI report, partial tear.  I am training through it.  Doing internal/external rotations, rev pec-dec, seated row with a pinch (squeeze shoulder blades together at end of movement) and light bicep and tricep work.  Do this as your PT exercises 4x a week! My shoulder is feeling much better in 1 week.  The bicep and tricep attach to the shoulder.  You are going to have to train them light with a pain free movement.  Maybe try seated dumbbell curls and work through a "pain free" range of motion.  Try 12-15 reps, get fresh blood and oxygen to the muscle to repair it..And  ice it as much as possible to avoid any inflammation. Take 10-15 days off all chest/shoulder work..DON'T WORRY YOU WILL NOT GET SMALL!!! Resume shoulder/chest work with machine exercise, week 1 20reps, week 2 15 reps, week 3 12 reps and week 4 10 reps.  If pain free at week 4 with 10 - reps on machine work, progress to light dumbbell work.  It is up to you and your orthopod. IF you choose surgery.  Most partial tears can be healed with PT work, and I had some experience with full-thickness tears also healing with just PT. Hit me up with an e-mail if you need more help!

Good luck!

Thanks

I am still waiting on approval for the MRI so I dont know if there is another tear or not. I can tell anyone who asks that the surgery, which I have had once last sept., is very very painfull. The therapy after is very hard and you have to work very hard to get back. I was finally graduating from Machines to free weights when I rehurt it just loading a book bag into my car. I have been doing the exercises that I did in physical therapy since I rehurt it. I have been doing what you call the shoulder blade pinches till I am sick of doing them. I just hope that I dont have to have surgery again. Since I can still do alot of things I think that physical therapy alone will get me back, at least to where I was before this injury. After the surgery I never really fully recovered even though I did absolutely everything I was told to do. I never got my right arm back to where I could raise it more than shoulder height out to the side. It didn't hurt to do it, it just wouldn't physically move past that point. Ironically on a shoulder press machine I could push it all the way up with both hands. Anyways thanks for the reply and I will let you know if it is torn or not after the MRI.

Hayabusa

[Tubbs]

Tubbs...long time no talk!

How is the shoulder?

Hi Tony! Sorry, I've been so busy lately...Sorry to hear you're injured once again, but fortunately it's "only" a partial tear, so you'll be fine Concerning my shoulders, so far, so good: I'm very careful though. I train heavy 2 weeks and do more reps the third one and then I repeat the cycle. Hope to hear good news from you very soon buddy!

[tattzandmuscles]

i just got shoulder surgery about 6 weeks ago, you might want to check and see if you have what is called a slap tear ( superior labra anterior to posterior tear) it involves your bicep as well. i can do a ton of cardio but i still cant lift. slap tears are super small so a lot of time they cant find them with an MRI. you have to look them up. the thing about slap tears is that they are non traumatic, which means that there really is no defining moment of pain. they had to remove an inch and a half of my bicep and re attach it. best of luck bro in you recovery!

[Hayabusa]

Well my Cuff is torn again. I am going to have to have sugury again. This really freaking sucks. The 20 pounds I have put on in the last two months will soon be gone. It will probably be 10 months before I can do any upper body movements. I plan on working legs, calves, abs, and lower back in the mean time. I guess I will have time to really make them stick out if I ever get to compete again.

Hayabusa