Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Went to see the doctor yesterday, and he analyzed how well I could move my arm and when it hurts, etc. Figured I have rotator cuff tendonitis. He gave me some stretches to do. He said I want to avoid lifting things over my head which go back some. A lot of the overhead movements cause some pain such as overhead press, seated dumbell press, and even incline bench the other day left me feeling it bad later. I think i'm going to have to avoid using the muscle group for a while, is that about right? What would you all do/ or have done in this case?

Oh man let me tell you. I've been dealing with with rotator cuff issues for years. I've been in physical therapy for 5+ months so far because my injuries have been so bad.

You NEED to rest the muscle at least for a 1-2 weeks. In my experience, any weightlifting can aggravate the problem, whether its over the head presses, curls, and even squats. Don't let your ego get in your way of your healing either. I did that a lot of times and reinjured it because it wasn't fully healed. If you continue to weight lift through the pain the injury will come back to haunt your time and time again.

My advice. Rest for a week, during that week Ibuprofen for pain/inflamation. Ice at least 3-4 times a day. Get yourself to a physical therapist. I know its extra money and it sucks but if you can nip this in the bud early you wont have to spend 4+ months at PT and still have the fear of surgery around the corner.

A lot of times on more mild cases the PT want to see you for a week, they give you exercises and say to meet with them in other couple weeks or month for a check up. If your fine they release you.

Once again. Get this taken care of ASAP. I would see a Sports Therapist as soon as you can, until then rest your shoulder.

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I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations and you're not in this world to live up to mine. ~Bruce Lee

I've actually been dealing with the problem for at least a year, it's never gotten really bad, but it is affecting my lifting and it's not cleared up so I decided to go in. The guy I worked with gave me some stretching to do. I left with the impression this was not at all very bad. I'm beginning to wonder though...What do you do with a PT?

Well it really depends on the injury. On my injury my PT, which is 3 times a week, goes like this:

8 Minute warm up on hand bicycle
Rubberband Work
Wall Push Ups
Standing medicine ball circles on a wall
Corner lifts (your back in a corner put your arms on the two walls, use the back of your upper arms to lift you off the wall, the farther our your feet the harder it is)
Then 45 degree arm lifts to shoulder height with weight
Then lie on a table face down, your arms and head hanging over side and do the arm lifts again.
Medicine ball walks and pushups. Your stomach on the ball, walk outwith your hands as far as your strength will allow, push up, walk back. x20
Seated Dips.
Stretches, then ice for 10 minutes.

That's what it looks like. I also have "homework" I do at home which consists of static exercises against a doorway and other arm movements.

If the doctor gave you the stretches do them. He may think it is mild enough. Maybe a just a strain that rest and stretches can work.

But most strains, as long as you rest it after it happens (if you let it rest a year ago) normally goes away after a couple weeks of rest and some physical therapy. But being this is going on year it probably never healed or never healed properly.

Many weightlifters forget all the little stabalizer muscles and joints that actually take a lot of the brunt in weightlifting, like the rotator cuff. That's why a lot of carrer lifters have shoulder problems because they never strengthen the "inside muscles" just the muscles that make you look big.

As I said, take some rest and do the stretches. Rest for a week see how you feel. Lift a little after that, not very heavy, and see if it still annoys you. If it does I would get into a sports therapist.

_________________
I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations and you're not in this world to live up to mine. ~Bruce Lee

thanks for your input. I made a post about my shoulder pain months ago, and the consensus was to give it a rest. I did take a week off, then I started doing shoulder work with light weight, and there was little pain. I even began to overhead press again, but lately it's been acting up. I hope stretching and rest will do it a lot of good, and I should ice. I'll try that tonight once I get back from the rec. I'm still going to do back work maybe some curls, running, probably squats. I've got options. I'll keep giving my analysis as I go.

I tore my rotator cuff back in 2005.

I have the Turkish Get Up to the thanks for "rebuilding" my shoulder.

I went to the sports medicine people here on campus and this guy who is a PhD and ATC...whatever that is. Taught me some stretches to do. After a few weeks of doing them (not even daily) and I'll stretch the shoulder before I lift as I'm really bad about stretching befor hand, I've been hitting it up at the gym as usual, pain free. I'm lovin' it!