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Shoulder impingement?

1,949 Views | 23 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by ttha_aggie_09
Max Power
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AG
Been having shoulder pain for almost a year now. Can't remember what I might have done to cause it, might have been when I was doing dips. I think it's affecting my elbow as well. The position I get in that causes the most pain is when I lay on my stomach, elbows out away from my body and I pull my arms back, like you're about to start a push-up. I read that you can stretch it by hanging several times a day but that hasn't helped anything. I'm concerned it might need surgery but figured I'd see if anyone has had something similar they've dealt with first. I'm 39 and exercise regularly, I think this shoulder issue is hindering my ability to see any gains, I feel it every time I press in my shoulder and corresponding elbow.
Hoosegow
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I would try some tempering. The bad thing is you have to know someone that can temper you. In powerlifting, impingements are very common. In our gym, we temper and do some band work. 2-3 weeks seems to get us better
Class of '94
FC12
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Not much to offer but....I feel for you. Shoulder impingement ruined my pro baseball career. 35 now and the last pitch I threw was in 2008. Saw the nasty/business side of MLB.
10andBOUNCE
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AG
Highly recommend Squat University's podcast below on shoulder health.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/squat-university/id1352018677?i=1000450369213
zachsccr
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AG
I'd go see a good ortho/sports PT. Or wait until Aggiederelict finds this thread. Or both.
bigtruckguy3500
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Go see a PT ASAP.

I had impingement that I ignored for about 4 months till it became severe, couldn't do anything overhead. Finally stopped all chest and overhead activities and just did my own rehab plan for 5 months before I started trying pushing movements.

It's been about 16 months since onset of symptoms and I'm just now getting back some strength, but I'm not 100%. If I had seen PT, or just stopped being in denial that I was injured and needed to stop pushing movements, I might have recovered much faster.

For me, I only did straight arm pulldowns, internal/ external rotation work, machine rows (neutral or supinated grip) and eventually I added in light donated supinated lat pulldown, then machine bench with a neutral gip and very limited ROM.

But first things first, make sure you're treating the right thing. See someone that can do a good exam on you. Always avoid surgery unless it truly is the best/last option.

Also, wonder if it's biceps tendon.
YouBet
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AG
Get it scanned. I had shoulder pain like this for a year and a half before I finally had to stop working out. Finally went to shoulder guy and discovered I had arthritis and bone spurs. Required surgery. While in surgery they discovered my labrum was also torn and had to do bicep tendon deal.

That was in May. Did about 2 months of PT and now working out again at the gym. I won't be doing much weight on my shoulders going forward but you shouldn't be anyway.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
I don't have an impingement but have some serious shoulder pain that I believe is related to tendinitis in my elbow.

It has been manageable for the last 2-3 months, but this last month I haven't slept through the night once without waking up and rolling off of that shoulder... I'm on Tylenol/ibuprofen most days, and it helps. Forearm and theraband exercises help the pain in my elbow and wrist but it's never long term. My elbow and shoulder pop frequently through the day and when my elbow does, it is the biggest feeling of relief...

I've cut back on overhead exercises but none really hurt my shoulder. A few chest exercises aggravate my shoulder but not my elbow. I have cut all of those out, less bench press. I'm cutting back on the weight on bench to see if that helps.

I'm really torn on where to go from here because I really need to see some one, but don't want to walk into an doctor's office to see a guy that's predetermined that I need shoulder surgery.

Do you need a recommendation for a PT? Or just find one and book an appointment? I'm in west Houston/Katy, so if anyone has a recommendation on a PT or sports doctor, I would greatly appreciate it.

Sorry for the derail, OP.
bigtruckguy3500
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New law in Texas allows you to see PT without a referral. I don't have any recommendations, unfortunately. If you can't get a recommendation from anyone, then I'd say at least look on websites for one that appears to deal with athletes more.
aggiederelict
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Shoulder impingement is a catch all term that doesn't mean much. Impingement of what? Usually the rotator cuff can be impinged because the shoulder has a narrow path for which the rotator cuff to travel in order to attach to the humerus. But the bicep tendon can also be involved. Are you having any noticeable weakness as well?

Max, have you sought out treatment for the isse?. It seems like this has been going on long enough to seek out treatment. Where are you located?

Ttha, you can see a PT without a referral between 2-3 weeks before needing a script. I don't have anyone particular I know of in West Houston or Katy but I can look around.
MEag02
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AG
ttha_aggie_09 said:

I don't have an impingement but have some serious shoulder pain that I believe is related to tendinitis in my elbow.

It has been manageable for the last 2-3 months, but this last month I haven't slept through the night once without waking up and rolling off of that shoulder... I'm on Tylenol/ibuprofen most days, and it helps. Forearm and theraband exercises help the pain in my elbow and wrist but it's never long term. My elbow and shoulder pop frequently through the day and when my elbow does, it is the biggest feeling of relief...

I've cut back on overhead exercises but none really hurt my shoulder. A few chest exercises aggravate my shoulder but not my elbow. I have cut all of those out, less bench press. I'm cutting back on the weight on bench to see if that helps.

I'm really torn on where to go from here because I really need to see some one, but don't want to walk into an doctor's office to see a guy that's predetermined that I need shoulder surgery.

Do you need a recommendation for a PT? Or just find one and book an appointment? I'm in west Houston/Katy, so if anyone has a recommendation on a PT or sports doctor, I would greatly appreciate it.

Sorry for the derail, OP.
I have been dealing with shoulder problems for over a year now after ignoring the problem for many months. Dr. Gregory at UT Physicians Ironman clinic is great and doesn't push surgery until you have tried other options like PT and steroid shots. For PT, I see Jim King at Action Therapy (near City Center). I can honestly say that it is hard work rehabbing a shoulder but it is well worth the trouble!
YouBet
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AG
The other issue that could be happening here for some of you is "frozen shoulder". I had that a few years ago and it's a bi^ch. Not much you can do about it except ride it out. Can take up to 18 months to get through it which is almost exactly how long it took me. You can do PT but it won't do a whole hell of a lot for you.

I literally woke up one morning with pain and it never went away. At times the pain was so great it would shoot through your shoulder and drop you to your knees.
EMY92
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AG
Depending on how severe, you can have surgery. I had all of the ligaments in my right shoulder severed. I walked out of the surgery center in less pain than I walked in.

I've had frozen shoulder in both shoulders thanks to diabetes.

I didn't have surgery on the left and it's taken almost 5 years to regain full motion. The right also took that long, but the surgery got me much closer to 100% quicker than just PT.
aggiederelict
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Frozen shoulder is not a common diagnosis I see in the clinic. A true frozen shoulder can take very long to heal even with treatment.

Usually a large loss of motion happen somewhere in the middle of the process. These patient can do well with saline injections into the capsule to help restore motion. And in some cases a steroid injection early on to help if they pain is really bad.

It is true that diabetics are at a noticeable increase to frozen shoulder as are those with underlying thyroid conditions as well. (Hashimotos' in particular).
texagco2003
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AG
Go have it checked out by an ortho. I had shoulder pain when lifting anything for around a year. I'm 38 and while I'll probably need surgery at some point, they wanted to try a cortisone shot first. After letting the meds work for about 4-5 days, I went back to the weight room and for the first time in a long time, had no shoulder pain. Was a little over a month ago, hoping this will work for awhile.
bigtruckguy3500
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Good video I came across recently. Kinda long, but worth a watch for many folks here with shoulder pain.


MouthBQ98
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AG
Get it assessed, and do the therapy recommended. Then, work on stretching and strengthening the shoulder gradually and steadily. I used to have an impingement in both shoulders from inactivity coupled with occasional overuse and it got so bad in my throwing arm I could not throw a ball normally at all, hurt too bad.

Years of stretching, the slowly and carefully working through the motion restriction and soreness and building the tissue and muscle back up with regular building exercise and weights and I can throw, lift, pull, push, etc again. I got fit again in the process, too.

I still get a tinge of pain if I overuse it, and am not what I was in my 20's, but I can throw a baseball decently, a football, do push-ups and pull-ups, lift weights overhead, etc. it took years to restore.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
Thanks for the advice and to the Op for starting this thread. Seeing an Ortho on Thursday, hopefully just for PT and/or shots.
aggiederelict
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Ttha,

You have the right to get PT wherever you want. Some physicians own PT clinics and send their patients there. If your ortho sends you to PT ask him or her if they own the clinic or not.

These clinics offer very little hands on treatment and the therapists will be slammed with a bunch of other patients.

Let me know if you need help finding a good clinic once you see the ortho.
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
I appreciate the advice!

I'm past wanting to go to a PT and just want to meet with a Ortho doc. I haven't slept through the night in over a month and am just sick of dealing with this. Need a cortisone shot and a little guidance.
bigtruckguy3500
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Just remember, cortisone isn't a fix to the problem. It's just to decrease the pain enough to allow you to do physical therapy to fix the problem. Assuming the problem isn't surgical, if you get a cortisone shot and don't fix what's causing the problem, there's a very high chance of recurrence.
ttha_aggie_09
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100% agree. I'm honestly convinced this is all related to tendinitis in my elbow and I'm hoping a shot, if necessary, will help me sleep through the night and let me get back on pace with my theraband exercises, which helped dramatically. I'm not going to let anyone jump to any conclusions without a second opinion or some pretty overwhelming evidence.

We shall see...
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
Distal clavicle osteolysis

Sucks getting old....
aggiederelict
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Anything else or is that it? How significant?
ttha_aggie_09
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AG
Confirmed tennis elbow and it's not significant enough for anything right now other than anti inflammatories, home rehab exercises with Bands, and limited to no pressing for a few weeks...
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