Injured Rotator Cuff

[lucidblue]

My rotator cuff started to really bother me the end of last week. My guess is that I injured it either with bad form on the close grip bench or it's subluxation (had this about 12 years ago). I'm familiar with rotator cuff exercises from my previous injury, but will take any other suggestions.

The trainer at the gym told me to lay off the chest work, regular shoulder work (arnold presses and lateral raises), the close grip bench and some of the other back work I do.

Are there any chest exercises I can do that won't irritate my shoulder? Any other tricep work I can do? Also, will SLDL hurt my shoulder more (did them tonight and I'm a little achey)? I just started to get into pretty good shape and don't want to lose it.

Any other exercises I should be doing?

I've been taking Aleve and icing my shoulder several times a day.

Thanks

 

[teirrah]

Hi there, sorry I have no training advice to offer you but when I went to a sports doctor about rotator cuff pain he did say ice but only for 15 minutes, light active recovery daily, try not to sleep on the problem shoulder and STAY OFF THE HEAVY WEIGHTS. Good luck for your recovery.

 

[spatts]

I have been rehabbing my rotators for just over a year. I used to bench high and wide in a chest isolating fashion, and I did it heavy. My shoulders can't handle that, and it sounds like yours can't either. I couldn't hold a door open...I was miserable. Then I started benching like a powerlifter. If I wanted to isolate my chest, I did something upright like a pec dec. Honestly, the PL style bench still hits my chest really hard. I'm happy with my chest development, and I haven't done a single isolated chest move in over a year. I also haven't had any shoulder pain for about 9 months, and my bench has gone up over 100 pounds.


Chest Isolated Bench Press vs. Powerlifting Bench Press

(if the text moves too fast, pause it to read)

I started with light rotator cuff rehab work, and am STILL slowly introducing new strength moves. Do you do any overhead work?

 

[makedah]

I had a messed up rotator cuff after a summer of scanning groceries (cashiers are high on the list of folks with rotator cuff injuries) and doing high-rep overhead presses. I've rehabbed it by doing rotator cuff exercises, cutting out military presses (although recently, I was able to add them back in - I just don't extend my arms completely at the top of the move) and bench-pressing PL style. I'm also "prehabbing" it by doing rear-delt moves every week to balance out my delt strength. (I LOVE those face pulls!)

 

[valerie]

I'm dealing with this now and have cut out overhead presses. A real bummer. Am doing light rc exercises. At least the deads and squats aren't bothering it. Am doing face pulls and lat sweeps, am just working around it. No military presses for sure.

 

[valerie]

Ancillary (sp)Thread on the training board has spatts showing a different rc move.

 

[lucidblue]

I'm also "prehabbing" it by doing rear-delt moves every week to balance out my delt strength. (I LOVE those face pulls!)

I've started working on rear-delt too. I think part of the problem was being out of balance.

 

[lucidblue]

Anyone have any suggestions for triceps that won't aggrevate this injury? I love the close grip bench, but it's out of the question right now.

 

[makedah]

lucid - I don't know what kind of rotator cuff injury you have. But tricep push-downs don't bother me, nor did lying tricep extensions.

But now, I don't do the extensions b/c they hurt my elbows. And when I read a description of them as the "elbow f u c k er" I stopped doing them. After reading Spatts talking about bicep work helping to ease this kind of pain, I'll try it again once my bis are stronger.

 

[valerie]

Lucid-I am doing reverse grip pulldowns, decline db extensions as well as kickbacks. These are not my usual tri exercises, but at this point they are not bothering my rc. You will need to find out what works for you and go with that. Its a bummer not to be able to do the usual stuff.