Rrrriiiiipppppp.......

[Generic MALE]

I have had a problem with tightness/pain along the back of my left shoulder. I believe it is the rotator cuff - teres minor and supraspinatus. I could not sleep on my stomach with my face resting on my folded arms as it caused pain behind my left shoulder. Lying on a bed with my arm up and back like I am about to throw a baseball caused a little pain. it would hurt when I did heavy benches, unless I did a few sets of pulls ups beforehand to get the blood flowing. I was always really careful to warm my shoulders up well before benching - several light sets and sort of swinging my arms.

Last Saturday I was doing weighted pull ups with 90 LBS harnessed to me. On the second rep of set #2, I feel this tearing behind my left shoulder - not being bright I do more pulls ups. By rep 8 I have frank pain. I went ahead and did my complete bench press work out. Saturday and SUnday it hurt pretty bad. Even rolling over in bed the wrong way hurt and made me groan.

Monday I felt pretty good. Only a bit of palpable pain somewhere around the lateral edge of the scapula and between that and the humerus. Monday is my volume back day so I thought I would do some pull ups. I was stretching to warm up and someone says "What did you do to your arm?!". I look in the mirror and I have a purple hematoma about 1-3" wide and about 6-7" long running from my tricep down into my lat on the left.

But my left shoulder feels great. I can sleep on my stomach with my face resting on my folded arms, and it has a freer range of motion. I did not do any work out on monday, just rested it, although my pain was minimal. Today I did a few sets of light pull downs and did 5 unweighted pull ups - and I felt a uncomfortable stretch near the bottom.

Any ideas on what I did, what I should do? I am thinking as long as the pain goes away completely in a few weeks and I can exert full strength and keep this greater range of motion what the heck,,, ... who cares?


Any warning signs you think I should look for, that might make me want to go see a doctor?

 

[Mini Viper]

hey bro,

Its sounds bad and its definitely rotator cuff problem. Because last year i had the same problem, I was bench pressing like you and went really heavy, by rep 5 i felt something between the back of shoulder and rotator cuff tearing and fuck it hurt, so i stopped the workout session. from then on I couldnt work around the injury because exercises like the back, arms required rotator cuff movements so i was gutted. I rested for 3 bloody weeks for it to heal up and even then i was carefully with the poundages.

So i guess you need to rest for a few weeks, always listen to your body bro.

Thats all i can help you with, but if the pain gets worse or if the injury doesnt heal up by then you should see the doc and get a scan done.

 

[babbabuee]

goddam, 90lbs weighted pullups! You da man. I've had some shoulder problems too and I personally swear by glucosamine. shit works for me. Plus, I had to take about 3-4weeks off and just now starting to increase the weight slowly.

 

[Generic MALE]

Thanks guys. I asked a trainer at the gym and they recommended resting...which is not what I wanted to hear. I really wanted someone to tell me to bump up the weight to 100 LBS and that would fix it.

Thanks for the compliment bubbabuee. I am pretty strong on pulls. I weigh about 205-210 , so its about 300 that I am hoisting. My bench seems to have dropped a little as I really struggled with 345 today, but I had no real pain.

I am going to drop any pulls for a few weeks. Presses do not seem to hurt and squats do not hurt it. I am going to try straight leg deads on monday and see if I can keep that up for back work.

I think I will schedule an appointment with my primary care physician in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately I dislike talking athletics with most MDs (which is ironic considering what I do), because they are such wussies. They're going to try and convince me to do some light circuit training and aerobics or something. I am in my 40's and its been hard work to maintain strength and leanness as I age- this is the first injury I have had in years and I hate thinking of taking time off. One week without any real workouts (today was the first day really since the injury one week ago) and I already feel like I look like Woody Allen.

 

[RADAR]

I have a similar problem tho not that severe...this will help....available at QVC pharmacys its called "stop pain" its a tropical spray just spray it on the area,its also has glusomanine suflate & MSN in it its the best stuff i've ever used.


RADAR

 

[Generic MALE]

Thanks Radar I will try it.