Cycled, lifted, and dieted all for nothing

**yeahbuddy289** · 03-28-2012, 04:44 PM

Back in september I re-injured my shoulder benching. I went to an orthopedic doctor who specializes in shoulder injuries and was told my labrum may be torn, and possibly some rotator cuff damage. Basically they were not 100% sure. They prescribed anti inflamitories and physical therapy which I did for 2 months. My shoulder was not getting better so they did an MRI and told me I have rotator cuff tendonitis. They told me to do more physical therapy (which I cant because of work). I took it easy on it and starting lifting but no chest or shoulders. So I basically went 3 months with no chest workouts. I planned on starting my first cycle this winter and because of the injury it got pushed back. At the end of January I decided to go ahead with the cycle and I started doing chest lightly. I am in week 9 right now and I have made good gains and pretty much reached my goals but my shoulder is fighting back. Lifting isnt what is aggrevating it- I am a mechanic and have to work with my arms overhead and in weird angles which kills it. I am at the point where I am just going to throw in the towel and go cold turkey with lifting for a couple months. No more trying to work around it just plain stop and maybe this time it will heal. I am just so disappointed I spent all that time in the gym and kitchen.. and even put my body at risk by cycling, and I am about to loose it all. Sorry for the long post but this has got me down... all that work for nothing.... and theres no guarentee my shoulder will be able to handle lifting/work after taking a couple months off. I may never be able to lift hard again...

**cherrydrpepper** · 03-28-2012, 04:53 PM

Hi I also have a rotator cuff injury and feel your pain. I took two weeks off and the shoulder got noticeably better. It was a reinjury from 13 years ago. The shoulder I suspect will always be bothering me and will be an injury waiting to happen. I would like to believe that stretching and rehab exercises could make a difference but I am not that optimistic. I have since completely changed my lifting technique. I do a hard contraction and very slow on the negatives. This allows me to get an intense workout without lifting as heavy. I am going to try supersets and pyramid sets as well. Also some exercises I do not do - if it hurts, don't do it.

**yeahbuddy289** · 03-28-2012, 04:59 PM

Yeah I even switched from benching to dumbells but like you said... I feel like its a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.

**JR G lady** · 03-28-2012, 05:05 PM

I also had a rotator cuff injury due to doing tricks on a motorcycle back in 04'. But I take it easy when it comes down to my shoulder. Sorry to hear that bro hope u get better and continue your mission I'm also on week 9 keto and cycle. Get better brother!

**yeahbuddy289** · 03-28-2012, 05:31 PM

Thanks bro... I originally injured it on a dirt bike 3 years ago- seperated AC joint. I thought I was in the clear because last winter I was benching way more than I ever have and never had one problem with it.

**songdog** · 03-28-2012, 07:18 PM

Get ready Bro your turn is coming.Rotorcuff surgey isnt fun and either is the long layoff after.Good luck.

**gearbox** · 03-28-2012, 07:28 PM

Totally sucks. Sorry bro. I have not had a shoulder injury yet but pain to where I take off a few weeks. And I totally understand about the work situation cause I have a pronator problem in forearm and always gotta swing a hammer and it kills. Well best of luck and ice ice ice

**yeahbuddy289** · 03-28-2012, 07:42 PM

Im going to be icing it every night man along with some Ibuprofen. Do you guys think its best to just stop lifting completely? I will probably continue doing calfs and legs. Also, the last appointment I had with the doctor he said a cortizone shot would be helpful. Im starting to lean towards this because I cant do physical therapy and the shot will take the swelling down to allow it to heal. Has anyone ever had this shot? songdog your making me nervous lol The last thing I want is surgery...

**Far from massive** · 03-28-2012, 08:23 PM

I also had a shoulder injury, work doing building maintenance and often lift heavy shit so even being careful working out does not prevent heavy stress to the shoulder.

Anyway I spend months and months with it betting better and worse and one thing I found was that my shoulder almost always act up first thing in the morning that is when I would get out of bed I knew it was hurt bad again. One of the things I read said that any kind of inactivity is really bad for it as bloodflow is crucial to the healing of the tissues and that blood supply is often poor at night when the shoulder is held in bad positions for hours at a time. Since reading this I have been drinking lots of water right before bed so that I wake up after a couple of hours and once awake I do lots of mobility movements, overhead press, moving arms in fly motions, pullovers etc all with no wieghts to flood the tissues with blood as well as keep them mobile. While doing the exercises I drink more water and then in another two hours repeat.

This has made a HUUGGEE difference in my shoulder, pain now is mild and intermittent where as before many days I could barely lift my arm above my head.

FFM

**SEOINAGE** · 03-29-2012, 06:59 AM

I just learned what exercises I couldn't do anymore, and usually it was certain isolations causing the problems so now I can do all the heavy lifting I want. But I had to eventually stop lifting completely and do my physical therapy, from there I eased into it and had prehab built into my routine for a couple years. And I realized a lot of the issues were form. and every day activities not firing my muscles in the right way. Have to get used to having good posture as well and keeping shoulders back, and teaching your body to fire all the small little stabilizers before a big muscle.

**JAB1** · 03-29-2012, 08:56 AM

I feel ya. Same issue here, not sure whats wrong bu both shoulders are bothering me. It seems like taking time off makes it worse than pushing through the pain and lifting, so im at a loss. Time to see the doc I guess.....

**yeahbuddy289** · 03-29-2012, 05:52 PM

Any of you guys get a cortisone shot for your shoulder? I was considering talking to the doctor about that as he said if I continued to have issues that would be the next step to take.

AD · 03-29-2012, 10:40 PM

cortisone+lignocaine shot to the affect tendon. works wonders. i am surprised your doc didn't do this right away months ago. are you on any oral anti-inflammatory drugs or prednisolone? orals should be the first step, injection second. physical therapy...you can still do it if you're free, but nothing beats drugs.

**yeahbuddy289** · 03-30-2012, 05:41 AM

At first he gave me some naproxen and I took that twice a day and it helped. Maybe I will talk to him about the shot. Ive seen youtube videos and it doesnt look fun though lol

AD · 03-30-2012, 06:29 AM

All jabs are painful. These ones going into or next to the joints are extra painful. But compared to surgery, i guess its like ten times more attractive. Unless you prefer no more bench press forever

**doc w** · 03-30-2012, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by yeahbuddy289

At first he gave me some naproxen and I took that twice a day and it helped. Maybe I will talk to him about the shot. Ive seen youtube videos and it doesnt look fun though lol

I give them routinely. Minimal adverse effects and nOt particularly painful. If ur cuff is not torn and only has tendinitis tibia most likely the overhead activity at work that continues to bother it. I would get the injection and work on rehab for strengthening the posterior cuff muscles. I do not think I have to avoid lifting completely but would stay away from exercises that are aggravating.

**yeahbuddy289** · 04-01-2012, 02:32 PM

Thanks guys maybe I will make an appointment. Another thing I find weird is I have been icing it everyday and that seems to make it worse. It doesnt stiffen up but it makes the pain worse....

AD · 04-01-2012, 09:29 PM

certain injuries respond better to ice, and certain injuries respond better to heat. if you tried ice and made it worse, maybe you can try a hot-water bag next time.

**lovbyts** · 04-01-2012, 10:41 PM

I am in the same place pretty much as Far From Massive. I have pretty much tried everything over the last year. I have been taking anti inflammatory for the whole time, I have done months of Ice several times a day and also contrast therapy, Ice/Heat rotation. I have done several types of physical therapy, A.R.T Auto release therapy, chiropractic, 2 cortisone shots; they dont hurt at all but only helped mildly, as well as most ever over the counter supplement, HA, Cissus, Vit E, Fish oil, MSN, Glucosimine and a few not over the counter, Alflutops, Deca and still doing all the vitamins + for most of the last year.

Some of it has helped. There are even times/days when it almost doesn't hurt at all but most of the time it lets me know it's there constantly and is especially weak when I try to lift. I stretch, hang and do no weighted lifts daily. Ive had xrays that show quite a bit of arthritis and MRI with contrast (That was fun. NOT) showing I do have some bone spurs, tears and whatever else he said.

I'm calling Monday to schedule surgery. I dont want to wait another year and be the same as not or not much better because it's a motivational killer. If it was not for this site I would have given up by now.

I would never consider surgery if it has only been a couple of months or less. Shoulders heal slow but after 1 year I dont think it's going to get better.

I previously injured my right shoulder several years ago skiing. I fractured the ball/humerus right where the tendon attached. It took a good 6 months to get back to normal but it never made the snapping, crunching sounds my left is making.

Dont give up and make sure you get a 2nd opinion before surgery but dont rules it out but dont rush into it either.