Shoulder or back???

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11-16-2008, 05:42 PM
jbran23

Shoulder or back???

About two months ago I was about 2 months into a pretty good workout routine and everything felt good. Was getting stronger and putting on some pretty good weight gains. Went into the gym one day to train shoulders and was pretty excited as I look forward to doing military presses. Grabbed ahold of just the olympic bar to do some light warm ups and couldnt get it over my head with my right arm.

Needless to say, I was extremely surprised and a bit worried. I never felt that I had hurt it at any point preceding this and didnt experience any abnormal soreness or pain. Upon further inspection I noticed even without weights, I couldnt extend my arm straight up over my head. Kinda tough to explain, but I could raise my hand and arm up past shoulder level, but couldnt totally extend it to a straight 180 degree line.

I noticed that when I use a dumbell or any weights and try to lift it over my head with my right arm I dont feel any actual discomfort coming from my shoulder, I actually feel it in my lat on my right side. Its almost like I lost the stabalization that it should be giving me in order to do that kind of lift. Does this make sense to anyone?

I'm not an expert on the intricacies of how the human body and its muscles work, so I'm not sure if a lat injury would even cause this sort of thing to happen but thats what it feels like to me.

If anyone needs more information or has any questions just hit me up and I will answer them. I'm just curious to find out if anyone has experienced anything like this and could give me some feedback.

Oh yeah, before anyone asks why I havent seen a doctor, I just recently gained medical insurance through my work and have scheduled a doctors appointment but I couldnt afford it until now.
11-16-2008, 09:57 PM
Kratos

any numbness, itching, pins and needles sensation or other symptoms?
11-16-2008, 10:22 PM
jbran23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kratos

any numbness, itching, pins and needles sensation or other symptoms?

Not at all. No pain at all really. Just some discomfort in my lat when I try to press weight over my head. Basically just lost almost all strength with any kind of pressing over my head.
11-24-2008, 02:46 AM
kwozza

Any pain in your infraspinatus when pressure is applied?
11-24-2008, 04:43 PM
jbran23

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwozza

Any pain in your infraspinatus when pressure is applied?

Any pain in my what??? lol... .I'm not familiar with that term. I would look it up but I'm in a bit of a hurry.
11-25-2008, 02:13 AM
kwozza

Its a muscle that covers pretty much your whole shoulder blade. Look it up on google and get someone to massage it for you or try do it yourself.
11-25-2008, 09:03 AM
jbran23

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwozza

Its a muscle that covers pretty much your whole shoulder blade. Look it up on google and get someone to massage it for you or try do it yourself.

Seems like there might be a little pain there when massaged but I dont know if its an abnormal amount when you massage a muscle that might possibly just be tense. Funny you mentioned that though, because I have noticed that when doing deadlifts and sometimes heavy curls, I feel a bit of pulling in that area of my back. Almost like there might be a slight muscle tear back there. Not sure if that would cause me to not be able to press weight.
11-26-2008, 05:05 AM
kwozza

You need to be very thorough with the massage work. Don't just give it a rub and think 'yeah it kinda hurts', you may miss the troubled area by only 1/4 of an inch or less and you won't feel pain.

If there is defintately nothing there, go for the subscapularis. This muscle is in virtually the same location, but on the underside of the shoulder blade. In order to reach this muscle, lean forward with your troubled arm dangling loosely so your shoulder blade has moved around the side of your body. Use your left hand and slide it inbetween your ribs and shoulder blade. Feel all around the area for any tenderness.
11-26-2008, 07:58 AM
jbran23

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwozza

You need to be very thorough with the massage work. Don't just give it a rub and think 'yeah it kinda hurts', you may miss the troubled area by only 1/4 of an inch or less and you won't feel pain.

If there is defintately nothing there, go for the subscapularis. This muscle is in virtually the same location, but on the underside of the shoulder blade. In order to reach this muscle, lean forward with your troubled arm dangling loosely so your shoulder blade has moved around the side of your body. Use your left hand and slide it inbetween your ribs and shoulder blade. Feel all around the area for any tenderness.

Kwozza, thank you for the advice. I will check this out. If you have any theories let me know what you think it might be. I FINALLY see a doctor today and hopefully we will get to the bottom of this. Unfortunately if its anything that is going to involve surgery then I dont know. I got insurance through my work and then 3 weeks later I got laid off so insurance goes bye-bye at the end of the month. :0icon_pis