[quote]StuGotts wrote:
Below is my story, which I haven’t had the chance to tell in awhile and this being my first post, thought some of us “old” people might bea bale to learn something from my experience. But to cut to the chase, my rehab (see below) included very light side and front lateral raises, and dumbell shoulder press (standing or seated)very strict form (the OPPOSITE of what I did for the last 8 years).
Also, very light “arm wrestling” exercises with a 5 - 10 lb dumbell - this exercise used the forearm pad on the Universal ab/leg raise contraption, with the upper arm holding the weight up like the other guy’s hand in an arm wrestling competition and then lower and raise in the same kind of motion. This really strengthened my rotator cuff-area muscles.
Other exercises included using the lower cable and doing upright rows with arms extended and only slightly bended. Always using light weights and very high reps, slowly building up in weights but keeping the high reps. There were also a bunch of bodyweight-based exercises and stretches.
Hope this info helps, below is my story:
Last September (Sept. 23rd, 2006, to be EXACT!), I fell backwards, legs knocked out from under me, and landed on my armpit. At about 215lbs, gravity and age (37 at the time, it made for a powerful explosion deep inside my shoulder. Between laughing and near tears (laughter and pain!), didn’t think much of it …although having never breaking a bone before, thought something serious may have happened.
After laying off the weights for a couple weeks, it felt 50 - 75% better and started working out again. But slowly over approx. 4 weeks, I got weaker and weaker in excercises like bench, shoulder press, etc…
So, in early Nov. 2006, went to several doctors, MRI, etc…and was diagnosed with a torn labrum (look it up - I never heard of it either, but it is the cartilage that acts as a cushion in your shoulder socket (glenoid) and the upper arm bone. Basically, it makes everything fit and snug in there.
After 3 hour surgery in early Jan. 2007, doc tells me that when he went in to repair the labrum, he found torn rotator cuff also and “cleaned it up” by snipping off the torn area. Apprently, unless the tear is around halfway or more, we have enough to just clip away the torn part.
After surgery, then the fun started. My doctor was very aggressive in the rehab, IMO…and I viewed that as a good thing. He had me doing stretching exercises the morning after and I pursued them like crazy. I followed everything suggested to a tee. After 2 weeks post-op I went to more formal rehab and continued various stretching and bodyweight strengthening exercises. After 4 weeks, light weights, but crazy high reps…which was new to me.
Prior to this, “high” reps meant double digist, like 10 or 11!!!. After about 4 weeks of using very light weights and high reps (20 - 30 per set), at about the 8 wk mark, he gave me somewhat clearance to do any exercise but bench and shoulder press.
After 4 months formal rehab, mixed in with slowing building my strength back to more normal weights and reps, I was more cut than I ever have been, at about a leaner looking 210.
Here’s my overall take — if surgery is an option or recommended, ask yourself one question: Without surgery, am I preapred to live the rest of my life with whatever limitations I have found? I love lifting heavy and getting stronger…it has made me who I am. I saidf “No” to that question and with a surgery that had a 90 - 95% success rate to full strength, I jumped and jumped early. Glad I did, when I did. Best wishes in your recovery, strengthening and if you need surgery, glad to walk you through with more detail.[/quote]
sounds like you had a good doctor whats his name?