Rotator Cuff Surgery Tomorrow

Hi All,

I’m a long time lurker, been cruising around T-Nation under various handles since its inception. I’m 42 year old ex powerlifter. I say ex because I hurt my shoulder about 3 years ago and it led me to stop working out, there were personal issues involved too but mostly due to shoulder pain. I lived with the dull ache for a long time but in the last few months it became a daily thing. I actually think I re-injured it a while ago.

Anyway, the wife forced the issue and made an appointment with an Ortho surgeon. Had the X-rays and MRI. Here’s the breakdown: I have a torn rotator cuff tendon, a fraying biceps tendon and a bone spur in my left shoulder. Its gets even better, the Dr. said that I had lost about 25% of my muscle mass in my shoulder due to atrophy from lack of use and that lost mass has been replaced with fatty tissue and that loss is irreversible!

I also found out that I have a ruptured biceps tendon in my right shoulder. Apparently that is evident to the trained eye. I always had a big peak on the right and my biceps hung more on the right. Turns out that nothing to do with being a freak and has everything to do with a ruptured tendon.

Why the long rant?? Because I’m telling you this so you younger guys don’t make the same mistakes as me. If you have pain and issues, don’t delay thinking you can train around it, or that it will go away in time. You may live to regret it.

I go in tomorrow at 2 pm. I hope they give me good drugs.

MG