T Nation

Shoulder Thread

Combat
#1

Well, went to a specialist today for my ongoing shoulder problems.

The synopsis is that I injured it seven years ago in HS football, then dislocated in once boxing, once in BJJ, and once doing something innocuous. The dislocations happened all in the past two years.

They took the xrays, and nothing was noticeably wrong. So, I’m going for an MRI where they shoot the dye in and can see exactly what’s happened to see if the labrum is torn or my shoulder tendon seperated from the bone… unfortunately, it seems that surgery is going to happen at this point.

I’ll keep posting up on here to let the old timers know how it’s progressing.

#2

hope it progresses well fightinirish…i’ve never had a shoulder problem…until now.
It was feeling better, but I kept boxing/lifting…so now it’s like 70%. No loss of strength though, just hurts in certain areas.

Which means…4 weeks I’m not going to DO ANY PRESSING.
ROWS ROWS ROWS ROWS SOME MORE ROWS
and shoulder rehab protocol. Iburprofen…in 4 weeks should be good to go.

What kinda rehab program are you doing, or can nothing really be done with your current state?

#3

hey im kinda in the same boat as the both of you im having trouble with ligament damage on my right shoulder, happened in a car accident 4 weeks ago. rasturai when u say “rehab programe” whats involved as i wont be anywhere near training untill the next year and i want to get it sorted soon.

#4

[quote]rasturai wrote:
hope it progresses well fightinirish…i’ve never had a shoulder problem…until now.
It was feeling better, but I kept boxing/lifting…so now it’s like 70%. No loss of strength though, just hurts in certain areas.

Which means…4 weeks I’m not going to DO ANY PRESSING.
ROWS ROWS ROWS ROWS SOME MORE ROWS
and shoulder rehab protocol. Iburprofen…in 4 weeks should be good to go.

What kinda rehab program are you doing, or can nothing really be done with your current state?[/quote]

I would take it easy in general.

My right shoulder (the “better” one) has had pain anytime I throw a hook or do a pressing movement… doctor said it’s most likely an inflamed biceps tendon. In that case, only rowing would aggravate it as well.

I’ve been through physical therapy for the shoulder, all sorts of shit. But at this point there’s not really much I can do that’s going to work. I’ve been doing some shoulder exercises, dumbell raises to the front and side, to strengthen it at its weakest points… but if the tendon is fucked, there’s only so much that can be done.

#5

I got some fine snap crackle pops every day…and when the humidity changes,
or it is about to rain , I an really feel it.

My right one sits a little lower and set back I dislocated it a few times,
ok allot of times.

broke the same clavicle, tore the AC joint.

Chiropractor,and a rolfer helped , mobility is pretty much normal
but certain lifts, like db side raises, bench, incline press, are pretty much not possible with out some pain.

Im probably due for some ART or another session with a Rolfer to get it together.

Irish, have you looked into other kinds of tissue work?

#6

I have a partial tear in right shoulder tendon that makes benching even the bar painful. I figured out that I can still do pushups(?) (which I know you used to do through the pain) and more importantly can overhead press w/o the slightest pain, no matter how heavy.

If you choose not to undergo the knife, just find some motion that doesn’t hurt to get in some pushing.
PS Enjoy TKD if you can’t turn hooks any longer - haha just ribbing you.

#7

A buddy of mine just had shoulder surgery last week. Your situation sounds similar to his. He had paid during certain movements and his shoulder popped out playing football and softball. X-rays came back normal. MRI’s showed some soft tissue damage, but they couldn’t really tell what was going on. He had it scoped, and they found a torn bicep tendon and torn labrum. 2 hours worth of surgery through a 1 inch incision and he’s fixed up. His expected recovery time is 6-8 weeks.

The doc said if it had been something with the rotator cuff, it would have been 6-8 months of recovery.

Hopefully yours turns out to be something easily fixed.

#8

I’m also in a similar situation
I’ve had a ton of partial dislocations and a 4 full dislocations on my right shoulder, the last one was at my judo grading, bumped into another guy on the mat, not hard but just at the wrong angle. It feel much more busted up than previous dislocations, so I figured it’s about time to get something done, while I’m still relativley young and not competitive with my judo.

So I’m headed to see the orthopedic surgeon next week and I’m sure I’ll go through similar tests, I guess I’ll keep people updated through this thread too if Irish doesn’t mind me jumping in on it.

I’ll be watching your progress carefully Irish and I really hope that it turns out OK in the the end, hopefully not rotator cuff damage as Steve mentioned.

#9

[quote]kmcnyc wrote:

Irish, have you looked into other kinds of tissue work?
[/quote]

No, I’m not really sure where to start with that. I’m assuming you mean ART work?

#10

[quote]treco wrote:

PS Enjoy TKD if you can’t turn hooks any longer - haha just ribbing you.[/quote]

Hahahahahah i’ll keep it under consideration.

#11

[quote]rasturai wrote:
hope it progresses well fightinirish…i’ve never had a shoulder problem…until now.
It was feeling better, but I kept boxing/lifting…so now it’s like 70%. No loss of strength though, just hurts in certain areas.

Which means…4 weeks I’m not going to DO ANY PRESSING.
ROWS ROWS ROWS ROWS SOME MORE ROWS
and shoulder rehab protocol. Iburprofen…in 4 weeks should be good to go.

What kinda rehab program are you doing, or can nothing really be done with your current state?[/quote]

Incidentaly, I had shoulder problem (also from boxing) and presses did wonders for them. Not saying you’re wrong. The press is ambrosia for some and kryptonite for others.

#12

First and formost to anyone that has a type of tear the best rehabs are ones made by physical therapists. If you have an injury dont train on it. Take a break and get it fixed. Now I know were all hard headed but take it from me stopping and getting an injury fixed early is better than fucking it up worse by just keep training on it. It doesnt make you a pussy!

Irish i had an MR Arthrogram also it will def show any little tears and damage you might have. at this point your gonna prob get a surgury and it will be the best thing you can do in the long run. Eat healthy and take your time after the surgury. An old army saying is crawl walk run. So start of slow and you’ll be running again in no time. Good luck cuz!

#13

[quote]irvs wrote:
hey im kinda in the same boat as the both of you im having trouble with ligament damage on my right shoulder, happened in a car accident 4 weeks ago. rasturai when u say “rehab programe” whats involved as i wont be anywhere near training untill the next year and i want to get it sorted soon.
[/quote]

well wee update got more x-rays on the shoulder, nothing broke or chipped and the docs say the tendon that runs over the ball of the sholder (top) is damaged, sooo thats me out of training for a good 6 weeks. have to get booked into the physio now and get them to fix me up good.

…thats a whole years training wasted…

#14

so wait irvs, what kinda pain have you experience in your shoulder?

At least you can focus on lower body if nothing…

Don’t get down about it…my shoulder liek I said I had NO PROBLEMS with it ever…but I was dumb and kept going harder, harder, harder…it hurt…I took 2 weeks off and it felt 90% better.
Okay so let’s hit it hard in boxing, and upper body movements.
BLEH back to certain areas I feel pain lol. I like the crawl, walk, run the above poster mentioned.

When I say rehab I do a couple things I made up myself…I’m not on the same comp. right now but I’ll show you when I log on again tomorrow on my other comp.

Some of the rehab stuff may be completely not related to my problem…but at least it keeps other things in check as well!

I’m thinking of also after these 3 more weeks of no pressing stuff, to go to the doctors (I’m going on vacation for 2 weeks first lol) so I think it should be better by then.

Hang in there! it will get better.

#15

[quote]blackngrey609 wrote:
First and formost to anyone that has a type of tear the best rehabs are ones made by physical therapists. If you have an injury dont train on it. Take a break and get it fixed. Now I know were all hard headed but take it from me stopping and getting an injury fixed early is better than fucking it up worse by just keep training on it. It doesnt make you a pussy!

Irish i had an MR Arthrogram also it will def show any little tears and damage you might have. at this point your gonna prob get a surgury and it will be the best thing you can do in the long run. Eat healthy and take your time after the surgury. An old army saying is crawl walk run. So start of slow and you’ll be running again in no time. Good luck cuz![/quote]

Thanks man. The break (at least three months) is going to drive me up a fucking wall, but I’m hoping I can at least maintain what I have.

But there’s really no way around it at this point I think.

#16

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]blackngrey609 wrote:
First and formost to anyone that has a type of tear the best rehabs are ones made by physical therapists. If you have an injury dont train on it. Take a break and get it fixed. Now I know were all hard headed but take it from me stopping and getting an injury fixed early is better than fucking it up worse by just keep training on it. It doesnt make you a pussy!

Irish i had an MR Arthrogram also it will def show any little tears and damage you might have. at this point your gonna prob get a surgury and it will be the best thing you can do in the long run. Eat healthy and take your time after the surgury. An old army saying is crawl walk run. So start of slow and you’ll be running again in no time. Good luck cuz![/quote]

Thanks man. The break (at least three months) is going to drive me up a fucking wall, but I’m hoping I can at least maintain what I have.

But there’s really no way around it at this point I think.[/quote]

yeah it sucks but stay positive! I spent my time on disability reading and am a way more intelligent lifter and martial artist because of it! also i started doing 30 min a day on the seated bike to keep some type of conditioning while my shoulder/chest was healing! keep your head up cuz!

#17

[quote]blackngrey609 wrote:

yeah it sucks but stay positive! I spent my time on disability reading and am a way more intelligent lifter and martial artist because of it! also i started doing 30 min a day on the seated bike to keep some type of conditioning while my shoulder/chest was healing! keep your head up cuz![/quote]

When did you go for surgery? What was the problem? How’s it been since? Just trying to get a handle on what I’m in for haha.