Rant: I think I damaged my rotator cuff...

Pandamonium

Golden Member
Aug 19, 2001
1,628
0
76
Sorry for the long post, here's the cliff's notes:
Knees nearly blown out due to crew, which is really fun
Right wrist limited lifting routine since April
Likely recently injured left rotator cuff, which apparently takes 1+ yrs to heal on average
May not be able to row for the rest of college (2yrs)
Don't have any idea what exercises I can do until a set of limbs heals.


The real deal:

I'm not a big guy by any stretch of the imagination, and I hadn't been lifting with freeweights very much in the past six months because I was "recovering" (if you can call it that) from various injuries in my wrist and forearms. Anyway, about two weeks after I decided I had recovered enough to return to freeweights (last Wednesday), I think I damaged my rotator cuff.

I was on my second set on the bench and it wasn't too bad at all. I wasn't paying attention and brought the bar down near my neck. Instinctively, I pushed back to get it back over my chest. In that push, I felt something of a spasm in my shoulder and quickly realized I should conclude the set. I gave it about a 15 minute rest before I attempted my third set, where I learned a single rep would be too painful. I tried playing basketball, which didn't work out too well since my left arm was pretty much useless. While playing basketball, I jammed two of my left fingers. My index finger has been throbbing for the last week-so I think I really hurt something there too- my left grip strength is probably half of what it was before.

I heal relatively quickly, and so after not feeling any better by today, I spoke with some trainers who told me I might have damaged my rotator cuff. Apparently a recovery from such an injury can take up to two years....

I rowed all last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. But being that I waited a year to pick up the sport, this could potentially destroy all hopes of my rowing. At this point, I can't really exercise at all.

I tore some ligaments in my right wrist, so that I can only use it for leverage when it is angled in certain positions.
Both my knees took a beating from rowing, but all rowing did was bring my first knee surgery to the nearer future. I can run for about 15 minutes before I feel the burn in my kneecaps. I've basically accepted the fact that I'll likely need extensive knee surgery before I'm 30.
And my left index finger is being a PITA.

So as it stands, I'm not really in any position to do much cardio because my knees just give out too early for me to benefit; and I should back off the weight training until I'm relatively recovered. All I can think of is swimming- and I'm not even sure how my shoulder is going to handle that.

Dude this sucks.......
 

McCarthy

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,567
0
76
Curious, how do you treat a rotator cuff injurty? Just lay off or did they tell you to do anything special?

Sorry man :( Said you can run for 15 minutes, can you bike without your knees killing you or just the same as rowing?
 

Pandamonium

Golden Member
Aug 19, 2001
1,628
0
76
I've been told by a few guys who had the same injury that the best thing to do is stretch it daily and do very low weight (on the order of 2lbs...) shoulder rotations through various angles. Another thing I was told to do was to hang on something with the weak shoulder to stretch it out, but I can't grip a bar for more than a few moments before my finger feels like it would if I jammed it again. (I tried opening a bottle of tostitos salsa tonight and couldn't do it until I locked my left arm in a stationary position.)

I can bike with low resistance without my knees hurting that day, but they're pretty much shot the entire day following a workout. I can actually row without irritating my knees very much though- but the shoulder injury makes it impossible for me to pull as hard as I should.

I dunno what I can do beyond physical therapy exercises. I'm not sure if I'm more pissed off or disappointed.
 

Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
5
0
Rotary cuff damages are quite common... infact, everybody i know that works out has some sort of pain there (although none of it actually caused by working out).
 

Balt

Lifer
Mar 12, 2000
12,673
482
126
That sucks. :(

Before you start hitting even the very low weights, I'd take some serious time off. Use low weight training to relieve minor soreness, not to treat serious injury. That would be my advice, anyway.

Talk to some people who know for sure, like a doctor and a physical therapist.
 

Sluggo

Lifer
Jun 12, 2000
15,488
5
81
Try some of these with light weight (2-5 lbs) and do the movement slowly and carefully.

Oops, forgot the link :eek: