Shoulder is FUBAR’d.

[BoomerD]

I’ve torn/damaged the rotator cuff in both shoulders over the decades, bur for the last couple of months, one shoulder just doesn’t seem to be coming back. I’ve tried heat, ice, (no actual recent injury, so no swelling/obvious inflammation) and OTC meds. Even the lidocaine patches don’t really help. Most days, I can barely lift my arm…and when I do, it hurts like hell.
Like it or not, I’m gonna have to see an ortho over it. Of course, that means seeing my primary doc, who (with a bit of luck) will send me for an MRI, then HOPEFULLY he’ll refer me to ortho. The way our local medical system works…just the PCP appointment will take a couple of months…

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Osteoarthritis progressing? Regardless of what the issue is, that sucks man. Maybe it will just be injections and rehab? Best of luck.

 

[purbeast0]

I've had nagging shoulder pain for years from lifting. I'd mess one up and it would heal and then the other, back and forth, for like a decade plus. Last year however it didn't "come back" like it normally does and it stayed the same for like 8 months so I got it checked out. I went straight to an ortho that was in network and they did an ultrasound on my shoulder.

I ended up having a slight tear in the front of my rotator cuff.

I've been doing physical therapy as per what the doctor recommended, for almost 3 months now, and while it isn't 100% and may never be unless I get surgery, it is noticeably better than it was. Today we actually measured my range of motion with an instrument and it has jumped quite a bit since I went in there the first time.

I have also completely changed the way I work out and dropped weight in virtually every lift I do, and focus on slow controlled reps and good form, instead of basically ego lifting. I've started to see improvements in this as well with strength increasing and I feel like I actually get better workouts now than I used to prior.

I'm also doing a lot of the physical therapy exercises at home to try and strengthen in the surrounding muscles in my shoulder. The goal is to get the shoulder back in the socket, instead of being pulled forward due to my build, and the front having a tear which can't just pull it back. So there are exercises that I do that focus on trying to build those surrounding muscles with that as the end goal.

I've also learned that I have been doing A LOT of my exercises wrong for over 2 decades lifting, and that my back is the primary culprit of what I've been doing wrong the most. So I'm really focusing on getting form down on back stuff and pulling with only my back on exercises, and so far I'm feeling improvements.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

instead of basically ego lifting.

In my life's experience, it does not matter what athletic discipline it is, ego is one of the primary causes of injuries. Sometimes, other people's. Supposed to be doing a no gi flow roll with another big heavyweight that power lifts. Out of nowhere he changes gears and explodes out of a transition driving me into the mat on my right shoulder with his weight on me. Did not know it at the time, but I had a grade 3 separation with distal fracture. Comminuted fractured my left clavicle skateboarding in my teens. Both shoulders are solid now. Though I find I cannot virtual box as much, they don't like the high rep air punching. I just listen to the feedback my body gives me.

With my 50s almost over, I continue to adapt to the aging process. I always work with weight I can move around well enough. I cannot tell anyone my 1RM on any lift I do; I have no idea. I find dead hangs are therapeutic for my shoulders, or at least I have gaslit myself that they are. I had some occasional pain free popping in my right shoulder at the top of the range of motion, before adding them in last year, it is gone now. Might not be related, maybe the reduced air punching did it?

 

[purbeast0]

In my life's experience, it does not matter what athletic discipline it is, ego is one of the primary causes of injuries. Sometimes, other people's. Supposed to be doing a no gi flow roll with another big heavyweight that power lifts. Out of nowhere he changes gears and explodes out of a transition driving me into the mat on my right shoulder with his weight on me. Did not know it at the time, but I had a grade 3 separation with distal fracture. Comminuted fractured my left clavicle skateboarding in my teens. Both shoulders are solid now. Though I find I cannot virtual box as much, they don't like the high rep air punching. I just listen to the feedback my body gives me.

With my 50s almost over, I continue to adapt to the aging process. I always work with weight I can move around well enough. I cannot tell anyone my 1RM on any lift I do; I have no idea. I find dead hangs are therapeutic for my shoulders, or at least I have gaslit myself that they are. I had some occasional pain free popping in my right shoulder at the top of the range of motion, before adding them in last year, it is gone now. Might not be related, maybe the reduced air punching did it?

It took me a good 3-4 weeks to feel comfortable dropping the weight and doing stuff differently, but now i am fine with it and trying to get my form down and consistent. I'm doing reps of like 8-10 for MOST stuff but some stuff like leg press I'll do heavy weight that I can only do 5-6 reps of. That is really the only exercise that I go for reps under 8.

Before like the most reps I'd do bench pressing was 6. Like I'd do sets of 6 and then maybe 3-4 of heavy weight. I was doing decent form but there would definitely be some chest bouncing as my sets went on. Now when I'm doing incline press I do 8 reps of weight that is probably like 20-30 pounds lighter than I used to do 8 reps of, but I am going down much slower with more control and focus on keeping my shoulders back and just pushing up with my pecs. Sometimes I pause at the bottom the rep when it's on my chest, not like resting, but just a pause, to add more tension.

People probably are wondering why I do so light weight when doing shoulder raises now too. I basically am doing like 1/2 the weight I used to do, but my form is perfect they are slow controlled reps of 10-12 usually. And my arms/shoulders look completely jacked while I'm doing them too.

I do wish I knew all this crap when I was younger though. It was fun lifting super heavy when I was younger and I was doing it without injury, and I don't regret it. I'd say I wish I had learned this in my like early/mid 30's instead of early 40's. It would have saved me some injuries for sure.

The best part is though, now aside from my shoulder, I don't have ANY nagging little aches and pains in my joints or anywhere else like I used to when going heavier.

 

[skyking]

@BoomerD If you can get a referral to
Wendy Heusch
In Puyalllup it is probably worth the extra driving.
She fixed both of my shoulders and did a great job.
The other day I did a totally unintended test.
I was unloading stuff from Costco, and reached up and out to the button on the SUV hatch to close it, with 10 pounds of potatoes and 5 pounds of onions. It does not sound like much until you have had torn rotators.

 

[BoomerD]

@BoomerD If you can get a referral to
Wendy Heusch
In Puyalllup it is probably worth the extra driving.
She fixed both of my shoulders and did a great job.
The other day I did a totally unintended test.
I was unloading stuff from Costco, and reached up and out to the button on the SUV hatch to close it, with 10 pounds of potatoes and 5 pounds of onions. It does not sound like much until you have had torn rotators.

Thanks for the referral. Unfortunately, since her stroke, Mrs. Boomer doesn't drive. I can get there...but afterward? That's a bit more difficult.

 

[skyking]

Thanks for the referral. Unfortunately, since her stroke, Mrs. Boomer doesn't drive. I can get there...but afterward? That's a bit more difficult.

IF you need a ride all you need to do is arrange it. I can make time.

 

[BoomerD]

IF you need a ride all you need to do is arrange it. I can make time.

Thanks, brother. I appreciate it.