Doctors that specialize in rotator cuff injury?

J

jgood26

0
Hello,

I injured my shoulder 4 months ago due to overtraining... mostly an exhausting amount of pullups, pushups, and swimming is what did it. Sometimes I would do a pushup, pullup, dip workout 3-4 times a week. I know that it was excessive now, but I am (was) training for specific times/numbers in those areas, so I was trying to do it quick. So dumb.

I had no idea what was wrong - thought it was just strained. I left it alone for about 2 months (without medical diagnosis) then went back to working out. After attempting the same schedule for a week or two, I realized something is really wrong.

If I do a full 360 degree reverse arm circle with my left arm, it will pop when it has about 35-40 degrees left. Here's a stick drawing of me standing sideways and where the popping occurs.

O Back
I\ <---- MY ARM
I

At that angle, it feels like there is a popping from top corner of my shoulder down to my armpit..

I know it's probably futile explaining it on here when doctors that I meet in person can't even figure it out. I've heard different doctors, physical therapists, and massage therapists tell me drastically different things. That it's suprasinatus, scapula, biceps tendon, etc...

Basically what I want to know is if there is a specialized type of doctor that would know for sure... who could look at an X-Ray or an MRI and tell me what's wrong because I feel like I'm getting the runaround from these doctors. I know it's not their fault that they don't know, since it's a specific area that's very confusing, but I'm sure there's some practice of medicine that would do more along the lines of what I need. Any ideas anyone? Please help this desperate man. :)

> James
 
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tell your doctor you want a referral to, or ust go on your own to an orthopaedic doc. They'll do an MRI and should be able to give you a good answer.

I know it's a vague answer, but if you have seen an Orthopeadic doc, you should.

Wes
 
Yeah, if you haven't already seen an orthopedic surgeron then get on that. There are orthopedics that specialize in the shoulder because it is one fo the most difficult injuries to deal with. When I injured my shoulder I went to an orthopedic center that had different doctors on staff for different areas of the body. They had knee and ankle guys, shoulder guys, back/neck guys, and of course I got in with the shoudler guy.

My injury was obviouse and I diagnosed it myself before I even went in, but you should seek out an orthpedic specialist that deals with shoulder injuries. They are out there, I promise.

Good luck.
 
i have two damaged rotator cuffs and one that still hurts when i try and rotate it, or if i try straight arm should lifts. Here is what i have found..... I test my shoulders by trying to do things that have no real application. such as rotating my arm a full 360. unless you are a girls softball fast pitcher, that motion probably will never apply.

But, by continuing to work out a dmaintain my fitness, without surgery, i can do handstands, walk on hands, handsprings, swimm miles in open water, and even fly (ha! i'm a skydiver)

just a thought for you.... from experience.

also,,, that shouting internal voice of "I must be 100%" will begin to quiet with age.

p.s. when you feel that slicing pain, it is furthering the damage. stop testing over and over again,,, let it heal.

FF
 
age! good point. saaweee! I'm older and tend to ignore age. oooopee!

But hey, if you can't make it back to 100% read my post again eh!

quietly shuffling out of this convo... FF
 
Yep, I tried to work through it twice before, but that is how my other shoulder started to develop problems. Pride swallowed, I'm on the way to recovery right now. I've been off of it aside from PT elastic band exercises for a month and it actually feels better aside from the popping still.

They're getting an ultrasound and a CT scan for it to hopefully determine what's wrong. The doc seemed to think a tendon was actually too loose and flapping over bone when i raise my arm. I guess we'll see.

Has anyone had any success with a chiropractor and shoulder popping? I get an odd popping in my lower shoulder blade too and wonder if this is all back related. I'm going to consult my PT first, but that's something I want to try soon.

Tks for the advice guys (old and young). :D

> James
 
Do what the doc says. I know not everyone always has a ton of faith in the modern medical system, but orthopedic specialists really know their stuff.

There are certain types of things when they will tell you to do what doesn't hurt, and back off if it does. Say with arthritis for example - sometimes all you can do is try, and back off if it gets too bad - you won't be worsening an injury in that scenario. However, if there is a RT tear, or other injury that needs attention, that is never what you want to do.
 
Supraspinatus

It turns out that it is strictly tendinitis in my supraspinatus tendon. They performed an ultrasound and saw minor (normal for someone who lifts) tearing on the rotator cuff. I got a second opinion by another physical therapist and they verified that it's the supraspinatus.

What I think happened was that I was doing too much training on the front and neglected my back and shoulders. Because of that my shoulders rolled forward, pinching the tendon and eventually tightened it on one side. Because it was pulled taught, every time i lifted my arm, it would flap over the bone on the front corner of my shoulder (for lack of a better term).

Right now they have me doing strengthening exercises that are focusing on pulling my shoulder blades back and hopefully taking some tension off of the tendon. In my case, it was all a matter of posture and bad form. Even after only a week of these new exercises I'm feeling a lot better about it and notice less tension and less popping. If I can find the sheet with the exercises on it amongst the mess of papers on my desk, I'll scan them and post.

Tks for the advice, all.

> James
 
Yep sounds like there going to focus on strengthining your scapular muscles and eventually your rotator cuff. The rolled shoulders as you said would caused the supraspinatus tendon to become impinged under the coracoacromial arch. Lucky tou got it before you did something worse and perhaps maybe needed surgery!
 
Yeah...cause I thought it was really strange that we had a mod who registered a year or more ago, with only one post, and even that was jibberish. Eh.
 
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