rotator cuff tendinitis and working out

[SoSel]

Hi! I'm Selena.
Currently 191 lbs, female, 24 yrs old, and in decent shape.

Ok, here's what's going on. I go to Curves and do their circuit. I went last Wednesday and came home with some shoulder pain. So I waited until Monday for the pain to die down (it never left), and went back. I noticed that I wasn't doing so hot on the upper-body, but figured I had pulled something the week before and maybe working it a little less than normal was fine.

Wrong!

I have had some severe pain since Monday. I called the doc to make an appt and they can't see me until Oct. 3. (Military hospitals are like that.) So I HAD to go the ER last night. After x-rays and general painful bending, it's been determined that I have rotator cuff tendinitis. I am keeping the Oct. 3 appt in case is still hurts, and I worry that it will. Next step... a shot. ::shudders:: Oh, and all the ER gave me was Lortab, a painkiller, so I can sleep.

What can I do with an injured shoulder? How can I maintain a minimal (or more) work-out program through the pain? I don't want to lose ground I worked so hard to get through. I do ride my bike, even with the pain.

Suggestions are appreciated, esp if you've been here before. I never thought it would hurt so bad.

Thank you!

 

[maleficent]

I've had chronic shoulder pain for the past few years -that's been diagnosed wiht everything from an old rotater cuff injury to unrepairable nerve damage... and for me it was jsut finding a position that I could get my shoulder into that didn't make me be in pain.

Now your injury sounds way worse than mine is - so i would probably hold off on doing anything to aggravate it -until you get into the doctor and perhaps get some physical therapy for it. if you can ride your bike, or walk for the next week or so that should be enough for you to not lose any ground.

 

[Steve]

I'm surprised they ruled it tendinitis with an xray. Usually need something like an MRI.

I had tendinitis in my subscapularis (one of the four muscles of the RC).

At first they thought I'd need surgery.

I opted for physical therapy, but I wasn't able to do a lot of resistance training at all. It got to the point where I could barely lift my arm over my head.

I had shots.

Therapy.

What's worked the best really, besides rest is a consistent stretching routine coupled with direct, light strengthening of the rotator cuff.

I'd also consider going to a chiropractor certified in ART ().

You can find a provider on that website.

I'd also suggest reading through this:





Lastly, isn't curves a lot of machines?

If so, I'd ditch the curves. I've been saying it forever around here. Machines are ok when kept to a minimum. They serve a time and specific purpose. But if it's all you're using to load resistance on your muscles, you are taking about any and all stabilizer training.

And lookie here, your rotator cuff is comprised of 4 stabilizer muscles.

Something to think about.