Posted: 10/18/2011 7:39:08 PM EDT
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I have had this occur twice now, so I figured I needed to get some input.
For some background; I am around five feet ten inches tall, weigh 175, waist is about 32 inches, best bench was (before injury) 205 for 8 reps, I squat around 135 for 8 reps (this is because I have neglected squats until recently). I am almost 22 years old. The problem started this summer, but I didnt know what was happening. I was visiting a friend in Norfolk who is in the Navy and noticed really sharp pain while I was swimming at the beach. Also, it hurt a great deal to play volleyball and throw a football. It continued for quite a while, and while I wasnt active the arm ached a lot and felt almost numb. I took it easy on the upper body workouts over the summer and did a lot of running and cycling, and after a few weeks and a few chiropractor visits the pain went away. I started lifting consistently in September and have had good success and gains, and started focusing on bench, squat, and press (per advice from this forum), and let the more vanity based lifts go. All the while I maintained about an hour of cardio three times a week. This last Friday I was at my now brother in laws bachelor party, which began with some two-hand-tap football. We had a large group of people and I was blocking and rushing the quarter back the whole time. About half way through the game I was set to block, ball was snapped, and with my arms in front of me I started pushing towards the quarterback. The guy I was pushing against pushed back and my arm was caught with my fist about stomach level and my elbow at 90 degrees, as he pushed back I believe my shoulder popped out of the socket. It was immediate pain and it felt like it went back in, but I couldnt run because the jarring hurt. After a few hours the pain went away. Fearing that this could be a big deal I didnt do anything physical for 48 hours, and then I did four sets of pushups and it felt tight but no pain. I benched tonight, four sets at 135 and there was more tightness but not much pain if any. Does this sound like a weak joint, or a serious problem? Does anyone else have similar issues that they just watch out for. I feel like I can continue to be very active and lift (after a little more time) as much as I have in the past but I dont want to hurt myself further. The shoulder doesnt feel like it comes all the way out, but the arm shuts down when it happens and it almost instantly goes back in and then it hurts. Maybe someone can give some insight into the problem. Thanks |
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Previous issue could have been a neck/upper ribs dysfunction issue. Can refer pain like that out to the shoulder and down the arm. Probably why the chiro helped.
This sounds like it could be either a rotator cuff strain/sprain, glenoid labral tear, or both in conjuction with your previous issue. If it is getting better you may be able to just take really easy on the shoudler and slowly strengthen the rotator cuff muscles over the next few months. From person experience, I suffered similar injury playing football with friends, throwing hurt like hell, I had maybe a one foot arc of movement at the hand without severe pain by the end of the day, rushed into the doctor's the next day, did the MRI, met with an ortho surgeon. Results were a labral tear. Being just a year or two younger than you, ortho said let it heal for a few months and slowly strengthen the shoulder muscles. If not continually getting better overall and back 90+% after a few months then maybe come back and see. Not sure how physical therapy is set up in your state but if you can go directly to PT I would start there. Unless they were concerned, imaging may not be needed. They should be able to determine the structures involved via exam and special tests and depending on severity may say you need imaging. If cost isn't an issue you could go either way. I would seek one of those two paths. |
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I have shoulder injury experience.
Since you aren't totally incapacitated I'd guess you have a labral tear and a possible instability. The football game injury sounds like a grade 1 or grade 2 separation. Shoulder surgery is not attractive, unless you are incapacitated. Doc will tell you to avoid any activities such as the ones you have already mentioned at least until the pain is gone. Physical therapy will be lots of internal and external rotations using rubber bands, press downs, and other groovy stuff. Since you're only 22 you still have lots of years ahead of you to reinjure the shoulder multiple times, and suffer over and over again. You're going to build lots of character! So yeah, I suppose I only typed that out to document my educated guess. Now you'll have to report back here and tell me how close, or far off I was. |
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I will be seeing my physician soon. Because the pain went away before I assumed it was not severe and before football pain was gone. Maybe someone can suggest good exercises to build up muscle there.
Also, how much do MRIs cost? I guess the reason I am not to worried is because the pushups gave me no issue, although I do them alot so my body is accustomed. |
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Quoted: I will be seeing my physician soon. Because the pain went away before I assumed it was not severe and before football pain was gone. Maybe someone can suggest good exercises to build up muscle there. Also, how much do MRIs cost? I guess the reason I am not to worried is because the pushups gave me no issue, although I do them alot so my body is accustomed. MRI costs vary depending on location and facility. Also on how much time the equipment goes underutilized. The first point about the damage is that joints accumulate damage, and rarely spontaneously heal. The second point about joint damage is that they're just like teeth, taxes and marriage. When you're older, you'll wish you'd fixed the problems when they were still small and manageable. |
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Quoted:
I will be seeing my physician soon. Because the pain went away before I assumed it was not severe and before football pain was gone. Maybe someone can suggest good exercises to build up muscle there. Also, how much do MRIs cost? I guess the reason I am not to worried is because the pushups gave me no issue, although I do them alot so my body is accustomed. Honestly MRI cost vary wildly. Call around and price shop a 45 minute drive cam save hundreds Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Because I am still considered a full time college student I decided to make my first appointment with the on-campus clinic (they have excellent recommendations from all of my friends), and its free so why not.
I went in this morning and the physicians assistant checked out my shoulder. It has been a little sore with some buring sensation in my trap muscle and a little tightness but nothing I didnt expect after how bad it hurt when it was injured. I have complete range of motion, with almost no pain no matter how it is moved. Its not rotator cuff related (she determined this by me holding my arm straight out like I was holding a beer upright and rotating my hand/wrist as far as I could, apparently I would feel pain if it was rotator cuff related). Anyway, she suggested that I see an orthopedic specialist, and recommended a few. She indicated that I have "Chronic Shoulder Subluxation" (I believe that was the term), which just means that joint is weak and slips around too much. Not sure what the orthopedic specialist will say. I would like to make that appointment but I am tempted to rehab the shoulder the best I can and see if that will do the trick, as she said it will probably be what the specialist suggests anyway. The soreness in my neck and surroudning area is making me believe that this is muscle related, and not torn tendons or cartiledge. So, opinions? |
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Quoted:
Because I am still considered a full time college student I decided to make my first appointment with the on-campus clinic (they have excellent recommendations from all of my friends), and its free so why not. I went in this morning and the physicians assistant checked out my shoulder. It has been a little sore with some buring sensation in my trap muscle and a little tightness but nothing I didnt expect after how bad it hurt when it was injured. I have complete range of motion, with almost no pain no matter how it is moved. Its not rotator cuff related (she determined this by me holding my arm straight out like I was holding a beer upright and rotating my hand/wrist as far as I could, apparently I would feel pain if it was rotator cuff related). Anyway, she suggested that I see an orthopedic specialist, and recommended a few. She indicated that I have "Chronic Shoulder Subluxation" (I believe that was the term), which just means that joint is weak and slips around too much. Not sure what the orthopedic specialist will say. I would like to make that appointment but I am tempted to rehab the shoulder the best I can and see if that will do the trick, as she said it will probably be what the specialist suggests anyway. The soreness in my neck and surroudning area is making me believe that this is muscle related, and not torn tendons or cartiledge. So, opinions? I generally hate to contradict or second-guess another healthcare provider...but... If your description is reasonably accurate you still haven't been evaluated by someone who knows anything about shoulders. There are dozens of orthopedic tests for shoulder lesions and your description is of one of them done poorly/improperly with the findings and specificity totally overstated. This really can't be diagnosed over the internet, so you should probably follow-up with an orthopedist and make your plans from there. Yes, based on the details provided so far you should "only" need decent rehab and should be wary of any surgical recommendation (ie, get a second opinion). "Just rehab" sounds simple, but it is not easy. A xeroxed copy of somebody's favorite shoulder exercises is very unlikely to resolve your problem ~there is a lot of cookie-cutter/shotgun therapy out there. Poorly selected exercises are going to be as helpful as treating diarrhea with a burrito. |
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Quoted:
Because I am still considered a full time college student I decided to make my first appointment with the on-campus clinic (they have excellent recommendations from all of my friends), and its free so why not. I went in this morning and the physicians assistant checked out my shoulder. It has been a little sore with some buring sensation in my trap muscle and a little tightness but nothing I didnt expect after how bad it hurt when it was injured. I have complete range of motion, with almost no pain no matter how it is moved. Its not rotator cuff related (she determined this by me holding my arm straight out like I was holding a beer upright and rotating my hand/wrist as far as I could, apparently I would feel pain if it was rotator cuff related). Anyway, she suggested that I see an orthopedic specialist, and recommended a few. She indicated that I have "Chronic Shoulder Subluxation" (I believe that was the term), which just means that joint is weak and slips around too much. Not sure what the orthopedic specialist will say. I would like to make that appointment but I am tempted to rehab the shoulder the best I can and see if that will do the trick, as she said it will probably be what the specialist suggests anyway. The soreness in my neck and surroudning area is making me believe that this is muscle related, and not torn tendons or cartiledge. So, opinions? I would see a sports PT at this point. You don't just rely on one test and one test for rotator cuff doesn't mean it isn't, not to mention she may have done it correctly. Shoulder subluxation is still a good possibility and the PT should know a number of tests to find the implicated structures. At the same time, with the neck soreness I suspect neck and upper thoracic involvement. Those will be the true test of the PT to determine. If anything you get one appointment with a PT and get some good ideas on how to start rehab for the shoulder. |