Shoulder pain diagnosis

[NovaHoops2002]

Any help would be appreciated.

I have pain in my left shoulder - I can't really take it past 90 degrees with my arm at my side without moderate pain. With my arm in front of me I can go up, but there is still a little bit of pain. If I bend my arm at the elbow and try to push up the pain is severe (like the motion of doing an overhead press).

I vaguely remember my arm being sore earlier in the week but then on Saturday I was tubing down the shore and ended up going underwater. I held onto the tube with my left arm and was probably dragged a little bit before the boat stopped, so I am thinking that is the culprit of the pain.

I have been taking the Costco brand of Tylenol (Acetaminophen) for the pain - 2 this morning and then I had some ibuprofen at my desk and just took 2 of those. That helped with the pain.

I plan on icing it tonight for 20 minutes at a time. Is there anything else I should be doing besides obviously resting it?

Does this sound like a possible torn rotator cuff? Based on my internet research that the best I can come up with.

 

[novabball2]

pretty sure an orthopedic surgeon is better educated to answer than anyone on an internet message board.

 

[NovaHoops2002]

pretty sure an orthopedic surgeon is better educated to answer than anyone on an internet message board.

Just looking for any insight from others who have experienced same thing. The pain is not excruciating enough for me to go to the doctor just yet. It could just be a pulled muscle or some soreness than will go away on its own.

 

[Mr. Wade Garrett]

I have problems with my left shoulder from years of lifting. Sounds much like your issue, but mine is chronic. Not acute.

Orthopedist said its tendonosis, wrote a prescription for physical therapy. But i just stopped lifting heavy for good.

I work in a f-king office. No need to be big anymore.

 

[NovaHoops2002]

I have problems with my left shoulder from years of lifting. Sounds much like your issue, but mine is chronic. Not acute.

Orthopedist said its tendonosis, wrote a prescription for physical therapy. But i just stopped lifting heavy for good.

I work in a f-king office. No need to be big anymore.

Thanks. I lift a couple times a week and the only exercise I can think that would cause this is the overhead press. But I do not do heavy weights by any means. Last week was a de-load week for me so my OHP was only 3 sets of 5 at 50/60/75 followed by some dips and pull ups. I guess that could have been the cause? I generally have good form when I lift too.

I can't remember for sure, but like I said above I think my arm was a little sore earlier in the week. Maybe from playing basketball and getting fouled across the top?

I will take it easy for a couple days, but can I still run with this injury?

 

[obriend1]

Thanks. I lift a couple times a week and the only exercise I can think that would cause this is the overhead press. But I do not do heavy weights by any means. Last week was a de-load week for me so my OHP was only 3 sets of 5 at 50/60/75 followed by some dips and pull ups. I guess that could have been the cause? I generally have good form when I lift too.

I can't remember for sure, but like I said above I think my arm was a little sore earlier in the week. Maybe from playing basketball and getting fouled across the top?

I will take it easy for a couple days, but can I still run with this injury?

Could be a a pulled tendon. I did that the other week from lifting and then aggravating more.

 

[FreddyShoop]

Do you recommend heat or cold?

 

[bmoneynova]

its AIDS.

RIP.

 

[nardibynature123]

My should is kinda f*cked up. I went to the Dr. and he said he would recommend surgery if I was trying to be an MLB pitcher. If not, not worth the rehab. Doesn't hurt more than a little bit now and then, just used to it now.

I did not have the surgery.

 

[NickleDimer]

My rule of thumb - if it's not acute, give it a week to get better. Then go to doctor.

I went to the Dr. and he said he would recommend surgery if I was trying to be an MLB pitcher.

Can you still hit, though?

 

[danmcguire]

There are like half a dozen movement tests you can do to determine the likelihood of rotator cuff tear, tendonitis, impingement or bursitis. Some require resistance and hence someone to help you. I have a torn cuff in my right shoulder but some PT and a cortisone shot a couple years ago and now it is fine. The left starting hurting a couple weeks ago and based on the tests and it appears to be impingement. God forbid I actually go to the doctor (I'm an idiot), so I'm doing the recommended exercises on my own for a week and it seems to be getting better.
Oh, and Freddy, wrong character from that great movie. He's not that kind of doctor:

 

[nardibynature123]

My rule of thumb - if it's not acute, give it a week to get better. Then go to doctor.
Can you still hit, though?

Even better than ADP

 

[FreddyShoop]

Yes I know, I'm just joking around, having some fun with you that's all.

Let me ask you something. How much weight do you think I could bench press? Just take a guess.

 

[danmcguire]

Tell me, do you know the difference between a rectal thermometer and a tongue depressor?

Uh, no.

Remind me never to come to you for a physical!

 

[NickleDimer]

Let me ask you something. How much weight do you think I could bench press? Just take a guess.

80kg.

 

[NovaNation94]

I had similar shoulder pain from too much time at the gym - I did PT, rest, etc - none of them worked. I finally had the shoulder operated on back in January and truly it was the right decision.

With that said - see a doctor who I am sure will want a MRI of the shoulder before deciding on how to proceed.

 

[HereComeTheCats]

Doctor, question that's always bothered me and a lot of people: Mayflower, combined with Philadelphia - a no-brainer, right? Cause this is where the Mayflower landed. Not so. It turns out Columbus actually set foot somewhere down in the West Indies. Little known fact.

 

[adp98]

Just looking for any insight from others who have experienced same thing. The pain is not excruciating enough for me to go to the doctor just yet. It could just be a pulled muscle or some soreness than will go away on its own.

I had the same thing. You've probably got a very slight tear in your rotator or labrum. You'll need to do strengthening excercizes to build up the muscles around your shoulder. Go very light weights and do overhead presses but only go half way down and stretch as far as you can at the top. use 5 lb. dumbells. This will bother you for a while. My took about 3 months to heal. For something like this the only thing is PT or strengthening. You'll be fine but it will linger.

 

[NickleDimer]

Was this a quarter-bouncing injury? Did you have to alter your form? Or find a firmer surface to compensate for your reduced velocity?

 

[CarDashian]

coming here for medical advice is ..........., well, ...........

 

[adp98]

Was this a quarter-bouncing injury? Did you have to alter your form? Or find a firmer surface to compensate for your reduced velocity?

No, it was picking up my wallet.

 

[danmcguire]

The PT regimen the therapist did with me when I tore my right rotator cuff was more or less exactly as laid out here:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/PDFs/Rehab_Shoulder_5.pdf

 

[PeterN]

TMB Syndrome...too many birthdays

 

[NickleDimer]

No, it was picking up my wallet.

Lots of coupons and maxxed out credit cards stuffed in there?

 

[adp98]

Lots of coupons and maxxed out credit cards stuffed in there?

That and my quarter bouncing pass.

 

[NovaHoops2002]

The PT regimen the therapist did with me when I tore my right rotator cuff was more or less exactly as laid out here:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/PDFs/Rehab_Shoulder_5.pdf

Thanks. Now did you just pass on doing any other exercises and just work on this for 4-6 weeks? I obviously am going to take some time off from the gym, just wondering how long.

As long as I can do cardio - mostly running I am ok with that.

 

[nardibynature123]

coming here for medical advice is ..........., well, ...........

At least his dog wasn't dying....

 

[danmcguire]

Thanks. Now did you just pass on doing any other exercises and just work on this for 4-6 weeks? I obviously am going to take some time off from the gym, just wondering how long.

As long as I can do cardio - mostly running I am ok with that.

I did just cardio, core and legs for about 4 weeks.

 

[PeterN]

Pulled a hammy in May and my PT said to give it rest. I pulled it twice more before I listened...

 

[FreddyShoop]

Here come the jocks...these are the athletes of the dog world....

Every line Fred Willard says in that movie is gold. I think they were making fun of Joe Garagiola.

 

[danmcguire]

100% they are making fun of Joe, and he didn't like it: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/12/sports/dog-show-action-when-arf-imitates-life.html

 

[NovaHoops2002]

Update: after icing it around the clock and taking ibuprofen the pain is pretty much gone and I have regained the full range of motion. I guess it's possible it was just a pulled muscle/strain? I am going to stay away from the gym for the rest of the week just to be safe and then ease back into it with lower weights next week.

Thanks for the help.

 

[tjc3844]

Update: after icing it around the clock and taking ibuprofen the pain is pretty much gone and I have regained the full range of motion. I guess it's possible it was just a pulled muscle/strain? I am going to stay away from the gym for the rest of the week just to be safe and then ease back into it with lower weights next week.

Thanks for the help.

One last thing you might want to think about. Joint pain can be caused by certain types of medicine. If you've just recently started taking a new medicine, it could be that.

 

[PeterN]

Update: after icing it around the clock and taking ibuprofen the pain is pretty much gone and I have regained the full range of motion. I guess it's possible it was just a pulled muscle/strain? I am going to stay away from the gym for the rest of the week just to be safe and then ease back into it with lower weights next week.

Thanks for the help.

As you get older reduce the weights, increase the reps and stretching.