Avoiding shoulder injuries, and fixing them - What's the best course of action?

[Theresa Meyer]

I can pinpoint the pain to the anterior deltoid. It's the same spot where I had trouble with the left shoulder. Yes, I sleep on my shoulder; I used to sleep on the left, so I switched to the other side. I imagine this has a lot to do with my current right shoulder problems, so I'm trying to learn to sleep on my back. That's easier said than done.

I'm in the Air Force, so I can go see a physical therapist once I'm referred. I didn't have much luck with PT with my left shoulder, but I wasn't very good about doing the exercises either. I was convinced that it couldn't be a muscular development issue. Now I realize it's probably a big part of it. I also typically have right rhomboid pain--adjacent to my spine.

[Lenora Galitz-Pfeffer]

Sleeping on your back is worth it, but, it's hard to train yourself to do it. It will take the pressure off the shoulder and possibly ease up on the rhomboid. Sounds like pt would be helpful. A chiropracter would help you also with an initial ultra sound and general easing up of the area. Is your other shoulder feeling normal?

[Theresa Meyer]

Yes, the left shoulder feels surprisingly good. The right one cracks and pops and it's difficult to lift overhead.

[Lenora Galitz-Pfeffer]

The cracking and popping are a sign of some trouble. I believe Steven Low has posted some ideas on this thread and other shoulder injury threads. They may also shed some light.

[Steven Low]

To be honest you don't need a PT.. but you have to be diligent with fixing your posture, strengthening your rhomboids and external rotators and loosing up your thoracic spine + getting your scapular mobility back.

If you can a front/back/side picture I can help you out.. but without knowing what's really going on it's hard to make a diagnosis.

For example wfs
http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=26091

[Lenora Galitz-Pfeffer]

Chiropractor thinks it's bursitis. Not sure if there's a small tear. Getting a second ultra sound tomorrow. Both are better today than yesterday, but I don't think I'm out of the woods yet. Worked lower body today and will do so thurs and fri. It may have been dicey holding the bar for back squats today, but, I just used thd 45# bar, and was very dilligent about my scapula and a low bar position. Maybe all I'll need is chiropractic and my rarer commodity - common sense. I also try to sleep on my back. Hard to do but it's the only shoulder friendly position.

[Dan Hollingsworth]

To be honest, what you don't need is an internet diagnosis. Sorry, but even the most educated and well intended internet "friends" are significantly limited in their ability to perform a proper assessment over the internet. I would never do it (I have a masters degree in physical therapy). It is just too easy to miss something, plus you just never know what the credentials or background are of the person giving you the advice. I don't say this to slight or offend anyone in this forum, nor is this directed at anyone specifically.

I would recommend that you go to physical therapy. If all they want to do is treat you with ultrasound, or electrical stimulation or some other machine plugged into the wall, my recommendation would be to ask to see another therapist. Study after study has shown that those are ineffective modalities.

The Air Force has some extremely talented physical therapists, honestly some of the best and brightest in the field. Some of them are located just down the road in San Antonio.

If you are hell bent on seeing a chiropractor see if there is one on your base. I'm pretty sure the Air Force has contract chiropractors, but they aren't on every base. The Navy and Army have had them for several years. Their contracts only allow them to treat active duty personnel, and if they are good their schedule is usually rather full, but at least it's free.

Best of luck with your shoulder.

[Lenora Galitz-Pfeffer]

Did a little upper body work today. 3 rounds of cfwu. Feel a little pain in the back on the right. Possibly a little soon, but, did some good stretching and ice. Did the heat a couple of hours later. My Chiro and PT are both very good. Both do a full gamut of treatments. PT has been better about teaching proper exercizes and long term care of the shoulders. Not all Chiros and PT's are alike. It's good to be in touch with how your body feels. It is also good to get a reliable diagnosis. The experts in our discussion groups(like Steven)state in their posts that they are not diagnosing. Glad to get your input also.

[Steven Low]

True Dan.

But it's also true that a lot of the 'problems' that people have basically have very simple answers.

Internet "diagnosing" is quite fun for me actually and I'm fairly decent at it (although like Lenora said I am not here to offer real medical advice or anything). It's always a good idea to get a [real] second opinion. Although most pain on an exercise forum is just from overuse so rest is always a a fairly good answer.


It seems like there's more PTs and MDs on here now so maybe I can learn something more hopefully.

[Joe Waguespack]

Originally Posted by Dan Hollingsworth

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I would recommend that you go to physical therapy. If all they want to do is treat you with ultrasound, or electrical stimulation or some other machine plugged into the wall, my recommendation would be to ask to see another therapist. Study after study has shown that those are ineffective modalities.

I am wondering about that because a few years ago i was dealing with horrible tendonitis in my elbows and biceps I tried cortisone injections, when that didn't work my doctor sent me to a PT who ran me through a bunch of different things ( massage of the area, exercises, ect.) and that only seemed to make the pain worse. After I finally gave up and figured it was just a pain I would have to deal with if I wanted to continue training my Chiro. suggested using the muscle stim. and ultra sound on my problems and within two weeks the pain was gone and never returned. I am just wondering why these would be considered ineffective modalities? They were very effective on me when nothing else worked.