Shoulders

[sfurman]

Okay, so who has shoulder problems, I don’t know why but my shoulders have been killing me, especially my left shoulder, the right one only once in a while. Not sure why yet but, I may have to get them looked at. Anyway, anyone else out there with shoulder problems? Is there an exercise I could do that would help? I really don’t want to start doing any drugs but I am sure that is what the doctor will tell me. Any help would be great.

Thanks

[Ump608]

I've MRI on both of them in the last month, getting to leave here. I'll get back to ya later..............but yes I might be able to help, with some ideas or exercises. No not a doc, but stayed at a Holliday In Express.

[Walt_Trident13]

Could be arthritis...Could be torn Rotator Cuff....My dad has both and can barely lift a glass glass. He has to use plastic glasses. He'll be getting surgery to repair the Rotator Cuff next month. Get it checked out before it's to late.

[Todd]

I had both a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum in my right shoulder. Had surgery two years ago, best thing I ever did. Long rehab but today it is better than ever.

Get it checked out for sure, if you have either of what I had get the surgery, you will be glad you did.

[jbdba01]

Somewhat like Todd...I have a torn labrum. However I simply refuse to have surgery on it. Bunches of folks have this - especially if they swam, pitched, or played in the outfield for many years. Typically it's the throwing arm that's worn out. I get the added benefit of having a screwed up left hand. So I handle most lifting righty.

I have a series of exercises that built muscle around the tear and compensate for it. I also bought a body blade off ebay for $35. It will whoop up on you. I believe that kayaking helps too - especially into a good headwind in a slow boat.

All of these exercises have put off the inevitable for about 7-8 years now. It's just a matter of when the pain is too much.

The exercise I do are very light (2-5 lbs weight) but lots of reps. Like 500 total, then the body blade. This then resulted in repetitive motion syndrome - which took diff exercises to fix. That said I feel better than ever.

This page gives a pretty good summary - I use 2-5# weights on the exercises.

Course you'll want a professional diagnosis. Your mileage may vary.

[sfurman]

Thanks guys I am going to gett it looked at, I don't think it is serious yet but, I have a hard time lifting my arm from my side straight up. The pain is on top of my shoulder. I sure hope I don't need surgery, I don't like that option.

[John]

Could be bone spurs, thats what I have, I can live with it as long as I dont paddle for too long or fish a topwater for more than an hour straight.
Hence the canoe with the trolling motor, get it looked at sooner rather than later, I left mine and it caused tendonitis and bursitis and force me off the water and from any kind of fishing for over a year.

[JoeS]

Years of beating golf balls into the ground seven days a week took its toll on my shoulders especially my right.....Get opinions from a few Doctors their are a few exercises to strengthen the rotators.....DON'T rule out Acupuncture it is what has kept me from having surgery and has in the past relieved the Pain.......for me surgery is the last resort, as long as I can tilt a mug to my lips surgery is out......

[Todd]

I have a hard time lifting my arm from my side straight up. The pain is on top of my shoulder.

Same symptoms I had. It really started to affect everything I did-paddle, fish, golf, softball, etc. I tried therapy of all kinds but it simply would never go away, thus I had the surgery. Rotater/labrum surgery has a tremendous success rate.

[snooker56]

I haven't been able to paddle for the last two years. First, bursitis and tendonitis in my right shoulder. That took cortisone shots and time to heal. A few months later, my left shoulder started to hurt. It wasn't bad at first, so I kept trying exercises and basically putting it off.

Well, I finally got in to see another Ortho Doc today (I saw a different one two months ago, but he didn't even take an X-ray, just gave me a cortisone shot that did no good) and he said I have the shoulder of a 75 year old man (I'll be 58 next month). I have two bone spurs, one on the ball and one on the edge of the socket and some sort of bone cyst on the outside edge of the ball. Next up, an MRI to see what the cyst is all about.

To say the least, I'm sick of seeing my kayak sitting on the saw horses and my fishing rods on the rack. I've tried, but it actually hurts to reel; and forget about paddling.

I'll post something after the MRI and follow up, but at the least I will have to have arthroscopic surgery to remove the spurs and then physical therapy.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

I've had rotator surgery on both shoulders with titanium screws in both to show for it.

Doc put it this way. First, he asked me if I was active. I said yes, I love snow skiing, fishing, kayaking, golfing, playing with the grandchildren, etc, etc.

He basically said that if I was in my 70's and "winding down" he would just recommend therapy and Rx but since I was so "young" (50) and active that if I didn't want to give up doing what I'm doing then, let's fix them.

Bottom line ... I got them fixed and I am soooooo VERY glad I did.

[sfurman]

Well I am glad to see I am not the only one, not that I am happy you guys have had similar problems, old age sucks, it just isn’t fair, is it. I will turn 58 in August, God willing, and was thinking I shouldn’t be having these issues yet, so far it is not bad but I will get it checked.

[Ump608]

Ok I'm back. Got beat up about the first post as it looked like I was typing with my feet ...........................or a bad shoulder. Thanks, Shamus!

Had an MRI on the left shoulder about two months back. Lots of pain, mainly at night, would wake me up. MRI showed Bursitis, Arthritis, inflamed joint capsule, old rotator cuff tear and a new labrum tear. Went to my Orthopedic guy, he reviewed and basically said it wasn't that bad for a very active 53 yr old. Because it was waking me at night he gave a cortisone shot. All good with that one. My son Bear who works at "YouFit" gym gave me some things to try. Incorporated a shoulder work out, it has many of the things that JB showed in his link, good info. Light weight, slow movements, work on range of motion. Do not work thru pain, if it hurts don't do that.

Well got froggy in the gym about three weeks ago, last set of curls with barbell. Heavy weight, reps to fail. Pop goes the right shoulder. MRI shows same inflammation and itis'es but no tears. Decided to back off a couple of weeks. So late last week still hurting call to get copy of MRI to take to Ortho guy. Wake up on Monday, poof no pain, It has been great all week. I don't get it, did paddle about 5 miles total on Sunday.

The shoulder is a very unstable joint in the body. My primary doc likes to remind me that I am 20yrs old, no shit! thanks. So all I can say is getting older sucks.............

[Todd]

A cortisone shot is simply going to reduce the swelling in the joint, thus reduce pain, it will not fix the problem. After two I quit with them as they do not fix the problem, they simply make it go away for a little while.

[Ump608]

True, and cortisone does not work for everyone. In many cases it provides no relief at all. But in my case it seems to have helped, 1st one that I have ever had, along with me changing some of the things that I was doing in the gym. My Ortho just doesn't thing that I am bad enough off to require surgery, he says for me to tone it down a bit. Of course as Rik and Shamus will tell you it's hard for me to take it easy at the gym, just not my nature.

I've had many injuries thru the years, played baseball (outfielder/pitcher), football (flanker/ D end), racquet ball, snow skiing and participated in just about anything that you can think of. And maybe one day I may require surgery. But until then, if it hurts don't do it...

[DaveR]

I feel your pain. Right shoulder has been getting progressively worse. A year ago I was kicking ass doing my time in the gym and did 3 Tough Mudders. Now, I can't do a few push ups without crumbling. I'm putting off the next step.