Rotator Cuff Injury?

K Williams · Jan 6, 2000

I hurt my shoulder during some stickfighting on Sunday. I think that the rotator cuff is injured. How long does this type of injury last? What types of treatment, exercise, etc. would be helpful?

Thanks!

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K. Williams
kel620@aol.com
Modern Arnis Student

[This message has been edited by K Williams (edited 01-07-2000).]

Jim March · Jan 6, 2000

Been there, done that. Mine was due to a motorcycle wreck at fairly high speed about 7 years ago. There was a LOT of pain and it took a while, but it did heal on it's own.
A physical therapist gave me excercises to VERY SLOWLY "work it and stretch it" - I'm reluctant to give you details because your injury may be different and the way I was supposed to work and stretch mine may not fit your situation.

Upshot: you need to see a doc, if you haven't already. This is a "ripped tendon" type injury, they sometimes need surgery.

I was lucky. I got back pretty much 100% functionality, at least 95% range of motion. And this was my strong arm, too. The only thing I still notice is a tendency to wipe a certain orifice

with my OTHER hand because of a miniscule range of motion issue.

Hmmm. Too much information, Jim!

Anyways. I can make funny noises with it my moving it in weird ways, subtle knocking noises audible up to 10 feet away

. Freaks people out. But there's no pain, strength is excellent, no complaints.

Jim

student · Jan 7, 2000

OUCH!

Tom Seaborne's POWER BODY is a good resource....

Sigh. More training...but in your case, for now, less training....

student

Rommel · Jan 7, 2000

Kelvin,

Hope you recover soon. So sorry to hear that.

Rml

Kelt · Jan 7, 2000

Kelvin, sorry to hear about your injury; i hope it heals quickly. don't forget about eating right and keep your vits/mins up. pay attention to Vit C (and if you can get it, use the Esterc-500 mg. can help); Magnesium/Calcium supplement as well (try to get a combo type, it should be twice as much Cal. as Mag. for the proper absorption). most guys don't realize that Mag. can actually increase their strength and muscle endurance and it's one of the main minerals that men are deficient in...women have Ca problems and i guess men have Mag. problems!! don't do overhead presses AT ALL; this not just from me but from PTs that i worked with and guys i trained with. it can pinch the area involved, just like swimming motions (crawl) can lead to swimmers shoulder. i've had a bit of Rot. Cuff myself. can box now, swim, anything. but i don't do those shoulder presses. instead i use Lateral shoulder raises: you are lifting the weight from your side, arms aren't locked straight, lift up til arms and hands are even with shoulder joint. at end of movement, you should look like...T....<that letter right there. i still use light weights for this, the swimming and rowing and boxing do enough for my shoulders. also, when it's hurting: have a good thick bag with peas in it- put them in the freezer and get em good and cold. you can wrap this bag on your shoulder area (it's hard to reach with typical icebags) and it will kind of mold around your area due to the small round peas. also they hold cold better than ice cause of their many layers. i hope this helps some; sorry if it was too basic. but ice will be your best friend as it is mine. some things may make it click down the road, but like Jim says, you'll still get good range of motion and it shouldn't ache much.

Kelt · Jan 7, 2000

oops, typical irishman, talking too much....anyway, you would look like the letter T. and use a thick bag with frozen peas in it for icing. you can wrap one of these around the area a lot easier than a typical icebag. and it will "mold" around the injury. seems to stay colder longer than ice also, since there are so many layers of skin on the peas. it works, really! just don't go getting hungry and eating them! i can row, swim, box, i just don't do those overhead presses. ice will be your best friend, as it had been mine. but like Jim, you should end up okay with a decent range of motion and very little ache.

K Williams · Jan 7, 2000

Thanks for the replies and well wishes(is that a correct term?!)guys.

Smoke: Your injury sounds a lot worse than mine! If I tried to do a roof or wing block right now, I'd be in a lot of pain. I can still move my arm, but it hurts when I try to raise it above my head, or rotate it backwards(like in 'an elbow to the person behind me' movement).

KELT: I take multi-vitamins and Vit. C every day, plus Glucosamine Sulfate(which I guess I really need now). So I should be OK in that area.

Donna Barnas · Jan 9, 2000

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