Author: lubimur

03/18/2016 Shoulder Rehabbing – still

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I haven’t been as diligent as I should be, and I feel like I am not making progress.  I have done some more study and have decided on a more precise plan of action.

First off, I will warm up the shoulder before stretching it, then do stretching, and then mobility exercises.  I have made the executive decision that the exercises will not be the warm up.  I will probably do some light arm circles and the hanging pendulum drill as a warm up.

I have also started to wonder if I may be pushing too far in my stretches.  Based on all the reading I’ve done the stretches should be relatively pain free before moving on.  I should only be stretching to about a “4” on the pain scale rather than the “7-8” I have been pushing to.  The reason I was pushing so hard is because you always hear people complaining that their physical therapist causes them tremendous pain during rehab.  I don’t know; I’m going to have to think on this one.  Maybe I’ll lighten up for about 3 weeks, then push harder again.  The isometric exercises don’t hurt as much as the stretches, but my ROM (Range Of Motion) is at about 60% compared to my uninjured side, but my uninjured side doesn’t have great ROM either (that is the side that I tore in my 20’s and rehabbed on my own).

So here’s the drill:

  1. Shoulder Pendulum Swings – clockwise and counter clockwise, 20 reps
  2. Shoulder circles – small then large, 20 reps each direction
  3. Lateral Rotation Stretch in abduction for 30 seconds
  4. Lateral Rotation Stretch with elbow at my side for 30 seconds
  1. Lateral Rotation in abduction using a water bottle, kneeling on the floor with elbow on desk
  2. Lateral Rotation Isometric for 20 seconds

 

02/25/2016

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Shoulder Rehab

I went to see my doctor yesterday for my 6 month diabetes checkup (it’s required by law in order for him to be able to write me a scrip for my insulin and test strips, what a load of crap).  Since I was there, I asked him about my shoulder.  He confirmed my diagnosis, and said I should be stretching it even if I do still have pain.  He said it is not uncommon for this type of injury to morph into frozen shoulder syndrome, especially for people our age and for diabetics.

Here is an awesome link that goes more in depth on what my doctor told me.  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drryan9.htm

I did one set of one stretch for each muscle, and one set of one exercise.  My shoulder seems to feel better, maybe just because the muscles are warmed up and tighter.  I held the stretches for 20 seconds each, did 12 reps for the infraspinatus and a 20 second isometric contraction for the Teres Minor.

Shoulder Rehab – 02/20/2016

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I have been doing more research, and I feel confident that I have diagnosed the muscles involved in my discomfort / restricted mobility pain. I was only half right yesterday, it’s the infraspinatus and/or the teres minor.  I have also decided that my injury is a strain, not an impingement or tendinitis.  I basically pulled a muscle.  I haven’t started with the rowing exercises yet, but I am doing the scapula mobility movements. To that I am going to add crawling.

I have a better understanding of the scapula now and I realize that it is designed to move in all directions, so some movements such as pull ups require it to be pulled to the back and down, while others such as crawling require them to be pulled forward and down with the serratus. When doing the crawl I need to make sure that my serratus are fully engaged at all times.

Here is a breakdown of the Rotator Cuff muscles:

Supraspinatus adducts the shoulder (lifts straight out to the side),

Teres Minor externally rotates the arm when bent at 90 degrees with elbow at your side,

infraspinatus rotates the arm back when bent at 90 degrees with shoulder adducted (elbow elevated),

subscapularis is the exact opposite motion as the infraspinatus – at rotates the arm forward as in a throwing motion.

Shoulder Rehab

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Back in October I was practicing doing a cat hang and managed to injure my shoulder (I’m 49). It is (was) a new move to me, so I was trying to build up a little strength and stamina by doing 3-4 sets of hanging for several seconds. I had also been doing dead hangs, not on the same days, and had run across a tutorial on proper pull up technique. So on this particular day I was hanging from the wall, and I thought perhaps my form was very good and that I should get my scapula pulled back and down. Upon doing so, I put too much stress on something in my shoulder joint and either pulled or impinged something.

Back when I was 25 or so I tore a rotator cuff, and this doesn’t feel the same. It hurts in a different place, there are many shoulder movements I am still able to do without discomfort, and the pain isn’t constant or as intense. I was able to go on my first caving adventure (Blowing Cave) in November without it really bothering me, but the last 4 weeks it seems to be getting worse. It hurts when I bend my elbow 90 degrees and externally rotate my arm. It doesn’t hurt to adduct my arm, but it really hurts to have my arm bent 90 degrees in shoulder adduction and then try to externally rotate my arm back behind my head. It feels the same way when I try to reach behind my back and scratch the opposite shoulder blade.

I spent the better part of today trying to self-diagnose it, and have come to the conclusion that it is either the infraspinatus or subscapularis, and either tendonitis or impingement. If I forcefully contract my shoulder blades (scapula) together and then perform the painful movements, it doesn’t hurt as bad.

I’m going to do a few very light strengthening exercises using those exact movements, but I will use very limited range of motion and 1-2 pound weights if any. I will also work on strengthening the other scapula muscles (think seated row and seated row with pulley at face level using a rope), some scapula mobility movements (thank you GMB), a specific rehab movement I found using centration and stabilization of the rotator cuff (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfyN1F0HCBk), and working the shoulder muscles I can that don’t cause any discomfort.

Have a Great Day!

Lubimûr

Growth

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Health Relationships Passion Growth Contribution

I am an explorer and adventurer; I am done sleepwalking through life. The work life I have been living was chosen for me by the world, I did not choose it myself. The world has no desire to see me maximize my true potential, the potential God built into my design when He created my blueprint. Doing the work I love – the work I was designed to do – is the surest way to make the impact I was uniquely designed to make.

I am done sleepwalking through life. Jesus came and started a revolution, and in no way do I feel like I have been doing anything to advance it. In fact, I barely feel like I have been a part of the revolution at all. If I have been a part of it, I have played an extremely anemic role in it. To set people free is to set them free from as many of the tyrannies as possible. The freedom of our rebellious life must entice people to want to undertake the oppression and hardship they will more than likely face once they join up and become a believer. Our joy must be apparent; our freedom from fear, our trust in God, our hope must all be of such caliber that it is alluring, enticing. Yes being set free from the tyranny of sin is enough – more than enough – and by far the most important thing to be freed from, yet there is still so much more left on the table after that point. The joy of our Lord is our strength; right now! Not after we’ve gone to be with Him. Right now!

I am done sleepwalking through life. This isn’t about being happy, although there will be times when that is the case, it’s about being passionate. There will be suck tasks, but those are just some of the means, not the entirety of it all. There will be an end in sight, it won’t be a perpetual suck. When pursuing a passion you can say “yeah this sucks, but who cares, the rest of the time this is so rocking!”

I am done sleepwalking through life. From this point forward I am living intentionally. From this point forward I am becoming fully human

– I have gotten out my old Tony Robbins series and started the first disc

– I have joined Live your Legend and downloaded the guides

– I am currently working on updating my linked in profile

– I am changing my approach to exercise by foregoing “working out” and incorporating more intentional, natural movements into my daily activity

– I am sitting less and moving more

– I am restricting sugar

– I have all but eliminated grains

– I am being more intentional about trying to connect with other men and building a community/tribe (no man is an island)

– I am saying yes to more things, even if it means neglecting certain chores

– and on and on and on

“I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” – Henry David Thoreau