Shoulder health tip for the young guns

[Jak3d]

I've battled two shoulder injuries in two years and what I've learned is take care of your damn rotator cuff.

My physiotherapist recommend that I do external rotations prior to benching or any shoulder excersises and I can say 100% that it has made a huge difference.

Stretching alone won't do shit to protect it you have to get the to get the blood flowing into your rotator cuff prior to benching....you're welcome

 

[insaiyan93]

Indeed. I do a fair bit of with resistance bands prior to lifting as partnof my warmup/mobility routine, definitely makes a difference.

 

[Ironlord]

Yep. Heavy bench and military pressing has torn my shoulders up. Now I always warm up with external rotations, and also do some rolling of a lacrosse ball in the pec insertion /delt insertion areas for a few minutes, digging in deep. Things you know at near 40 years old ,you wish you knew at 20

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

+1 on the external rotations
Ill also do maybe 100 shoulder laterals with a 5lb plate prior to chest work. Using my opposing hand to dig in to the working shoulders joint during the laterals.
No more shoulder issues.

 

[PIZZABOY]

I look like a windmill some mornings. Go do the last 20 years over.....

 

[ZDogg]

Tearing your rotator is a motherfucker, bro! I suffered a massive tear, while benching a year and a half ago. Lost close to a year, of real workouts during recovery, about 100-150lbs on all my big lifts, and I have been told to not do flat bench again.. listen to your body, especially with shoulders.. don't try to be a tough guy and work through the pain, if you feel something.. mobility and warm ups are super key.. I had to learn the hard way, and wouldn't wish that shit on anyone.. i do 15 mins of internals, externals, face pulls, and warm up sets on shoulder and chest day.. it makes all the difference in the world.. strengthening those rotator muscles is also super important.. we all worry about our Delts, for asthetics, but your rotators are more important for shoulder health, which I found out is way more important.. one fucking Bench Press is going to affect the rest of my days in the gym.

 

[Jak3d]

Tearing your rotator is a motherfucker, bro! I suffered a massive tear, while benching a year and a half ago. Lost close to a year, of real workouts during recovery, about 100-150lbs on all my big lifts, and I have been told to not do flat bench again.. listen to your body, especially with shoulders.. don't try to be a tough guy and work through the pain, if you feel something.. mobility and warm ups are super key.. I had to learn the hard way, and wouldn't wish that shit on anyone.. i do 15 mins of internals, externals, face pulls, and warm up sets on shoulder and chest day.. it makes all the difference in the world.. strengthening those rotator muscles is also super important.. we all worry about our Delts, for asthetics, but your rotators are more important for shoulder health, which I found out is way more important.. one fucking Bench Press is going to affect the rest of my days in the gym.

Tears are worse then a break in a bone. I had a partial tear on my right one two years ago and I didn't learn my lesson till fucked up my left one.

 

[ZDogg]

Tears are worse then a break in a bone. I had a partial tear on my right one two years ago and I didn't learn my lesson till fucked up my left one.

A lot worse, bro! They told me I'd be back in the gym in 4-6 months. Their idea of "back" and mine were 2 totally different things. They meant light band work, and 5lb dumbbells, I pictured deadlifts and power cleans.. it was over a year before I was doing pretty good, and even at a year and a half, I'm not 100% and may never be. Plus I'm scared to death to do it again. I'll take the hit on strength to never have to go through that shoulder rehab again! Everyone told me the surgery and pain were bad, which I didn't think we're all that bad, but the rehab is hell! Especially if you want it back as close to 100%, as possible..

If you wanna listen to some pretty interesting stuff on ortho, Joe Rogan had a Dr. named Roddy McGhee, on his podcast, on a couple of weeks ago. He had a bunch of shit about stem cell, prp treatments, and ortho in general. It was pretty good.

 

[Jak3d]

Ya the pain you feel when he digs his fingers and elbow as hard as he can into your tendon will give the biggest man watery eyes lol

 

[ZDogg]

The pain of tearing that fucker in half is even worse! I thought mine dislocated, the pop was so bad of those tendons giving out.. then not being able to lift my hand higher than my belly button, for 3 months, before surgery was brutal..

I can't stress joint care enough to you younger guys! I promise you'll regret, not taking care of them, when you hit your mid 30's, if you don't!!

 

[DonQKong]

Good thread OP, a lot of hard earned wisdom here

 

[Jim Lahey]

This is good advice, my doctors have suggested the same things. Ive suffered from 2 should dislocations in the past 12 weeks but luckily nothing has been torn apart, I had one major shoulder surgery about 7 years ago which tore my right shoulder into pieces, be careful boys.

 

[DrankSlangin]

After experiencing a steady pain in my left rotator cuff for a few weeks, a 20min daily combo of both shoulder exercises and stretching has helped me significantly. Been holding a broomstick in front with arms extended and relaxed grip, very slowly rotate over the head and back. After a few reps I go in line with mid back. 20 slow reps before and after external rotations seem to really get the blood flowing

 

[SickeningSkittles]

external rotations with a cable to the side or with a dumbell standing straight up with your arm parallel to the floor

 

[S.A.M.]

I injured my rotator cuff sometime last fall and went to therapy before Xmas. Been going really light since and no shoulder exercises (other than what the therapist gave me to do). The few times I tried to go heavier caused a relapse.

 

[ZDogg]

You get an MRI @S.A.M. ??

 

[ZDogg]

If you aren't any better, by this point, I would be trying to get one.. if it's something that's going to require surgery, you may as well start rolling that direction.. I spent a year and a half rehabbing a shoulder injury, sounds similar to yours, only to suffer a massive tear, with surgery as my only option.. I'm right at 3 years from my original injury, now, and my shoulder is just getting right... a lot of PT's don't know shit. I'd talk to an ortho, if I were in that situation, again..

 

[S.A.M.]

No MRI. Therapist said unless it's a complete tear and in need of surgery (said it would be pretty obvious) the rehab was the same and figured that's why the dr just sent me to rehab without tests. Doesn't feel too bad now. But I'm learey of trying to lift heavy and it does hurt to sleep on my right side.

 

[Jak3d]

No MRI. Therapist said unless it's a complete tear and in need of surgery (said it would be pretty obvious) the rehab was the same and figured that's why the dr just sent me to rehab without tests. Doesn't feel too bad now. But I'm learey of trying to lift heavy and it does hurt to sleep on my right side.

Sleeping on your hurt shoulder is probaly worse then lifting heavy with it man. You're putting all that weight on it for hours at a time doing that.

 

[S.A.M.]

Y

Sleeping on your hurt shoulder is probaly worse then lifting heavy with it man. You're putting all that weight on it for hours at a time doing that.

Ya I definetly don't stay on it long. It hurts pretty much right away. I try sleeping on my back with a pillow under my arm as recommended front my therapist.