Shoulder Impingement...does it ever really recover?

[SquidWeaselYay]

I am SO frustrated. 2/3 of the past 3 years, I have sustained broken bones in my feet that prematurely ended my ski seasons. Well, I've seen specialists, taken care of my feet like they are the crown jewels, and was getting back into shape (never got back to being as fit as I was pre-injury marathon 3 years ago) to have my best ski year yet this season.

I was doing the 21 Day Fix videos as part of my workout routine, and after 2 months ended up getting a cortisone shot in my shoulder for impingement syndrome. I've been religiously doing the PT exercises and have been taking it easy, avoiding shoulder exercises until i had no more pain whatsoever. Well, I went back to my workouts this week, and after doing just 2 plank exercises, my shoulder joint is burning and stiff again. It has been a month since the impingement diagnosis, and I've done everything I was supposed to do. I feel like I am back almost to square one, except this time I can still move my arm at least. The first time, I couldn't move it at all without excruciating pain, not even to pull my pants up or brush my hair.

Has anybody else had this injury? How long did your recovery take? Any tips to speed this up? I'm just so tired of the constant injuries. I don't understand why this keeps happening. I'm 33, in reasonably good shape (I usually exercise 3-5 times per week), and I eat well. I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do to stay healthy and injury free. Sorry for the rant, but I had a frustration-cry that didn't help, so I figured I'd see f anybody has any wisdom for me.

 

[kiki]

#1 - Hang in there.

Brainstorming idea: I use a lot of alternative therapies--acupuncture, naturepath, herbal teas etc, not for everyone but it can help.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

#1 - Hang in there.

Brainstorming idea: I use a lot of alternative therapies--acupuncture, naturepath, herbal teas etc, not for everyone but it can help.

I'll try anything. I'm so sick of always being injured. I've been taking collagen and arnica for the injury itself. I don't know any good acupuncturists in the area, but I will look into that. My health insurance just starting covering acupuncture, might as well give it a whirl. Any suggestions on supplements, I'm all ears.

 

[marzNC]

I don't know any good acupuncturists in the area, but I will look into that. My health insurance just starting covering acupuncture, might as well give it a whirl.

A good Chinese medicine practitioner who does acupuncture also knows a lot about suggesting herbal medicines. Just remember that the approach takes time and consistency to be the most effective. It's taken years for your body to reach it's current state. To make a long term change will take some patience. But I understand that's tough at your age.

The acupuncturist who treated my parents as seniors over 80 thought the ideal way to start treatment for a major issue was weekly sessions for 12 weeks. We found that 8 weeks could be enough with bi-weekly sessions for another 4-6 weeks.

I've been doing what I call "tune up" acupuncture monthly for a dozen years. When I injured my knee (not skiing, ruptured ACL, damage meniscus, strained MCL) I went twice a week for a couple weeks, then weekly for about a month. I have no doubt it speeded up the healing process.

 

[kiki]

A calcium magnesium supplement is always a safe bet. Maybe a multi mineral as well. Baths with epson salts.
Acupuncture is not as scary as it sounds, it's worth it for the relief!
Most of all keep visualizing yourself healthy and well and skiing

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

A calcium magnesium supplement is always a safe bet. Maybe a multi mineral as well. Baths with epson salts.
Acupuncture is not as scary as it sounds, it's worth it for the relief!
Most of all keep visualizing yourself healthy and well and skiing

Thanks for the suggestion, I'm going to look it up on Amazon. I wish I had a bathtub. We have two showers in our house, but no tub. Thankfully, needles don't bother me at all. The biggest barrier will be fitting it into my crazy work schedule.

 

[Powgirl]

I have shoulder impingement as well....I've had it for several years. What's helped me the most is daily fish oil...it also helps my bad knees and sore feet. I also get into the swimming pool and gently work the bad shoulder.

I can't recommend an anti-inflammatory diet enough...really helps with joint and muscle pain/injuries. What you feed your body makes a difference.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

Looked up the anti inflammatory diet. I already eat like that 80% of the time.... I do have some beer or gin on the weekends. Maybe I should add more turmeric to my cooking.

 

[Gloria]

Did you do anything to your shoulder -like fall on it - or is it purely from your workouts? If it’s purely from working out you probably still need to work on strengthening the muscles in your back that stabilize the scapula. If planks are hurting you may need to go back to your PT and have them help you with engaging the correct muscles as well as an appropriate level to do them at. As in against a wall on a bench etc until you get strong enough to do them on a floor. If you injured it somehow and it’s not getting better an MRI might be a good idea. The shoulder is an insanely complex joint and sometimes really hard to know what exactly is going on without one.

 

[Jilly]

My Chiropractor does acupuncture. She's good! So check with yours.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

Did you do anything to your shoulder -like fall on it - or is it purely from your workouts? If it’s purely from working out you probably still need to work on strengthening the muscles in your back that stabilize the scapula. If planks are hurting you may need to go back to your PT and have them help you with engaging the correct muscles as well as an appropriate level to do them at. As in against a wall on a bench etc until you get strong enough to do them on a floor. If you injured it somehow and it’s not getting better an MRI might be a good idea. The shoulder is an insanely complex joint and sometimes really hard to know what exactly is going on without one.

I may have injured it a little when I was working on a diesel engine. I was shoulder deep trying to break a bolt loose with all my might. Then the next few days, I pushed myself harder in my workouts to do a few more burpees per circuit. I've never had shoulder issues before this, and I strength train regularly. Planks have never been an issue before now. I'm thinking that you are right about not engaging the right muscles in some of the exercises. There is one move where you start in high plank, then go down to your elbows and back up for 60 seconds straight. That one was hard, I probably lost my form on it. Ugh.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

My Chiropractor does acupuncture. She's good! So check with yours.

Hm.... I've never seen a chiropractor. Maybe I should find one.

 

[Jilly]

Ask around first. My gal actually studied at U of Chicago for med school. Not actually sure of happenings, but she has a teenager and no husband.....only person I trust with my neck!!

 

[Obrules15]

This is a longer term injury. Mine has taken about a year to recover and is still a work in progress.

In addition to your alternative therapies think about your micro-nutrients (collagen needs copper and vitamin c, some suggest MSM or sulfur, biosil is also interesting). Don't know if those things actually help, but if used in a reasonable manner they won't hurt.

Also, I keep exacerbating my shoulder by sleeping on it (I've yet to figure out an effective deterrent) so it might help to figure out if your sleeping position is making things worse.

 

[Little Lightning]

Last year I wound up with shoulder impingement after finger surgery. My hand PT said "6 months, go get massages". With PT, massage, lots of a product called Bio Freeze and the expertise of my personal trainer my shoulder was fine after....6 months!

 

[KBee]

I am SO frustrated. 2/3 of the past 3 years, I have sustained broken bones in my feet that prematurely ended my ski seasons. Well, I've seen specialists, taken care of my feet like they are the crown jewels, and was getting back into shape (never got back to being as fit as I was pre-injury marathon 3 years ago) to have my best ski year yet this season.

I was doing the 21 Day Fix videos as part of my workout routine, and after 2 months ended up getting a cortisone shot in my shoulder for impingement syndrome. I've been religiously doing the PT exercises and have been taking it easy, avoiding shoulder exercises until i had no more pain whatsoever. Well, I went back to my workouts this week, and after doing just 2 plank exercises, my shoulder joint is burning and stiff again. It has been a month since the impingement diagnosis, and I've done everything I was supposed to do. I feel like I am back almost to square one, except this time I can still move my arm at least. The first time, I couldn't move it at all without excruciating pain, not even to pull my pants up or brush my hair.

Has anybody else had this injury? How long did your recovery take? Any tips to speed this up? I'm just so tired of the constant injuries. I don't understand why this keeps happening. I'm 33, in reasonably good shape (I usually exercise 3-5 times per week), and I eat well. I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do to stay healthy and injury free. Sorry for the rant, but I had a frustration-cry that didn't help, so I figured I'd see f anybody has any wisdom for me.

I've had an impingement that ended up being a huge calcium deposit (calcific tendinitis).It burned and was chronic. After many rounds of ineffective PT, it was fixed with surgery. But I ended up over medicated afterwards, and it froze (I basically slept 3 days from the anesthesia). Long story short, 2 surgeries, and demanding 100% recovery from the best sports oriented orthopedic surgeon, and PTs I could find. I am 100% fixed, and can now make snow angels all day. Before surgery I was at the point of tears just doing normal activities like dishes and grocery shopping, though. It was not a livable condition, and I was very committed to healing.

 

[KBee]

Oh, and I find that any beach body stuff has me badly injured before I'm 1/3 through with it.

 

[Gloria]

I may have injured it a little when I was working on a diesel engine. I was shoulder deep trying to break a bolt loose with all my might. Then the next few days, I pushed myself harder in my workouts to do a few more burpees per circuit. I've never had shoulder issues before this, and I strength train regularly. Planks have never been an issue before now. I'm thinking that you are right about not engaging the right muscles in some of the exercises. There is one move where you start in high plank, then go down to your elbows and back up for 60 seconds straight. That one was hard, I probably lost my form on it. Ugh.

I would suspect one of these to be true, either an injury or poor mechanics. From my experience shoulder impingement rehab typically involves some type of horizontal pressing in prone format to help stabilize the scapula and push the ball of the shoulder farther back into the socket where it belongs. So if these are the exercises that are aggravating it might be worth looking into sooner than later. Good luck!

 

[KBee]

And what I meant to say late, late, last night was that I'd see a very good shoulder specialist, and a very good sports oriented PT where you actually go in 3 x a week, (or whatever they recommend) and be careful with any Beachbody products. I've been injured every attempt on those.

 

[MI-skier]

Hm.... I've never seen a chiropractor. Maybe I should find one.

I'm a chiropractor and have great success adjusting shoulders and correcting issues that cause shoulder problems. If you pm your town and zipcode I can see if there are chiropractors I know.