Rotator Cuff/Shoulder question..

Printable View

06-15-2022, 10:29 AM
aschaul10

Rotator Cuff/Shoulder question..

One year ago I had a rod put in my arm as I severely fractured by humerus. The rotator cuff was torn in the process (I believe to get the rod in) along with issues in biceps/triceps. Long story short, as I've been working through NLP my right arm has definitely been weaker but getting stronger (for example, it shakes a bit on working benches and presses), but doesn't "hurt". I can do full depth dips without pain as well as squat and deadlift. However, when I do chin-ups, I get a numbness/sharp pain that feels like it runs from behind my shoulder almost to my tricep area. It isn't debilitating by any stretch, but I can definitely feel it for a while after doing sets of chin-ups. What is the likely culprit? I'm thinking rotator cuff, but I am terrible with anatomy. The pain doesn't last that much longer, and I have been gradually getting stronger with chins, so my question is, should I keep doing them despite some pain, or hold off for a while?
06-22-2022, 02:04 PM
aschaul10

Quote:

Originally Posted by aschaul10

One year ago I had a rod put in my arm as I severely fractured by humerus. The rotator cuff was torn in the process (I believe to get the rod in) along with issues in biceps/triceps. Long story short, as I've been working through NLP my right arm has definitely been weaker but getting stronger (for example, it shakes a bit on working benches and presses), but doesn't "hurt". I can do full depth dips without pain as well as squat and deadlift. However, when I do chin-ups, I get a numbness/sharp pain that feels like it runs from behind my shoulder almost to my tricep area. It isn't debilitating by any stretch, but I can definitely feel it for a while after doing sets of chin-ups. What is the likely culprit? I'm thinking rotator cuff, but I am terrible with anatomy. The pain doesn't last that much longer, and I have been gradually getting stronger with chins, so my question is, should I keep doing them despite some pain, or hold off for a while?

Just circling back on this to see if anyone had any input. Did chins again today and the pain does not seem to be getting better. Coming from an odd area, feels like "deep" inside my armpit almost. Wondering what the best course of action would be.
06-22-2022, 06:41 PM
Mark Rippetoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by aschaul10

Wondering what the best course of action would be.

Continue to train.
06-23-2022, 06:44 PM
VNV

And experiment with hand position. Does the pain change as you narrow or widen your chin grip?
06-23-2022, 08:51 PM
Mark Rippetoe

Find a lat machine and rehab it on that.
06-29-2022, 11:19 AM
aschaul10

Quote:

Originally Posted by VNV

And experiment with hand position. Does the pain change as you narrow or widen your chin grip?

That's some good feedback. I will try that next session.

I tried doing chins today at the end of the session and had to cut it way short due to pretty sharp pain in the same areas mentioned before. Nothing changed with form or grip or anything, however I played 6 games of softball last weekend and was throwing overhand (I can still barely throw overhand, maybe 20% of the strength I had prior to surgery throwing) and my arm was relatively sore. Bad idea, I know. It's extremely frustrating, being a year post-op and still having pain when sleeping on that side, throwing a ball, or doing chins. I can hear it make cracking/popping sounds several times as I go through a throwing motion. Surprisingly, I can still throw fastpitch softball underhand at nearly the same velocity I could before the surgery - I never realized just how different the mechanics of overhand vs underhand throwing were.

The good news is that it doesn't seem to be impacting any of the big 4 lifts other than some general soreness after doing squats and the lacking flexibility.