Coming back from shoulder injurys, trying to regain strength for pullups

[hurricane]

Hello Mark,
I am newly registered memeber from northern ireland and used to really enjoy my weight lifting. Until 3 or four years ago I suffered a tear of my superspinatus, to cut a long story short I never got surgery I needed due to the health service in this country and shortly after the initial injury, I suffered some damamge to the other shoulder. I am in my 20's, very young for this sort of injury but my physipotherapists put it down to hooked acromium bones, impingement and having an extremely large upper back from deadlifting which meant i fount it hard to keep my shoulder back to avoid impingment.

Anyway, I have rehabed myself back from, not being able to lift my right arm above my head to being able to press over 60 kilo's over my head for reps. I weigh 70 kilo's on the button, I still get the od ache and twinge, but I can live with that. I just want to try to increase my strength as I am finding the stronger I am getting, the less pain I am feeling.

I suffer from impingement when bench pressing on the shoulder I did most damage to, its simple impingement I think but I can complete the reps, just feels funny. Any suggestions on how to help cure this without going for a subacromial decompression?

Another question I have is, I am back to doing pullups, I only have about half the strength and endurance I once had, this is the exercise that injured my shoulders to start with. I can complete a 5 x 5 routine on pullups with ease, I can also complete a 3 x 8 routine with ease but this is nowhere near what I was once able to do.

I have been practicing on a lat pulldown machine and I find, the initial pull down of the weight is fine but when releasing the weight back down to its original position is where my weakness is! I feel shakey, very shuddery and unstable, I get the exact same feeling when bench pressing, just as I lift the bar of the rack, I feel an instability in my upperback/shoulders.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Hello Mark,
I am newly registered memeber from northern ireland and used to really enjoy my weight lifting. Until 3 or four years ago I suffered a tear of my superspinatus, to cut a long story short I never got surgery I needed due to the health service in this country and shortly after the initial injury, I suffered some damamge to the other shoulder. I am in my 20's, very young for this sort of injury but my physipotherapists put it down to hooked acromium bones, impingement and having an extremely large upper back from deadlifting which meant i fount it hard to keep my shoulder back to avoid impingment.

How was the tear diagnosed in a country enable to perform the surgery?

I suffer from impingement when bench pressing on the shoulder I did most damage to, its simple impingement I think but I can complete the reps, just feels funny. Any suggestions on how to help cure this without going for a subacromial decompression?

How much weight are you benching without any symptoms?

Another question I have is, I am back to doing pullups, I only have about half the strength and endurance I once had, this is the exercise that injured my shoulders to start with.

How did you injure your shoulders doing pullups?

I have been practicing on a lat pulldown machine and I find, the initial pull down of the weight is fine but when releasing the weight back down to its original position is where my weakness is! I feel shakey, very shuddery and unstable, I get the exact same feeling when bench pressing, just as I lift the bar of the rack, I feel an instability in my upperback/shoulders.

What grip are you using?

[hurricane]

The tear was diagnosed via an MRI scan I had to pay for myself. However in ireland, we are taxed heavily to pay for our health service, this is a con though as the waiting lists are so huge you never get seen unless you have been shot or hit by a car.

I can bench 65 - 70 kilos BUT if my shoulders/lower traps are not tucked perfectly together to pull my shoulders back, I suffer impigement, followed by inflammtion for a day or two.

I injured my shoulders, I belive from using too wide a grip which put too much stress on my RC.

The grip I am using is about 1inch wider than my shoulders.

thanks for your time!

[Mark Rippetoe]

My standard recommendation is to lay off the bench for a few months, press and chin instead. But you mention problems will all movements. You'll have to do the ones that hurt the least and train through it.

[hurricane]

My standard recommendation is to lay off the bench for a few months, press and chin instead. But you mention problems will all movements. You'll have to do the ones that hurt the least and train through it.

I have a hooked acromium and am unable to do ANY lateral movements. I have been suffering like this for the guts of 3 years and laid for for a full year recently and only got back to it. Would you reccomend going for a decompression?

thankyou

[Mark Rippetoe]

I believe the procedure is called an "acromioplasty". I am not familiar with the decompression. What are "lateral" movements?

[hurricane]

I believe the procedure is called an "acromioplasty". I am not familiar with the decompression. What are "lateral" movements?

Hey mark,
I believe the acromioplasty and the decompression are the same procedure, the aim is make more room inside the shoulder.

What I mean by lateral is, I cannot lift my arms to the side without feeling pain when they reach the horizontal, I hear popping and crunching. With my thumb pointing down, I simply cannot get near the horiztonal without that teribble impingeing feeling, when my thumg is pointing up, I find it a bit easier but cannot do it weight weights.

Have you had an acromioplasty mark or know any lfiters who have succesfully returned to weight lifting after this surgery?

thankyou

[Mark Rippetoe]

You can't do lateral dumbbell flyes? Well, that's the end of it. Back to ping pong for you, because YOU, my friend, are fucked. Once this happens, it's over. If they do ANY surgery on your shoulders AT ALL, you are pretty much limited to just sitting with your hands folded quietly. There are no examples of anyone returning to weight-lifting after shoulder surgery. A search of this board would be pointless, because I am telling you here and now that IT CANNOT BE DONE. Sorry.

[hurricane]

Hey mark,
Nice bit of sarcasm there lol

What I meant to say was, do you know anyone suffering similar problems who had an acromioplasty and returned to lift weights at the level they did pre injury?

Like I said, I cannot do lateral dumbell flys, with my thumb point down espically.
When I raise my arms with my thumb pointing up it is easier and more mobile.

I was however able to press my bodyweight above my head today......