Sore Shoulder

[gallo_blanco]

My lifts are going well over all. The belt - once I got over the idea that it still fells like I am cheating - has helped a lot and, you were right, the midsection DOES feel a bit more work after heavy squats. Thank you, Coach.

Unfortunately, I am not fairing so well with day to day activities. I slipped when climbing down from a vehicle at drill last weekend, caught myself with one arm, and, now, feel a rather persistent soreness in my anterior deltoid region. This last weekend, I went mountain biking and took a couple of spills in some technical areas and found myself going end over end twice. I now have a nice cut on my right pinky and poison ivy showing her ugly face all over my left arm...apparently that was the foliage that broke my fall...

The cut and poison ivy I can deal with...although it's messing with my grip on my deads. I am so close to breaking 400 on my working sets! I failed when my hands were all sweaty and the bar slipped a bit on rep 3 and rolled up the bandaid and skin at the cut.

My main concern is my shoulder....sorry took so long to get to it...felt like telling a story. For most motions, there is no pain, restriction, or problems at all. When I raise my arm up to the front quickly, it's almost painful. Last week during the Press, I cut my sets short because something just didn't feel right...it felt empty. It's hard to explain. I was able to press 145 overhead for 3 at a time, and felt no issues with any warm-ups, but, pushing the fourth or fifth brought on a lot of pressure in that area of my shoulder. Today catching a toy my son threw at me almost hurt when I raised my arm quickly, too. It doesn't happen very often and is not persistent or regular at all. That is why it is confusing me. It was constantly sore throughout the next day at work after the drill weekend, but, went away after one day.

After doing a little surfing on the net, it's caused me to wonder if I may have suffered a minor dislocation during my fall. Can anyone tell me how it has felt after they have dislocated their shoulder? Does this sound like something that is easily taken care of or can I talk my wife out of setting up that doctor's appointment that I really don't want to go to?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You may have a supraspinatus tear. Might as well get it over with and go get it looked at. It may be something that heals, or it may be something that will be there a while, but either way you want to know. Especially if it affects work and they want to pay to have it fixed, if it needs fixing.

[Tiburon]

You may have a supraspinatus tear.

Yes, sounds like a rotator cuff issue. I am dealing with this myself, and have really benefited doing presses on the Starr rehab. Start with LOW weight - you might be surprised how hard a set of 20 reps can be, even with a low weight of like 15 to 20 pounds. (PM me for more info.)

[gallo_blanco]

Doc said it was only a minor dislocation. It appears I've stretched and bruised some items around my acromion and my bicep tendon. Should be completely gone within 2 weeks.

So, on we go! 400+ on DL and Squats this week.