Dr says no upper body exercise, Help???
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You didn't "put yourself in this situation". You have a sore shoulder and you sought medical help in a reasonable time frame. Follow the doctor and PT's instructions and you'll recover from this with increased knowledge about how to protect your shoulders in the future. Good luck!1
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Thanks for the suggestions. I hate that I put myself in this situation. I did not know I had a shoulder impingement until this week. Although I felt pain, I just pushed through it until it got to the point where I had no choice but to seek medical attention. I have been referred to physical therapy, but I have not had my first appointment yet.
The lesson you should draw from this is that "pushing through pain" isn't a great idea. I hope if you ignore your doctor's advice and the advice of those on this thread and try to use your shoulder before it's healed, that you will recognize that any pain you experience is your body telling you to stop.I just don't want to lose the momentum or injure myself further.
Unfortunately, you seem to be defining "not losing momentum" in a way that is inconsistent with not injuring yourself further. Let your shoulder heal. As others have noted, injuring it further will only mean being out of commission for exercise longer.It's taking a lot of effort to get this far. I want to stay consistent and continue to push further. So the suggestions really do help.
See above on the subject of pushing when you are in pain (which can indicate you have already injured your body).
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Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.1
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rheddmobile wrote: »Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.
Because it's a question for her doctor and PT. Not for strangers on the internet.
Now, if her PT had said.... you can do X, Y, or Z. and the question was what is your preferred exercise then helpful answers would be possible.3 -
I've had injuries over the years and been referred to physical therapy, too. Technically, the physical therapy is going to be a form of exercise and will help you stabilize then improve your range of motion, etc. Remember, you're in this for the long haul and you'll just need some patience. A year from now you'll see this was just a blip in your progress. Keep up with logging calories and you'll continue losing weight. Good luck!0
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rheddmobile wrote: »Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.
She has a referral to PT--she should wait to hear what the PT says before trying to do anything else with her shoulder.2 -
rheddmobile wrote: »Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.
She has a referral to PT--she should wait to hear what the PT says before trying to do anything else with her shoulder.
She didn't ask what she could do with her shoulder or anything connected to her shoulder.2 -
I've had shoulder impingement and shoulder surgery in both shoulders. The surgeries and related complications were pretty miserable so I hope that the rest and PT helps you avoid that. You have learned a valuable thing now, and that's how important it is to listen to those strange pains and feelings that something isn't right. That's a good thing!
I wish you the best of luck. Try to be patient and follow the directions they give you.
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It's a common thing to get a bit crazy about exercising.
You need to relax and give your body time to heal.
In the meantime you can do cardio and leg exercises that don't stress your shoulders.
There will be plenty of time in your life to train your upper body once it heals.1 -
rheddmobile wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.
She has a referral to PT--she should wait to hear what the PT says before trying to do anything else with her shoulder.
She didn't ask what she could do with her shoulder or anything connected to her shoulder.
Having been through shoulder recovery, until the PT give recommendations she should do nothing with her upper body that can be avoided.
That includes cooking and getting things off of a high shelf.3 -
ladyhusker39 wrote: »Its not partly on you, it's all on you. You went against doctors instructions and didn't what you shouldn't have done. Now you're in a much worse spot. Keep going with your plan and you'll end up with surgery and that will really put a damper on your momentum.
I was just diagnosed by the doctor this week. So I did not go against doctor's instructions, I have not done any upper body work since the doctor told me not to. As disappointing as it is to not finish a program I started, the last thing I want to do is put myself in a situation where I would need surgery
Sorry, I misinterpreted your original comments. Lots of times people will ignore the wrong kind of pain thinking they need to just push through it. It sounds like you didn't know what what going on with your shoulder. My apologies.3 -
ladyhusker39 wrote: »ladyhusker39 wrote: »Its not partly on you, it's all on you. You went against doctors instructions and didn't what you shouldn't have done. Now you're in a much worse spot. Keep going with your plan and you'll end up with surgery and that will really put a damper on your momentum.
I was just diagnosed by the doctor this week. So I did not go against doctor's instructions, I have not done any upper body work since the doctor told me not to. As disappointing as it is to not finish a program I started, the last thing I want to do is put myself in a situation where I would need surgery
Sorry, I misinterpreted your original comments. Lots of times people will ignore the wrong kind of pain thinking they need to just push through it. It sounds like you didn't know what what going on with your shoulder. My apologies.
I had no idea. The pain came and went initially and was tolerable. I tried icy hot and the foam roller and kept going. Now the pain is constant. I should have done something about it as soon as it started.0 -
sunfastrose wrote: »FOLLOW. DOCTOR'S. ORDERS.
Honestly. Don't risk long term problems for short term "gains".
This!! What would possess you to ask this on a public forum instead of discussing it with your doctor? smh1 -
rheddmobile wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.
She has a referral to PT--she should wait to hear what the PT says before trying to do anything else with her shoulder.
She didn't ask what she could do with her shoulder or anything connected to her shoulder.
Thank you. Upper body is off limits. I was looking for ideas to stay active that would not involve my shoulder.0 -
rheddmobile wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.
She has a referral to PT--she should wait to hear what the PT says before trying to do anything else with her shoulder.
She didn't ask what she could do with her shoulder or anything connected to her shoulder.
Thank you. Upper body is off limits. I was looking for ideas to stay active that would not put stress on my shoulder.
It still seems like something that would best be discussed with the treating physician. Just tell him/her what your goals are and ask for suggestions.1 -
ladyhusker39 wrote: »ladyhusker39 wrote: »Its not partly on you, it's all on you. You went against doctors instructions and didn't what you shouldn't have done. Now you're in a much worse spot. Keep going with your plan and you'll end up with surgery and that will really put a damper on your momentum.
I was just diagnosed by the doctor this week. So I did not go against doctor's instructions, I have not done any upper body work since the doctor told me not to. As disappointing as it is to not finish a program I started, the last thing I want to do is put myself in a situation where I would need surgery
Sorry, I misinterpreted your original comments. Lots of times people will ignore the wrong kind of pain thinking they need to just push through it. It sounds like you didn't know what what going on with your shoulder. My apologies.
I had no idea. The pain came and went initially and was tolerable. I tried icy hot and the foam roller and kept going. Now the pain is constant. I should have done something about it as soon as it started.
As a newer exerciser, one of the really important things many of us learn is about the difference between soreness/discomfort and pain/injury - how it feels.
You've gotten that useful lesson, and it sounds like you've probably caught it in time to avoid major long-term consequences - at least we hope so.
Assuming you get a good physical therapist, they can be so helpful - near miraculous, even. I'm not saying results will come fast, but that you'll learn lots about how to improve, and how to avoid future problems. PT is good stuff.
They will give you exercises, certainly some you'll do there with them, and eventually ones to do on your own. If they don't offer on their own, I'd recommend asking at each visit "What stretches/exercises can I be doing on my own? Do you have suggestions about how I can do daily activities in ways that are less risky for me? Is there anything I should avoid?", etc.
PTs see a lot of clients who don't/won't work on their own, so they may be less forthcoming if you don't ask. You, by contrast, are highly motivated and will follow through. Help them to know this by asking questions, pick their brains, and on the next visit ask follow-ups. Doing this will help you get the most out of your PT.
Best wishes for speedy recovery!
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rheddmobile wrote: »rheddmobile wrote: »Why is everyone putting words in the OP's mouth? She never said she intends to ignore her doctor's orders or use her shoulder. She asked for appropriate exercises that don't use her shoulder, and she has gotten pretty much zero help.
She has a referral to PT--she should wait to hear what the PT says before trying to do anything else with her shoulder.
She didn't ask what she could do with her shoulder or anything connected to her shoulder.
Thank you. Upper body is off limits. I was looking for ideas to stay active that would not involve my shoulder.
I wouldn't do anything other than what the doctor/PT affirmatively clear you for, because there's really no way to completely isolate your shoulder when you are moving the rest of your body, even when it's a movement we tend to think of being "waist-down." When you walk or run, you usually swing your arms. Cycling you generally lean forward on your arms on the handlebars. Even people on recumbent bikes tend to push alternating shoulders forward with each leg stroke. I would note down the suggestions here that interest you, and specifically ask the doctor or PT (I hope we're talking physical therapist, not personal trainer) whether they are OK at this point.0 -
DebLaBounty wrote: »I've had injuries over the years and been referred to physical therapy, too. Technically, the physical therapy is going to be a form of exercise and will help you stabilize then improve your range of motion, etc. Remember, you're in this for the long haul and you'll just need some patience. A year from now you'll see this was just a blip in your progress. Keep up with logging calories and you'll continue losing weight. Good luck!
This. I injured my shoulder bench pressing a couple of years ago. Without warning. Stopped immediately. Saw a physical therapist within a few days. He gave me a program for rehab. Self directed therapy for 6 months. Then went back to light presses and am working my way back. Patience is key. And I don't do burpees at boot camp, even now (because I can feel the stresses they generate in the shoulder). I take a rest period and watch the youngsters do them.0 -
DebLaBounty wrote: »I've had injuries over the years and been referred to physical therapy, too. Technically, the physical therapy is going to be a form of exercise and will help you stabilize then improve your range of motion, etc. Remember, you're in this for the long haul and you'll just need some patience. A year from now you'll see this was just a blip in your progress. Keep up with logging calories and you'll continue losing weight. Good luck!
^ This! Physical Therapy will determine what upper body exercises will be safe for you to do and when. They'll make sure you understand proper form and how to gradually build up the strength to get back to what you want to do but without the pain. It takes time, but it's worth it in the end.
I had a triceps injury that went from elbow to shoulder a couple of years ago and my range of motion was very limited at first -- I spent half of a year in physical therapy, continued my at-home exercises on my own for the next half of the year, and by the time a full year had passed since injuring myself, I was able to do things I hadn't even been able to do before my injury. I was amazed at how well physical therapy had really helped me not only on the path to recovery but also on the path to progress. I'd wanted to quit therapy so many times during those 6 months because recovery was rough, but I'm glad I stuck with it because I've come out the other side of it so much stronger.
So, my advice is just to wait and work things out with your physical therapist. I know how incredibly frustrating it can be to be slowed down by an injury, but patience will provide the better outcome.2 -
I bought an excercise bike when I had my shoulder op. (6th March and only can only just get my arm behind me to undo my bra now!) Don't ignore advice, I did and it did me no favours!1
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