Shoulder Impingement Problem

MamaOne13

So I first want to say that I've been to a physical therapist and a chiropractor for a shoulder problem I've had for almost 3 years now... But was never really given advice on what to do for it.

The chiropractor said I most likely have a subscapular Impingement based on where the pain and tightness is originating from.

Has anyone else dealt with this? I've looked it up and most articles I've read say to strengthen the internal rotators...

But if anyone else has dealt with a similar problem... What did you do? How long before you noticed an improvement?

Kind of fed up with this injury 😐

swirlybee

Back in late 2018, I had some pain in my subscapular that progressed to shoulder impingement and then full on frozen shoulder. Got surgery back in June 2019. I'm at about 90% recovered in terms of my range of motion. I still can't put my hand up behind my back and I still have a problem with what I think it's called medial internal rotation.

Prior to surgery, my physical therapist had me try all sorts of exercises. Nothing helped. Wall walks, arm circles, towel stretches, resistance band exercises, etc.

My case was pretty bad that there's no way I could've lasted 3 years. The pain was just that horrible.

How far up your side can you lift your arm?

MamaOne13

Oh man... I'm sorry!!

I pretty much have full range of motion. I just go through each day feeling like there's a pinch or that a muscle is tight/weak/inflamed.

L1zardQueen

Today, I had an injection of cortisone into the shoulder joint under X-ray by an orthopedic doctor and now I feel so much better. Finally. I wouldn’t fool around with chiropractors, there maybe some good ones out there but I haven’t found them. My shoulder got so bad I couldn’t turn my wrist to read my watch or wash my hair. It took me almost 4 weeks before I could get this appointment because of the COVID virus.

Get to a medical doctor. Hopefully it does not get worse for you. Hugs

spiriteagle99

I had a shoulder issue a few years ago. Two things affected it: 1) I had a couple of falls where I rolled hard onto my left shoulder. Then 2) I did a push-up challenge where I overstressed my arms and shoulders for about 3 weeks before I had to stop. There was a lot of pain with certain movements and I got so I couldn't lift my arm. The doctor wasn't sure whether it was bursitis or a torn rotator. He gave me a cortisone shot (twice) in case it was bursitis. That did nothing. So I went to a physical therapist for a few months. Progress was very slow but it did get a little better. I stopped seeing the PT after a while and continued the exercises on my own. I'd say it took about 18 months before I had full range of motion again. Now there is no pain or stiffness at all.

BarbaraHelen2013

swirlybee wrote: »

Back in late 2018, I had some pain in my subscapular that progressed to shoulder impingement and then full on frozen shoulder. Got surgery back in June 2019. I'm at about 90% recovered in terms of my range of motion. I still can't put my hand up behind my back and I still have a problem with what I think it's called medial internal rotation.

Prior to surgery, my physical therapist had me try all sorts of exercises. Nothing helped. Wall walks, arm circles, towel stretches, resistance band exercises, etc.

My case was pretty bad that there's no way I could've lasted 3 years. The pain was just that horrible.

How far up your side can you lift your arm?

Your account gives me some hope, so thank you for sharing!

I had surgery in October 2019 (so I’m 4 months behind your progress), and it’s been bothering me hugely that I can’t put my hand up behind my back, and I also have occasional issue with medial internal rotation. I also find that sudden extension/stretching of the arm causes deeply painful spasms of the bicep.

I had quite a number of things done during the surgery though (bone spur removal, removal of a large bursa, scraping/cleaning of the tendons, removal of the last centimetre of the collar bone tip, plus the cutting and dropping of the head of the biceps tendon.)

This was all in the attempt to resolve a very long standing problem (started when I was 21, I’m now 59) I still have pain but nothing even approaching the pain I had prior to the surgery. My surgeon did tell me that it can take between 18 months and 2 years to recover full range of motion.

Can’t wait for the day I can take my bra off without having to slip the shoulder straps and twizzle it around the front, though!

swirlybee

MamaOne13 wrote: »

Oh man... I'm sorry!!

I pretty much have full range of motion. I just go through each day feeling like there's a pinch or that a muscle is tight/weak/inflamed.

Prior to my shoulder getting worse, stretching at the inside corner of a wall helped a lot like in this pic.

It only got worse for me because I kept pushing myself, trying to progress with handstands, L-sits, etc.

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

Your account gives me some hope, so thank you for sharing!

I had surgery in October 2019 (so I’m 4 months behind your progress), and it’s been bothering me hugely that I can’t put my hand up behind my back, and I also have occasional issue with medial internal rotation. I also find that sudden extension/stretching of the arm causes deeply painful spasms of the bicep.

I had quite a number of things done during the surgery though (bone spur removal, removal of a large bursa, scraping/cleaning of the tendons, removal of the last centimetre of the collar bone tip, plus the cutting and dropping of the head of the biceps tendon.)

My progress might be a little bit better if I was a little more diligent with my physical therapy. I went for a month after surgery. I only stopped because it was getting repetitive and I could do the exercises at home. I was good up until the pandemic started and I got less active and did my shoulder exercises less often. I haven't had any lingering issues.

BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »

Can’t wait for the day I can take my bra off without having to slip the shoulder straps and twizzle it around the front, though!

I've only recently been able to put on/take off my bra by clasping/unclasping behind my back but it's a little awkward.

mom23mangos

I went through physical therapy and soft tissue manipulation for about a year when I had severe pain from bursitis and impingement. For me, I had to completely lay off of any pushing exercise. No pushups, no benching, etc. I added lots of pulling and dead hanging. Lots of scapula strengthening exercises. I still have limited mobility in my shoulders, but I am pain free. I can even do low rep pushups without an issue now. I'll likely need to get the bone spurs removed at some point, but I'm hoping to put off for as long as possible.

MikePfirrman

I had a torn rotator cuff a few years ago. It started turning into frozen shoulder and was very painful. The two things that helped the most were what mom23mangos mentioned above -- hanging therapy and Scapula Pushups.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=shoulder+pulley&docid=608025493392065570&mid=63E25E08D1EF196C755663E25E08D1EF196C7556&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Someone else shared something like this above. I used the one arm overhead pulldown at the gym, but with gyms being closed, this is the same principle and works great. You start with something like this and progress to deadhangs.

Here's a scapula pushup. Don't know why this works but it works well to take away pain.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=scapula+pushups&docid=608050275368240473&mid=AD319CBF96FA677502B1AD319CBF96FA677502B1&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Bands or just those elastic things are great for light work on the small muscles as well. With your elbow locked onto your side, I did inward rotations and outward rotations using Therabands.