Newbie, excercise, weights and frozen shoulder advice please

serendipitygal67

Hi all,

My name is Janet and I am new to MFP but not to changing dietary habits (again:blushing: ) or fitness although I have not done any fitness for 2 years following a car accident when i suffered sever whiplash and then frozen shoulder and shoulder impingement to my right side which left me with practically no movement or external rotation despite weekly physio. :sad:

I used to be a power lifter (semi pro) but the last time I did that was around 2002 and at that time i was super fit and super trim, and I carried on with general fitness up until the car accident when I couldn't even swim. I have carried an extra 50 lbs of weight for 4 years now (gained during last year of a BSc (2007) and kept trying to lose it) and I really need and WANT to move it and get fit again.

A year after the car accident, in November 2011 I had the first manipulation under anaesthetic (MAU) which facilitated my arm movement sideways to approximately 90 degrees(shoulder height) but I still suffered restricted external rotation and was only able to reach to lower middle back with right hand (left I can reach to shoulder blade)

Last wednesday, I had a second MAU and I have now got approximately 170 degrees sideways movement I can almost get to side of head but it still hurts although stiffness has reduced considerably, my external rotation is still restricted and behind back I can only reach another inch of so higher although I can now fasten my bra by pulling down strap at back first with left hand. I am getting shooting pains on a stretch and reaching sideways - the pain is like electric shock and radiates from triceps to elbow to fingers. The physio had recommended hanging from a door frame but even stretching my arm to a door frame really, really hurts (I am 5ft 6) I am going to have physio at the hospital every Monday and plan on doing cardio at the gym again but my question is what weights can i introduce to help rebuild and maybe address this problem?

I am of the old school weight lifting wise and only ever used free weights and it is because i haven't been able to lift weights that my fitness has basically gone to nothing as I prefer weight training to cardio-- Before my operation I managed to get in 4 spinning classes in the preceding 2 weeks as well as 50 minutes on a brilliant Adaptive Motion Trainer and rather enjoyed that so have found something cardio wise I actually like at last but lifting is my first love so any advice on assisting recovery of a frozen shoulder is greatly appreciated. The last time I saw the physio (before op) she was more for stretching excercises so even some good stretching exercises would be great too.

Thanks in advance,

Janet

serendipitygal67

bump - any ideas anyone?

Betsy912

I am 46 and also suffer from frozen shoulder. I had surgery for removal of calcium deposits which tore my rotator and developed frozen shoulder in Aug 2011. Six months later I had the manipulation surgery which increased my side movement (approx 90 degrees) but my front movement is still very limited. I will probably have a second manipulation surgery this upcoming Fall. I find myself so limited in exercises. The treadmill gets boring (too cold to be outside right now in WI) different video tapes always require hands over my head, kneeling on my hands & knees etc.

I am curious if you found anything to help you in your situation?

Slrajr

I just found this thread in a google search. I am 45, had surgery for calcific tendonitis just over two months ago and as a result gave a frozen shoulder. My range is improving though. It is my hope that I will dabble in power lifting in the future.