Training though shoulder injury

DrMAvDPhD

I've been battling repeat partial dislocations of my shoulder for about a year now. I am under the care of a physician and he doesn't think anything is torn and encourages me to continue lifting to build muscle for stability.

I figured out that kinesiology tape allows me to train without pain or instability, which is great. Last week I was able to bench press 3x12@60# without pain. But today, I lifted without the tape and was unable to do even one rep @ 60# due to pain. I was able to do 3x12@50# but with a decent amount of pain (stabbing in the joint). I am actually bulking right now so strength loss due to calorie restriction shouldn't be a factor.

Do you think I should train with the tape? Or am I becoming dependent on it and weakening my muscle?

TIA

Sarauk2sf

Tagging

mmddwechanged

There are different ways to tape a shoulder and different reasons.
I have had my shoulder taped lots over the last year and in my case it was supposed to assist my muscles in performing every day activities without creating extra inflamation. According to my physiotherapy friends it won't harm you in terms of creating a weakness. However, now that i am stronger my physiotherapist ( he is the best!) has suggested I stop taping. I don't dislocate but my shoulder is quite unstable. I have had to relearn how to move my arm while it it properly placed. For example, a few years ago I was doing strengthening exercises with a shoulder subluxion.


I know I'm not being very helpful here; the answer is I don't know!:). But feel free to chat with me a out shoulder issues any time! It's
usually on my mind:)

What I would suggest is an MRI, ultrasound or at least x-rays if you haven't already, in order to get more information. I went for years without knowing exactly what was going on.

Personally, I have just started a full body routine that excludes chest presses because I don't have correct range of motion and have impingement issues. I don't tape any more.

Chief_Rocka

I would train with the tape for now, and work on shoulder stability separately

n3ver3nder

Do as much of your routine as you can before taping up (i.e. no tape for warm up, then tape for work sets), and do some shoulder (p)rehab exercises; internal/external rotations, face pulls, band pull aparts, try and get your rotator cuff stronger and your shoulder in general more stable.

DrMAvDPhD

What I would suggest is an MRI, ultrasound or at least x-rays if you haven't already, in order to get more information. I went for years without knowing exactly what was going on.

Thanks :-) I have had an x-ray but we are holding off on an MRI for now. I have hypermobility which is the underlying cause. My doctor doesn't think anything is currently torn. Sadly, with hypermobility, even if there was a tear they probably wouldn't do anything to repair it since my tendons can't hold sutures!

DrMAvDPhD

Do as much of your routine as you can before taping up (i.e. no tape for warm up, then tape for work sets), and do some shoulder (p)rehab exercises; internal/external rotations, face pulls, band pull aparts, try and get your rotator cuff stronger and your shoulder in general more stable.

I can't do the taping myself but actually going the other way might work! I could do my whole workout with the tape then peel it off and work on a few shoulder-specific workouts at a lighter weight. Thanks for the idea!

n3ver3nder

Yeah, do some drop sets after your work sets then. Find a weight you can do pain free, and get some volume in. Definitely do the rehab stuff without the tape.