June 2020 Monthly Running Challenge

@quilteryoyo - my dentist just started these 7 am appointments at the first of the year and I think he only does it 2 days a week. It works perfectly for me because I don't have to miss too much work by going early.

No run for me today. Rest day from running but I did a stretch video and an arm workout this morning.

I managed to get in another 3.6 km this morning! I wasn't sure if I would as it was raining cats and dogs when I woke up, but going back to bed paid off for once as the rain stopped and it was still overcast an hour later, which made for a wonderfully cool run. Usually I have to get up pretty early as it's 28 C / 80 F and 75% humidity by 7am here, but it seems the rainy season has finally started and it's been pretty overcast the last few mornings, which I'm loving. I'm not sure how I feel about the prospect of running in the rain though. I only started running a couple months ago, and we haven't seen any real rain since.

[img]I was also hoping to get some advice on what seems to be a repetitive strain injury in the front of my right shoulder (Google makes me think it's my Subscapularis muscle). I think I strained it during some Zumba classes a couple weeks ago, throwing some over-enthusiastic jabs and uppercuts with poor form. I've stopped doing Zumba, and some days are better than others, but it still irritates me and can get pretty painful by the end of my run. I try my best to relax my arms, shoulders, and neck muscles when running, and have read some articles on proper form to make sure I'm not doing anything terribly wrong, but it doesn't seem to be getting better. I do exercise regularly, but don't do any heavy upper body work except some vigorous yoga twice a week, which doesn't seem to irritate it as much as running does. I only run about 3 times a week, a max of 30 minutes each, but I'd like to do more. I'd also like to start doing some upper body resistance band training, but don't want to make it worse. Should I not, and just try to rest it, ice it when it's sore, etc, or try to strengthen it with targeted exercises? I'd visit a professional but I live on a pretty remote island with a doctor that has little to no experience in this kind of issue. Thanks in advance @shanaber and @katharmonic That hedgehog is the best! And happy Friday everyone![/img]

Lexigraph wrote: »

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I was also hoping to get some advice on what seems to be a repetitive strain injury in the front of my right shoulder (Google makes me think it's my Subscapularis muscle). I think I strained it during some Zumba classes a couple weeks ago, throwing some over-enthusiastic jabs and uppercuts with poor form. I've stopped doing Zumba, and some days are better than others, but it still irritates me and can get pretty painful by the end of my run. I try my best to relax my arms, shoulders, and neck muscles when running, and have read some articles on proper form to make sure I'm not doing anything terribly wrong, but it doesn't seem to be getting better. I do exercise regularly, but don't do any heavy upper body work except some vigorous yoga twice a week, which doesn't seem to irritate it as much as running does. I only run about 3 times a week, a max of 30 minutes each, but I'd like to do more. I'd also like to start doing some upper body resistance band training, but don't want to make it worse. Should I not, and just try to rest it, ice it when it's sore, etc, or try to strengthen it with targeted exercises? I'd visit a professional but I live on a pretty remote island with a doctor that has little to no experience in this kind of !

Disclaimer. Not a doctor just offering suggestions

The subscapularius is on the back under the shoulder blade. Pain can radiate from back to front though. @Avidkeo you wanna join me in a game of “diagnose me”. Or anyone else? Share experiences?

Anatomical diagrams
Things to consider: (don’t actually have to share this with the world). What’s your age? Do you have full range of motion? Which motion causes the most pain? Have you noticed a decrease in strength? Any numbness or tingling in your hand?

Personal experience
I have been unlucky enough to to have developed a frozen shoulder. So my first concern is that it goes beyond a strain. If it is the beginning of a frozen shoulder, ice and NSAID’s (Advil, ibuprofen, naproxen) and keep moving it but do not injure it further, and see doc/get steroid injection if possible, see a physical therapist for help. I think mine became seriously worse when I fell in the beginning of it. Seems to have become miserable quickly after that. It still is miserable. I think it will be miserable for ever. Woe is me. 🙄 haha!

Other possibilities;
Bursitis
Rotator cuff tear
Bone spurs

@Elise4270 I'll be 30 in a couple months. I have full range of motion and maybe a slight decrease in strength. The most painful movement so far has been taking a tight sports bra off (arms crossed, and pulling up and off overhead).

Subscap was an uneducated guess, my knowledge of human anatomy is very poor. Pain is definitely in the front, and just above my armpit (see photo). I've noticed that, while running, if I press into it it stops hurting.


Unfortunately seeing a doc, PT, or getting a steroid injection would be very difficult to impossible, which is why I definitely don't want it to get worse! Its come and gone and come back over the last couple weeks, and is mostly just irritating, but would be nice to figure out what it is. Regardless, it seems like my best bet is just going to be to try my best to rest it for a while like @katharmonic suggested.

Oh I should also mention, it's my right shoulder, (dominant arm), so is difficult to avoid using during the day, and I definitely notice a nagging tiredness in the affected joint/muscle throughout the day after a longer morning run.

You'll get that 10 miler tomorrow @quilteryoyo!

Lol @elise4270 you know me well! Haha love it. @Lexigraph I actually don't know a huge amount with the shoulder first, it's definitely not subscap. The spot you are sore in is called the acromion and you do have ligament attachments there, it's possible you have strained something. It's only been 2 weeks, so way too early to think steroid shots anyway. A quick Google sounds like this:
https://www.yourphysio.org.uk/condition-directory/sub-acromial-pain-syndrome-shoulder-impingement/

I think the running arm swing mimics the same action as punching in zumba, grated a bit slower, hence why it's causing you pain. Honestly you probably need to take a week off - ligaments take a while to settle.

But then I'm a bone expert, not a muscle expert lol so take my advice with a grain of salt! But typically with tendons and ligaments is rest, with gentle stretching.