Recovering from Shoulder Bursitis &
Tendonitis
by Phano Paul Som
If you
are self proclaimed to be a true bodybuilder or powerlifter, then you
will have experienced some sort of shoulder problem or injury. They can
be chronic and debilitating if not taken care of. How do I know? I have
been wrestling with a rotator cuff problem for the past three years.
Just recently, this condition has resurfaced to plague my training once
again. After an informative trip to the doctor's office, I will share
with you some of the things that I learned.
 The
condition that I'm referring to is otherwise known as shoulder bursitis
and tendonitis. Shoulder bursitis and tendonitis is a common overuse
injury in sports where the arm is used in an overhead motion such as
swimming and baseball. The pain, which is usually felt at the tip of the
shoulder and referred down the deltoid muscle into the upper arm, occurs
when the arm is lifted overhead or twisted. In extreme cases, the pain
will be present at all times.
The
shoulder is a closely fitted joint. The humerus (upper arm bone),
certain tendons of the muscles that lift the arm, and associated bursa
(fluid filled sac that cushions to prevent friction) move back and forth
through a very tight archway of bone and ligament called the
coracoacromia arch. When the arm is raised, the archway becomes smaller,
pinches the tendons, and makes the tissue prone to inflammation. The
condition known as bursitis occurs when the bursa becomes inflamed and
painful as surrounding muscles move over it. The condition known as
tendonitis occurs when the tendons or surrounding tissue becomes
inflamed, swollen, and tender. Symptoms of these two conditions can last
for only a few days but they may recur or become chronic, such as in my
case.
There
are many contributing factors to these two conditions. The first is
overuse. Repetitive overhead motions
are the most common cause of the problem. The second is muscle weakness.
When the muscles are weak, more force is exerted on the tendons and
bursa, causing inflammation and pain. The third is improper technique in
lifting, throwing, swimming, etc. The fourth is strenuous training which
I'm sure many of you are quite familiar with. If you train hard, you're
risking injury. It's all part of the game though. The next contributing
factor is a loose shoulder joint, which I have in my left shoulder. The
doctor that I visited said that a loose shoulder joint causes more
stress on my tendons and could be the reason why I've been having
chronic shoulder problems.
If
you've ever suffered from shoulder bursitis or tendonitis, there a few
treatment options that you can choose from. The first is
rest. Avoid doing things that can hurt
or make the pain worse the next day. Avoid the activity that started the
problem. Your doctor may even recommend a sling to immobilize the
shoulder to hasten recovery. The second treatment method is the
application of ice. Apply an ice bag over a towel to your shoulder at
least twice a day for
 30
to 60 minutes. You should always apply ice for 15 minutes after any
activity using your arm. The next is physical therapy. Your doctor may
send you to a physical therapist for exercises or other therapy.
Exercises that strengthen the shoulder
may help to prevent a recurrence of the problem. The next treatment
option is medication. Your doctor may prescribe an
anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication to relieve pain and inflammation
while your body's natural healing process goes on. An injection of
cortisone into the shoulder may be recommended although it is usually a
secondary treatment to supplement other therapy. The final option for
correction of the problem is surgery. Although this is the most extreme
option, it is usually required to treat chronic shoulder bursitis and
tendonitis.
If
you've recovered from your shoulder injury, you should return to your
sport slowly. Warm up well and do
range of motion exercises. Avoid the overhead throwing position and do
not play for a long time and slowly increase your intensity. This is
common sense but I'm still amazed at how gung-ho people can be
especially in sports. I say this because I haven't always followed the
rule of returning to the gym with ease. I usually jump right back into
the fire because after a long lay off, I feel like Pee-Wee Herman coming
out of a ten year coma. Here are some examples in other sports.
In
throwing sports, one should initially start with an underhand or sidearm
throw which will be easier than an overhand throw. One should warm up
well and throw easily while gradually increasing the intensity of the
throws. Try to maintain a smooth throwing motion that will make use of
the overall strength of your body.
In
swimming, the breast stroke or side stroke will be easier than the front
crawl or butterfly strokes. Sometimes, the
back stroke is all right. If you choose to do any hard swimming,
do so early in your workout after you are warmed up but before you are
fatigued. You can also try to change your swimming style by rolling your
body to the side.
In
weight training, one should warm up slowly with lighter weights and
stretch the shoulder thoroughly. Avoid any exercises that cause any pain
at all. This eliminates most overhead pressing and pulling movements. Be
patient and ease back into these exercises with light weight. Depending
on the severity of the injury, it will take an individual anywhere from
2-6 weeks, generally speaking, to be able to go full throttle again.
Fortunately for use, there are range-of-motion exercises that can be
done daily to help keep the joint loose. These exercises consist of
moving the joint, carefully, as far as it can go in all directions.
After pain has subsided, shoulder muscles must be strengthened to
prevent bursitis/tendonitis from recurring. One should repeat these
exercises two times a day or as often as a doctor recommends.
 The
first exercise requires you to start with the "pendulum swing." (see
figure #1) Support yourself with your good arm on a stool as if you were
doing a one arm dumbbell row. Keeping your knees slightly bent, bend
forward at the waist and let your bad arm hang down (or dangle off the
bed). Then make circles with your arm three to five times in one
direction, then the other. Start with small circles and gradually make
them larger.
The
second exercise requires you to start with palm out, place the hand of
your injured arm behind your back and reach up as high as possible as
though you were going to scratch your back with your thumb.
The
third exercise requires you to stretch the back portion of the shoulder
joint by gently pulling your arm across your body.
The
fourth exercise requires you to stand with your arms close to your body
and elbows bent to 90 degrees, hands pointing straight ahead. Now slowly
move arms so that hands point out to the side. Lean into a corner in
this position with shoulder muscles relaxed. Lower your arms to your
sides, then raise the injured arm overhead as shown, helping with your
other hand.
There
are also strengthening exercises done with weights or resistance which
aid in the prevention of further shoulder injuries. The first exercise
requires you to start with elbows straight and thumbs turned toward the
floor and arms about 30 degrees forward. Now slowly raise the arms to
just below shoulder level and slowly lower arms to starting position and
repeat. This is very similar to standing
or seated dumbbell side laterals.
The
second exercise requires you to lie on your side with the injured
shoulder up. In this position, you should hold the elbow close against
your ribs while slowly raising the weight until it points to the
ceiling. Then lower to starting position and repeat.
If all
of these exercises are performed on a daily basis, it is possible for
you to prevent shoulder bursitis/tendonitis. However, not to discourage
anyone but if you choose to train heavy, you will get an injury or two
somewhere down the road. Our bodies aren't made to handle the poundage's
that we hoist. So the question is not "will I get injured?" but rather
"how well will I handle these injures and how well will I bounce back?"
Best
Wishes!
Phano Paul Som
Natural
Bodybuilding at its Finest - Lift for Life.com
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