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rotator cuff tendonitis

zsuzsa

18-May-2005
6:22:33 AM

I've had rotator cuff tendonitis for almost 4 months now. The pain started after a bouldering competition, but volleyball probably also contributed to it. A month after the pain started, I went to see an orthopedic surgent, got an MRI which showed no tear and I started physical therapy. The pain decreased a little bit, but it's still not gone. After months of not exercising, I was getting really bored and I started to climb easy trad a few weeks ago, trying not to pull with my arm that has the injury. I also started to play volleyball 2 weeks ago, hitting with the arm that is not injured.
I'm supposed to go back to the orthopedic surgent in two weeks since my pain is still not gone. I guess the next step is corticosteroid injection. Is it recommended, or should I just keep waiting until my shoulder gets better? Are there any risks in getting the injection?

Take!

18-May-2005
9:54:19 AM

Warning: Not medical advice. Speaking only from personal experience.

Please do yourself a favour and explore non-invasive/non-drug solutions before you head down the injection and surgery track.

"He who is good with a hammer looks at every problem as if it were a nail".

Try a good Osteo/Chiro. I could go into reasons for why I say this but there are others on this site who can do so more succinctly.

Eduardo Slabofvic

18-May-2005
12:05:41 PM

Do loads of weights to build strength in the muscles around the joint, and get used to a dodgy rotator cuff. Just about every climber who’s been around for a while has one. Say no to drugs, say yes to tape. Going under the knife is the absolute last thing to do.

gumbywankenobi

18-May-2005
1:26:50 PM

Don't know if its exactly the same thing but I have been off climbing for about 7 weeks now thanks to a dodgy rotator cuff caused by a 'floppy' shoulder joint. Apparently the trouble is the surrounding muscles don't hold my joint steady enough as it moves and one of the tendons gets impinged (I'm pretty sure that's the word she used) every time I use the joint. Steps to recovery have been physio & accupuncture combined once or twice a week, no lifting my arm above shoulder height for about three weeks - and obviously no climbing - to allow the inflammation to clear and now loads of really light weight (think soup can) exercises to strengthern the surrounding muscles.

Its been very frustrating but really seems to have paid off. Have gone from almost weeping just from belaying at the end of a day to being allowed back on the rock this weekend (yay!!!!). Pain is gone and shoulder is heaps less clicky/crunchy now that I have been doing strengthening.

Bad news is I'm gonna feel like a gumby all over again after all this time off - good news is if I've done the strengthening right (and keep it up) it shouldn't happen again.

Try getting to a good physio who can instruct you on the right sort of exercises to help strengthen the are and avoid surgery if at all possible - fingers crossed drugs aren't necessary for you either.

Like I say - could be a totally different set of circumstances but that's my personal experience. Best of luck.

>Edit< Or of course I could read your initial post PROPERLY and see that you're already doing physical therapy (sheepish grin). Still, hope it works out for you.

Kiwitele

18-May-2005
2:12:13 PM

I have had this problem recently. It was caused by continuing to climb after a slight strain. The pain is slowly receding after a fortnight. It should be okay in 4-6 weeks.

Unless you have torn the tendon then surgery is an absolute last resort. The best thing is rest, while continuing to maintain some mobility via stretching and strengthening via use of a "rubber band" There is no reason why after 6 weeks of this you should not be ready to go

zsuzsa

19-May-2005
12:23:58 AM

Thanks for all the suggestions.
I might not have been to clear in my post. I'm not considering surgery at all. I was wondering about corticosteroid shots. I have rested my shoulder for over two months and the pain still didn't go away even though I was going to PT twice a week and I've been doing exercises religiously. I also try to avoid lifting my arm above shoulder height. My orthopedic surgent told me to go back if the pain doesn't go away in a month. I'm guessing in that case, he might suggest corticosteroid shots.
Did anybody get the injections and did it help?

tundra

19-May-2005
10:49:34 AM

a therapist told me to spend the money (instead of surgery, as he didnt like the stats of going under the knife) on a sea kayak and ease into climbing after 6 months( 9 months after the event) of kayak training, building the muscles around the joint with lots of low loading repetitive exersise. My shoulder was f---ed for months (slipped and fell onto a 'thumbs-down' jam in my left hand from above - obviously a little gripped at the time), couldnt sleep on that side, could barely lift my arm above horizontal... 2 years later & fighting fit.

Eduardo Slabofvic

19-May-2005
3:24:59 PM

When I did my first rotator cuff injury, the doc suggested the 'roid shot and to give up climbing. I did neither. The 'roid masks the pain, it doesn’t fix the problem. Weight training where you lock the shoulder joint tight (I used to call it the “Lawn Mower”) or the occy strap on a door handle is the go for rehab. Of course don’t do the exercises while pain is present. I took 6 months to come back to climbing after first doing it. 6 months is not a long time if your going to climb for the rest of your life.

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