Dancing with shoulder impingement induced depression

[Bkb]

Sept 9- Injured right shoulder doing 32kg press to rack walk. Too much, too soon. My fault. Ultrasound showed nothing. Symptoms/movement tests suggest impingement.

Since- rested a couple weeks (scattered). Seeing PT now + diligently doing exercises everyday (10 days in). Steps forward and steps backward. Symptoms changing/shifting to new areas. I’ll admit on a few occasions it’s felt awesome and I’ve (stupidly) tried some pressing and jerks. Made some progress doing so, before inevitable re-emergence of symptoms. Today specifically, I’m feeling no different than I was months ago.

All progress is gone, feeling like a bag of milk (looking like one too.) mentally, exercise and getting stronger is so linked to my mental state. I’m suffering. Looking at Reddit posts of people who have had 6 years of impingement, done cortisone shots, gotten fat, etc… ain’t helping. I haven’t found a single soul on the net who has said something like “had shoulder impingement. Did PT for 4-6 weeks and never looked back. Hitting PRs monthly. Never felt better!

I’m 33 and have been active my whole life in sport and lifting. I’m not willing to accept that my shoulders ****ed for life (or years)…

TLDR: Is there a person on here who has had impingement that has had a positive and successful rehab and returned to normal activities weeks or months after diagnosis? I’m not looking for advice on routine or anything, I just want to know if it’s possible.

 

[JamesPTA]

@Bkb, what does your PT say are your deficits? impingement can be a vague, general term to diagnose and is usually the result of multiple causes (scapular weakness, thoracic mobility, poor resting posture...etc).

Professionally, I discharge people weekly who have successfully rehabbed from "shoulder impingement," 2 of them today, as a matter of fact. Successful rehab comes as a result of proper and specific diagnosis, implementation of specialized treatments by the rehab team, as well as STRICT adherence to the home exercises and education given. A few things in your post were red/pink flags for me: 1) You pressed too much too soon, and 2) you have, on more than one occasion, performed exercises that you weren't ready for. Keep in mind that you are only 10 days in. Stay patient and let the inflammation reduce in due time. The initial injury and subsequent exacerbations lead me to believe that there are some movement dysfunctions that need to be address.

Personally, I have a DIAGNOSED labral tear on my left shoulder and partially torn rotator cuff on the right shoulder. No surgery needed. I have gotten "impingement pain" on the right shoulder periodically and because I know where my deficits are and how to address them, this pain is usually gone within a week.

 

[Bkb]

@Bkb, what does your PT say are your deficits? impingement can be a vague, general term to diagnose and is usually the result of multiple causes (scapular weakness, thoracic mobility, poor resting posture...etc).

Professionally, I discharge people weekly who have successfully rehabbed from "shoulder impingement," 2 of them today, as a matter of fact. Successful rehab comes as a result of proper and specific diagnosis, implementation of specialized treatments by the rehab team, as well as STRICT adherence to the home exercises and education given. A few things in your post were red/pink flags for me: 1) You pressed too much too soon, and 2) you have, on more than one occasion, performed exercises that you weren't ready for. Keep in mind that you are only 10 days in. Stay patient and let the inflammation reduce in due time. The initial injury and subsequent exacerbations lead me to believe that there are some movement dysfunctions that need to be address.

Personally, I have a DIAGNOSED labral tear on my left shoulder and partially torn rotator cuff on the right shoulder. No surgery needed. I have gotten "impingement pain" on the right shoulder periodically and because I know where my deficits are and how to address them, this pain is usually gone within a week.

Thanks for your questions and positive statements about patient success.

Issues:
-broken right collarbone 2x in 5 months as 14 year old (hockey + really bad luck… lol)
-some winging on right side
-posture may be related

-Pt exercises are addressing the scap winging/weakness
-I was just told that it seems I have a minor impingement (no pain in any position, “great oh mobility”). Discomfort is only when I load it with moderately heavy weights.
-clicking is new since the injury (I can tell it is at the very front of my shoulder). Happens when reaching overhead. No pain.
-Pec tendon on same side (right) is also tight/easy to aggravate…hurt it w heavy bench 2 yrs ago.

Just a cluster bomb of stuff tbh. I feel like I dug this hole, so I’m accepting of my having to lay in it… you made me feel less hopeless…

I’ll continue the rehab stuff and dig in on not becoming impatient… lack of objective milestones/seeing progress is difficult. Everything is based off ‘feeling’ and things change day to day which blurs things further at times.

 

[offwidth]

@Bkb

Small left labrum tear and biceps tendon impingement confirmed via MRI by Sports Med Orthopedic Surgeon.

One cortisone shot. Six weeks of in-clinic physiotherapy along with home physiotherapy. Modification of certain training methods during recovery.

Back in business in a couple of months…

So… yes… it was possible for me.