Rotator Cuff???

[Eddie Stelling]

Monday I was playing around with human flags and tried to do one on a very weird setup that I wasn't used to, my left arm was the top arm (the pulling arm). I had to unlock the left shoulder and bend the elbow to get up and once I got level I tried to then lock the shoulder and the elbow. Had immediate pain when the shoulder locked out and I came down. I was able to finish the WOD. Tuesday, all day my shoulder just felt really sore,as if it were dislocated and put back in the socket the day before. When starting my workout I was unable to dips so I did some handstand work and it began to make it feel better. I was able to complete my FSPs and ring series WOD but I still have this soreness.

Pain=

-Any dipping motion

-Motion where you hold your elbow parallel to floor and rotate the shoulder joint back and forth by rotating the palm toward the ground and rotating the back of the hand to the sky. (Don't know the name of that movement)

Could this be a torn rotator cuff?? I am just confused because I am still able to do so much. Not sure what it could be. Thanks for any help in advance.

[AlexX]

Eh with a torn rotator cuff you'd normally have a shoulder that feels very unstable with overhead motion accompanied by some significant pain. Sounds like you strained something, too much too soon type of deal. Take a rest from any motion that causes any discomfort or pain (that means even any motions that hurt only at first but get better as you do more sets).

The motion you are talking about is internal/external rotations in the flexed position. If you have pain on top of the shoulder when you internally rotate (palm facing towards the ground) in that position it could mean impingement, but really it could be a whole sort of other things as well.

You could try doing a few provocative tests to better see what the injury is but there is really not much of a need for it since it's an acute injury. For acute injuries you rest, avoid any motion that causes discomfort but continue taking the joint through a pain free range of motion.

[Eddie Stelling]

Thanks AlexX! You are right, I went to the Physical Therapist yesterday, inflamed bicep tendon where it meets the shoulder. Nothing wrong with the rotator cuff at all. It seems I basically just aggrevated it and it's sore. I am taking the rest of the week off from upper body, icing it, and taking anti-inflammatory. It feels way better today already. Thanks for the advice, you were spot on!

[Eddie Stelling]

So it turns out that the PT guy I am seeing thinks my injury is a partially torn anterior deltoid. I don't want to get an MRI to confirm because at this point I know what I need to do and it's clearly not ripped in half. I have been doing no upper body exercise for 3 wks. now, other than my rehab exercises once a day about 5 days a week. It feels like it is getting better and once my shoulder is good and warmed up I don't really feel any pain. When its not warm I still have pain in certain ROMs. Yesterday he allowed me to add push ups with scapular protraction at the top and retraction as I begin the push up to my rehab. I also tested out a wall supported HeSPU and felt no pain. But I am worried about how I should proceed from here.

Has this ever happened to anyone?

How long is does this typically take to heal?

Is it time to start trying to work the deltoid that hurts specifically?

Should I start getting back into at least some HS work/anything that doesn't cause pain?

Any advice would be great! Thanks!

On a brighter note I have worked up to 3 reps SLS (each leg) with a 20lb vest! Thanks again in advance.

[Eddie Stelling]

Can anyone offer any advice or information from personal experience on a torn deltoid?? Should I start a new thread to get responses?