"Take The Chip*" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:"Take The Chip*" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:I have a chronic dislocating shoulder stemming back to when I got hit
by a car while a pedestrian in my youth. I was doing some fairly
serious weight training a few years back which was successful as far
as muscle building goes, but caused further damage to my shoulder
joint to the point where it pops out regularily.
I am living on a very modest income at the moment and can't afford
traditional therapies or surgury. I was wondering if someone could
assist me in finding information on therapeutic things I can do on
my own. Thanks in advance!
Your first step should be a visit with a competent physician to
obtain a diagnosis and a suggested course of treatment. However. ...
There is plenty to read on the Internet. Try searching "shoulder
rehab" and similar expressions. Lots of exercises you can try and
guidelines to follow.
If your "fairly serious weight training" included bench pressing, I
would cross that off your list - try some light overhead dumbbell
presses instead. You might look into the book, "Super Joints" by
Pavel as well, see http://www.kbnj.com/sj.htm - lots of good
joint-health routines in there but please be aware they are not rehab
routines, just things to keep your joints moving freely.
-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
Thanks for your response. I consulted a shoulder expert for x-rays and
diagnosis. He confirmed what I already knew (chronic anterior
dislocation) and suggested sports medicine experts (which cost big
money) for therapy and if that fails, surgery.
In your place, I think I'd stick with strategies that tighten up the
problem area in the shoulder, and I'd consider alternatives to weights,
e.g., yoga. I'd also look into flexibility issues - it may be that a
tightness elsewhere around the shoulder predisposes you to these chronic
dislocations. Again, I'm not a doctor, but it seems a reasonable line
of thinking to pursue. An overhead squatting type of movement, even if
it's only with a stick or an empty bar, can help here.
For weights, I've had good results for myself and for others with a
simple overhead press. Look up the "Arnold Press" on exrx.net or
elsewhere and try it with a very light weight, but try it standing and
one arm at a time. It's a nice movement because it works a lot of
things at once, and doing it standing and one arm at a time will allow
your body to find a good groove for each shoulder. The focus should be
on keeping the shoulder firmly in the socket while pressing - I find
thinking about pressing both up and down from my elbow works for me in
this regard. Try it with a very light weight for a few reps and see how
it makes you feel. Eventually you want to work for both strength and
flexibility by finishing with the weight directly over your shoulder -
at the beginning most people press the weight to the side and to the
front somewhat.
I do mine with kettlebells but the basic concept is the same.
The combination of an overhead press and an overhead squat seems a
pretty complete one to me in terms of both strength and flexibility for
the shoulder and upper back.
Take it slow and easy and see what you can accomplish. I'm not a sports
medicine expert nor a doctor of any kind, but I've shown this exercise
to quite a few people, including some with shoulder problems, and all
report liking the movement and feeling it helps.
Last but not least, I don't know what your insurance situation is, but
there might be an insurance plan you could get on which would cover the
cost of the sport medicine specialists if they're recommended by your
primary physician - I know that's the way mine works, and if your main
doctor feels the specialist is the only viable route for you, he may be
able to convince your insurance to pay for it.
Good luck to you.
-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
