Shoulder Issue / Possible SLAP tear

History of The Shoulder Issue up to present day

Background: rotator cuff injury 10 years ago (an incident involving roller blades, a monkeyball, and a squirrel), treated solely with PT.

As a result, extensive warm up required prior to crossfit warm up, icing required after workouts. No reduced ROM, no reduced strength.

Oct 2010: doing ring dips, felt shoulder shred a bit. Reduced weights for lifting and increased PT-type exercises. Enough progress made to compete successfully in Delaware Winter Affiliate Challenge and assist my team in coming in 2nd (and our box has only been opened a handful of months - whoo hoo).

Dec 2010 - 65lb OHS and BAM. Shoulder advised me that it was not interested in such actions or, well, any other actions for that matter.

Saw Primary care physician: given anti inflammatories, hydrocodone so I could sleep at night, and a one way ticket to an orthopaedic surgeon

See the surgeon: given the option of a shot or an MRI. I opt for the MRI, so we can know what we're dealing with

Two weeks later, return to surgeon who says "Good news, no rotator cuff tear, let's give you a shot."
Then as he's reading his notes into his dictaphone, he mentions the SLAP tear and the recommendation from the radiologist that I get an MRA, and also mentions the AC hypertrophic degenerative changes. Neither of those were mentioned to me and I was too much of a wuss to say "hey hey hey what the?????".
Got a copy of the pathology report for safe keeping and the very first recommendation on the report was for me to go for an MRA (MRI with contrast dye) due to the perceived SLAP tear. Then mention of the AC thingy, then comment that there's no rotator cuff injury.


Today:
The shot has reduced the inflammation a lot, and I have an increased range of motion, and clearly show classic SLAP tear symptoms.
I've increased my PT to two 20 minute sessions per day with labrum-specific exercises.
Pain 100% of the time (waking and sleeping), but now it is dull pain rather than screaming pain. Unless I move my arm the wrong way ;-) MUCH preferable.
Returned to butt-fit/thigh-fit workouts, scaled waaaaaaaay down.

Next doc appt: 2/22.
2nd opinion doc appt: 2/28

Yikes, not fun, but the next steps seem logical.

I'm not a DR, but have seen lots of shoulder issues. Someone very close to me has "fraying of the rotator cuff" meaning that essentially the tissue is fraying. Not sure how different this is from "tearing" -- maybe just terminology. I also know people with major shoulder issues.

Some things will really set it off, as I'm sure you are aware, but dependent on the issue. Overhead squats/snatches, anything with weights not centered, but off to the side can be one thing, or maybe straight overhead -- jerks, presses, HSPUs. Or the dipping part.

I had a shoulder issue, which was actually a scapula issue. Once I released the connective tissue around the scapula it improved. I continue to roll it on a regular basis.

Bottom line, shoulders are tricky. Lots of interconnective tissue issues, and lots of small muscle groups, tendons and ligaments. When one gets injured the others compensate and get injured as well.

Be diligent about the ice, the rest and the PT. The PT will halp the surrounding muscles get stronger to compensate better and not get injurred. They will also help prevent future injuries.

Let us know how MD appointments go.

Okay, everyone: hope for me to be in pain tomorrow morning at 8:30. I was able to slide in a new appt with the sports doc tomorrow. 8:30. Even though I've had non stop and rather specific pain for almost 2 months now, I am terrified that tomorrow I'll be painfree for exactly 2 hours...the time to get IN to see the doc and then to get back to the office.

I must say, the intensive PT work I've been doing is impressive for ROM. But the pain & weakness is a whole other story. I wonder what the doc will say.

How is your shoulder? I've noticed a few young women in my classes who are complaining about shoulders but they keep lifting heavy weight and doing the same ole, same ole.

Ah yes, the shoulder. I forgot I had posted about it here. Right now it is doing great -- I have many hours per day with no pain, and I appreciate each and every one of them.


Well, it is indeed a small SLAP tear. Not enough for surgery. I have been through PT and have gotten a cortisone shot on my rotator cuff side and a double injection of something whose name I forget actually at the spot of the tear.

After getting that last shot, doc said no working out except PT for a full week to give it a chance, and then green light : if it hurts, don't do it & if it doesn't hurt, go for it.
So far so good. Still doing the PT exercises which are boring and tedious, and was able to do wall balls this past week (with a whopping 4lb ball).

My coach is great: he tells me no when I want to do too much, and tells me to get my butt in gear if I want to take it easy just b/c of laziness. He's very good. He'll help me back to health, i'm sure.

Follow up with doc again on the 22nd to see where things stand. If by then I'm still in less pain, yay -- keep on keepin' on. If not, then surgery may be in the future. But the way it feels right now, I've got hopes that there will be no surgery.

As far as women in your box pushing through the shoulder pain: that's what I did for a good 4 months or so before the big bang that sidelined me for 2+ months. I don't recommend ignoring the body. Turns out it's not a good idea.