Shoulder Tendonitis

[gato_plomo]

I think I had some mild tendonitis in my shoulder from overuse and using a mat, paired with bad form on an intended swing change. Shoulder started hurting while playing. Still had full range of motion and no issues with strength.

 

The whole area actually felt like DOMs to the touch, but it was not that. 

 

My sister and GF are both doctors and said I most likely don't have much to worry about, make sure to rest. I am taking the month off of golf.

 

That being said, I will probably go see a physical therapist to hopefully avoid any worsening, and just get stronger in general. I used to lift 5 days a week in my 20s, now I'm in my 30s and weak

 

Just wondering if anyone has had this issue and what their experience has been? How did the PT help? Did the problem go away? Did you have recurring problems? Anything would be interesting to hear. 

[Celeras]

Physical Therapy is the ticket. Doctor wasted a lot of my time with the "rest" rhetoric. Shoulder never got to 100% and would constantly flare up at the most mundane tasks while "resting", and was very frustrating.

 

Switched specialists and was immediately sent to PT. Basically the exact opposite of rest, they had me on a strength regimen and constantly pushing through pain. Left there throbbing early on, but it continually improved to 100% over maybe 2-3 months total and I haven't had any recurrences years later.

[shellback]

I am facing the same problem and symptoms as you right now. Got an X-ray to rule out rotator cuff damage, now going to PT. Doc said I can still play if pain level permits. I’d say skip the range for a while and work on your chipping and putting.  One good thing about being an old guy on Medicare is that you can get the diagnosis and PT pretty much for free. Also, make the exercises given to you at PT a part of your workout routine for several months. 

[TimGru]

A doctor for me wasn’t of much help. All he recommended was Advil and rest, and if that didn’t help he could give me a cortisone shot but as I researched that more, it seems to only be a temporary fix and it can degrade the tissue. I did as the doctor said and rested it. Every time it was feeling better and I’d play after a few times out it would flare up again and the cycle would just repeat itself time and time again. I finally got frustrated with that and sought out my own PT. My first PT incorrectly diagnosed my situation, and actually made my problem worse and I actually lost all ROM and was in terrible pain from his prescribed exercises. After that experience, I saw a PT that specializes in only shoulders, and he’s honestly been a wizard with the magic he’s worked on my shoulder. I got all my range of motion back and more and I’ve been golfing pain-free ever since. So I’d say definitely seek out a PT but with someone who specializes in shoulders.

Edited April 15 by TimGru

[gato_plomo]

Thanks for the responses. Seems very similar to my situation. While you were doing PT, were you able to play at all or did you have to completely stop playing golf?

[TimGru]

I stopped playing but there was snow on the ground so playing wasn't even an option. He did mention he didn't want me practicing off mats while I was rehabbing it simply because of the wear and tear it puts on my shoulder. 

[gato_plomo]

47 minutes ago, TimGru said:

I stopped playing but there was snow on the ground so playing wasn't even an option. He did mention he didn't want me practicing off mats while I was rehabbing it simply because of the wear and tear it puts on my shoulder. 

Thankfully I'll never have to use mats again. I do think the mats had something to do with it.

 

I called after reading the responses this morning and start PT tomorrow 

[vman]

A few years ago I thought I was done playing until I started hanging from a pull up bar along with some light dumbbell mobility exercises.

Edited April 15 by vman

[betarhoalphadelta]

Would love to hear some of the specific PT exercises you guys were asked to do. 

 

I think I've got this exact same issue in my right shoulder. I have full range of motion and full strength so I don't think it's a rotator cuff tear. It just gets a little sore and tender on the outside of the shoulder, especially after things like golf. 

 

Oddly I don't think it was caused by golf or lifting weights, both things I've been doing frequently. I think I tweaked it when traveling a few weeks ago hauling a heavy suitcase out of the car and/or putting it back in.  

 

Right now it makes me leery about going to the range, which sucks because I'm in the middle of working on a swing change that I *really* need practice reps. And I've paused my upper body strength work out of fear of making it worse. 

 

So finding some safe exercises used in PT that would allow me to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder to make it safer to go back to my usual stuff would be ideal. 

 

Thanks in advance...

[KD1]

I've been doing the exercises in this video. He explains exercises that actually come from a well known book on shoulder health written by some shoulder surgeon. You'll hear most PT guys reference this book when they make their yt videos. It's dead hangs to physically expand your shoulder joint to give yourself room to move, and then light weight exercises to build up the muscles. The exercises aren't just for fixing but also for general maintenance.

 

My shoulder has been bothering me since late last year. Last month I started weekly brutal "sports massages" that target the shoulder joints. These massages have made a dramatic improvement in just the last few weeks. What really did it was when she went to town in the arm pit, it's absolute torture but once released I've got most my range of motion back.

 

My therapist suggested I might find a PT and do 'dry needling'. I know someone who did just that for their shoulder that was in worse shape than mine and they say the dry needling is doing wonders for them.

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by KD1

[betarhoalphadelta]

4 hours ago, KD1 said:

I've been doing the exercises in this video. He explains exercises that actually come from a well known book on shoulder health written by some shoulder surgeon. You'll hear most PT guys reference this book when they make their yt videos. It's dead hangs to physically expand your shoulder joint to give yourself room to move, and then light weight exercises to build up the muscles. The exercises aren't just for fixing but also for general maintenance.

 

My shoulder has been bothering me since late last year. Last month I started weekly brutal "sports massages" that target the shoulder joints. These massages have made a dramatic improvement in just the last few weeks. What really did it was when she went to town in the arm pit, it's absolute torture but once released I've got most my range of motion back.

 

My therapist suggested I might find a PT and do 'dry needling'. I know someone who did just that for their shoulder that was in worse shape than mine and they say the dry needling is doing wonders for them.

 

 

 

Thank you!

[Celeras]

9 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Would love to hear some of the specific PT exercises you guys were asked to do. 

 

I think I've got this exact same issue in my right shoulder. I have full range of motion and full strength so I don't think it's a rotator cuff tear. It just gets a little sore and tender on the outside of the shoulder, especially after things like golf. 

 

Oddly I don't think it was caused by golf or lifting weights, both things I've been doing frequently. I think I tweaked it when traveling a few weeks ago hauling a heavy suitcase out of the car and/or putting it back in.  

 

Right now it makes me leery about going to the range, which sucks because I'm in the middle of working on a swing change that I *really* need practice reps. And I've paused my upper body strength work out of fear of making it worse. 

 

So finding some safe exercises used in PT that would allow me to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder to make it safer to go back to my usual stuff would be ideal. 

 

Thanks in advance...

 

Here's my PT app with the program I left with when I was finished with the weekly visits. The ones that don't say "new" is what they had me do on my own in between sessions, the "new" is what was added after I left. The Serratus one is a killer.