Tendonitis in the shoulder(s)

**Punisher136** · 01-02-2008 07:05 PM

I've had it for quite awhile. I've been doing these stretches that are supposed to fix it for a couple months now and almost no progress has been made. I have alittle bit in the left shoulder and a good bit in the right shoulder. Anybody know any better ways to fix it? I also have bursitis in my left shoulder but thats been pretty good lately.

**KODOC** · 01-02-2008 08:39 PM

The stretches are a key part of rotator cuff tendonitis treatment. Weighted pendulum exercise with a 5 to 10 lb weight may also help. A weight of 5 to 10 pounds is held lightly in the hand (a filled gallon container weighs eight pounds). The muscles of the shoulder should be relaxed! The arm is kept vertical and close to the body (bending over too far may cause pinching of the rotator cuff tendons). The arm is allowed to swing back and forth or in a small circle (no greater than 12 inches (30 centimeters) in diameter). A properly performed stretching exercise may cause a deep achy pain, either in the armpit or down the inner aspect of the arm. Do this once or twice a day for 5 minutes per side. Another isometric exercise will help to recover lost rotational strength. Start after 3 weeks of the pendulum excercise. Grasp a 5 -10 lb weight in one hand at 90 degrees. Hold your elbow pinned to your side and slowly move your forearm toward your body. Hold 5 seconds then return to the start position. Make sure not to move your hand. Do a set of 15-20 reps with each arm. This can also be done with a resistance band attached to the weight stand. In general we also prescribe antiinflammatory medications such as naproxen (aleve) or ibuprofen ( advil) for a short duration. However, chronic use of these medications can cause stomach irritation and in extreme cases, bleeding. If the symptoms persist more than 6-8 weeks I generally send patients for an MRI to rule out a rotator cuff tear. If there is no tear, you may benefit from a lidocaine or corticosteroid injection.

**Scrap** · 01-02-2008 08:48 PM

Good stuff Doc cc in 24

**Punisher136** · 01-03-2008 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by KODOC

The stretches are a key part of rotator cuff tendonitis treatment. Weighted pendulum exercise with a 5 to 10 lb weight may also help. A weight of 5 to 10 pounds is held lightly in the hand (a filled gallon container weighs eight pounds). The muscles of the shoulder should be relaxed! The arm is kept vertical and close to the body (bending over too far may cause pinching of the rotator cuff tendons). The arm is allowed to swing back and forth or in a small circle (no greater than 12 inches (30 centimeters) in diameter). A properly performed stretching exercise may cause a deep achy pain, either in the armpit or down the inner aspect of the arm. Do this once or twice a day for 5 minutes per side. Another isometric exercise will help to recover lost rotational strength. Start after 3 weeks of the pendulum excercise. Grasp a 5 -10 lb weight in one hand at 90 degrees. Hold your elbow pinned to your side and slowly move your forearm toward your body. Hold 5 seconds then return to the start position. Make sure not to move your hand. Do a set of 15-20 reps with each arm. This can also be done with a resistance band attached to the weight stand. In general we also prescribe antiinflammatory medications such as naproxen (aleve) or ibuprofen ( advil) for a short duration. However, chronic use of these medications can cause stomach irritation and in extreme cases, bleeding. If the symptoms persist more than 6-8 weeks I generally send patients for an MRI to rule out a rotator cuff tear. If there is no tear, you may benefit from a lidocaine or corticosteroid injection.

cc indeed

**iceman** · 01-03-2008 08:20 AM

more therapy... try adding some quality fish oil supplements, some cissus quadrangulus and soem proleytic enzemes to the mix, mss and glucosamine may help and also rest, ice it frquently and elsctro stim may help ...some of tehse are expensive, some free, and some require a therapist so use any or all that are useful,also i would stay away from the nsaid's...a couple of docs here said they are not as good as natural enzemes and vitmamins and fruit...try pinnaple preferably fresh not canned and vitamin c and tumeric for swelling injuries...if you wish to go the holistic route..

**donnydarkoIRL** · 01-07-2008 12:55 PM

Having dislocated the shoulder over a year ago now I've expierienced little trouble. Immediatly after the injury I took a lot of Fish oils and primrose oils. These promoted the repair of muscle tissue as well as replenishing the essential synovial fluid in the joints.

On the mornings that it did hurt badly a shower in which i repeatedly changed from very hot to very cold relieved stiffness and often the pain.

I don't know if you undertake in any training or compete in any sport but I found a rst was essential and I'm happyto say I'm cured, although arthritis looms in the future.

**greynotsoold** · 01-07-2008 10:31 PM

A friend that used to go to the gym with me 15 years ago just had rotator cuff surgery last Friday. I told him over and over again that the way he was jabbing- all arm- was going to ruin him. But he's one of those tireless worker guys and he's kept at it since then and that's that.

**Cortez The Killer** · 01-08-2008 05:58 AM

I have been taking fish oil for years and haven't noticed do a thing for my joints, particularly left shoulder and right wrist which I did some damage to in my early days with bad technique and a "no pain no gain" mentality.

What has worked for me the best is Nature Made brand Triple Flex. It contains the standard glucosamine and chrondritin, and also MSM.

I tried using a couple other brands from time to time but none seemed to work as well. Now I have no more cracking in the joints, rarely any pain even after doing high impact exercises. The only thing I wonder about is sometimes if I go a few days without it and the cracking and general uncomfortable feeling will return quite quickly, perhaps even worse then it was before.

I wonder since MSM is naturally produced in the body if taking it artificially in large doses overtime will cause the body to stop or at least halt production?

**KODOC** · 01-09-2008 02:29 AM

Good question Cortez. MSM is produced naturally by the bacteria in the intestinal tract. It is also found in all plant and animal tissue. There have been studies that show that at a dose of 3 grams twice a day, people had significant improvement in their osteoarthritis. We still don't understand why it works exactly. Two of the triple flex give you about 1.5 grams of MSM daily. The study never looked at MSM in lower dosages. I think that you're probably right. If you take in the supplement, your body doesn't recognize a need for the MSM so you won't absorb as much from dietary sources and your gut bacteria possibly won't produce as much. It will take some time for your system to catch up. Any way you cut it, the triple flex seems to help. All of my older patients (including my 85 year old grandmother) swear by it.

**Punisher136** · 01-12-2008 01:13 AM

I dunno exactly what I did but i woke up a few days ago and it was significantly healed overnight. 95% is close enough for me so i'm gonna start training again. Thanks for all who replied.