Tendinitis....... Shoulder or Bicep

[dcg1952]

Curtisj76,
Rest and ice are fine and probably a little Advil/Aleve may help with the pain. The gentleman posting as Julian is an orthopedic surgeon in New Zealand (you've been "outed" Julian!). He has given you the proper advice. One thing I might reiterate is the pain felt at night while sleeping is classic for rotator cuff problems. I see this a lot in my practice (I'm a family practice doc) and my wife has had both of her rotator cuffs repaired. The thing she complained about both times was minor problems during the day but couldn't sleep at night--and as a result I didn't sleep well either! Did you do the tests Dr Julian suggested??? What were your results?? I'm sure when Vickie and/or Physioguy find this thread they can help you with some exercises/rehab. Hope you get this solved soon---the warm weather is on its way! Dr Dave

[SwingNorthtoSouth]

This is a great Thread. I too have this problem. But it stemmed from an accident 20 years ago. I was riding a motrocycle about 20 miles an hour and this lady comes out from between two cars. I brace and lock my arms straight holding the handle bars as her legs hit my engine and then her body side swipes my right shoulder. I didn't fall but she spent a week in the hospital . That same day I started to feel a tired shoulder when I washed my hair. Never got it checked out. But years later went to a chiropractor. He said that the pain in my neck through my shoulder and into my bicep stemmed from the shoulder blade. Sometime my shoulder feels fine but at times I can't bench press or do chest flys. Cab someone help???....thanks r

[Vickie]

Yea, shoulders are a tricky subject since there can be so many potential and complimentary problems. Julian is right as Dr. Dave encouraged you to try his tests. It will atleast give you a direction. I have found a common cause of shoulder pain whether it winds up being rotator cuff or bicipial in nature. It is a weakness in the lower trapezius muscle that allows for faulty shoulder position. When your scapula rides up (you will see with rounded shoulders) it also tilts anteriorly allowing the Pectoralis minor to shorten and perpetuate the problem. I recommend doing a strength training program with more emphasis on the full range of motion in proper position than on the quantity of weight. This is often tricky since I usually see people doing a butterfly exercise by opening their arms but not the chest. Take your mind to the muscle you are working and you will feel the chest opening and expanding and the arms just serve the process. Likewise a cable lat pull down is often pulled with the biceps minimizing the power you bring to the large lat muscle. Any time you do an exercise or a stretch, take a minute and engage (tense) the muscle you are focused on and then let your extremities follow the pathway.

I would refer you back to an earlier thread with Martee where a number of exercises are listed in detail. He had great results and you can too. Just bring you mind to your muscles and enjoy freedom from pain. Remember, consistency is the secret. Vickie

[SwingNorthtoSouth]

Thanks Vicki,my Chiro just gave me ultra sound on my shoulder.As he was applying the sound, he hit a nerve so to apeak and I felt a pain from my neck through my shoulder to my forearm.That whole area became weak............

[Vickie]

Ultra sound can be very effective and very illuminating. Now you have a sense of the nerve pathway that being impacted. It sounds like you have a good doctor. Hope you heal fast. Vik

[Physioguy]

Some great replies in this thread. Hopefully you have received a diagnosis.

I will piggy back on Vickie's comments. I have an interest in shoulders (having dislocated my own a few years back), and what I commonly see is that the shoulder blade gets "out of synch" with the arm. The shoulder blade relies heavily on the musculature around it, as its only connection to the skeleton is at the sternum, through the collar bone.

What I tend to see is significant tightness around the shoulders, typically involving the pecs, lats, and one of the rotator cuff muscles (subscapularis), and often weakness of the muscles between the shoulder blades. To make matters worse, there is commonly poor posture, associated with a head-forward carriage, and rounded forward shoulder girdles. This is more common than you may think.

What then happens is that the shoulder blade doesn't rotate in synch with the upper arm, particularly with overhead and elevation movements. When this happens, you can often get a pinching (impingement) of the shoulder rotator cuff muscles. I shouldn't neglect to mention that a fully functioning shoulder requires decent mobility of the upper thoracic spinal (upper back) segments, and this is another area that gets quite stiff.

Like most injuries, once it has settled down, proper rehabilitation should include stabilization exercises. Stabilization is simply the ability to control whatever mobility you have. From what I mentioned above, the first thing I usually work on is mobility of the shoulder girdle muscles. As the mobility comes, you strengthen/stabilize it with appropriate exercise.

[Vickie]

curtisj76, Why don't you describe your symptoms a little more thoroughly. Describe when you have the pain and try to pin point the area. Describe the pain. How long did it last? You know, just expound on it a little and maybe we can all help refine the process. If you're so inclined. Vik