I recently started feeling discomfort in my left shoulder when I did military press, benchpress, and other shoulder inclusive exercies. However, the discomfort went away immediately after the exercise was completed and I feel no discomfort at all whatsoever unless i'm doing shoulder inclusive exercises. Anyway, I went to the doctor anyway and she said it was probably rotater cuff tendinitis and gave me some inflammatory medicine and some exercises to do. However, she was fairly busy so I was kinda rushed out before I could ask her questions.

How long should I wait before going back to the gym and continuing heavy lifting? How do I know when to go back? I never feel any pain in my left shoulder anyway so I can't use that as an indicator as to when i'm ready to lift heavy again. Any advice from anyone who knows a lot on the topic or has been through a rotator cuff injury themselves would be greatly appreciated.

I would like to know anyones experiences with this also. I have rotator cuff problems on both shoulders. My right one was injured playing baseball/softball way too much. My left one was injured just 2 weeks ago and is the only one currently hurting during heavy lifting. I have cut the weight back but still lifting through the pain and doing exercises to build that muscle group. Hope I am not hurting it worse but just hate to stop lifting and go backwards on my goals. Any help would be awesome.

Oh i'm sure ya'll will just love my 'story'

Ok, i have no idea what's really wrong with my shoulders. I've hurt 'em both. The left only once though, the right three times, maybe four. The first was from doing a bad backhand. Another was probably the same thing, but that same basic motion. And well, again, same motion, but i was swimming and turning and it just seems like the bone is getting caught up and maybe scrapping. I have no idea, because it also feels like it just might be the tendants(sp?).

Now, how has this stopped me from working out? ........ none! I feel discomfort, but i'm a dumbass when it comes to that, and i continue working out. Of course a lil lighter, but the pain goes away eventually and i continue to stretch and make sure the muscles rest, but i still workout the supporting muscles around there. Same with my knee pain. I don't let it get me down, i just go straight to lightly conditioning the muscles associated and get right back up to working out hard! I don't take any meds either. Although my one coach said i should try this stuff that's suppost to help rebuild cartalage and some other stuff. I still have yet to go buy and try it yet.

So as for advice on when to get back into it. Well, i wouldn't be the one to decide. It's all really your choice. I'm willing to take the risk and 'tough it out' so to speak and get back into working out. But you have to remember to keep it a lil lighter. The muscles or whatever are bruised at least and need time to recope, adapt, and get back to their previous condition. But that's no reason to stop working out. Whenever it comes to that area, take it a bit easier, and if you can't continue, stop working out. Let the area rest for awhile then (whether that be moments or days, although if it's days i still go back and do lighter working out).

So it's all really individualistic. Push yourself to what feels right, but don't be stupid about it. It's better to stop working out then to push yourself to further injury. But you can't always live in fear of pain and injury. If your body is adaptive, don't worry so much and try and get that body recovered http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wink.gif

Good lifting!

Does it hurt when you rotate outward or inward.

I've always been a big fan of listening to my body. I'd rather wait a while and rehabilitate my shoulder and then go back to the gym at 100% instead of not letting my shoulder rest and risking aggravating/worsening the injury. Hey, maybe I will lose a little progress, but it's worth it in the long run. I'd rather lift heavy and hard with no discomfort and nothing holding me back rather than lifting lighter with a constant discomfort in my shoulder. Last time I benchpressed, my left shoulder seemed to beg me to stop so that's probably what I'll do at least until I finish the meds and finish the rehabilitation exercises that I was told to do.

I was just wondering though when I should stop the rehab exercises and go back into the gym. I don't want to go back in, lift, and throw out all the rehab stuff I'd have done in the past weeks or so.

another thing to wonder is how serious the injury is. Mine, they could be bad, but it's not stopping me from doing anything. I CAN lift at 100 percent if i want to. I'm sure my shoulder will tell me otherwise, but i've also been one to handle and ignore pain and i'll still function properly. But if you can't function at 100 percent, then you need to rehabilitate. When do you get back into working out? Probably when you feel you can function at your max without discomfort. I've never had an injury (0ther than a pulled muscle of course) that stopped me from being able to continue working out. So i'll continue to workout, lightly. If you feel you can do that, you should. But if you feel your body hasn't recovered yet, then hold off. It's not good to risk further injury or later complications, but i always feel i'll work out any complications with my exercise and training.

Definitely rest it and do the rehab. I hurt my shoulder and worked through it in my early 20s and developed chronic tendinitis. This year I found out I tore the rotator cuff - had to have surgery.
The rotator cuff heals very slowly because it gets poor
blood supply. Once you tear it - that's it. You will need surgery or you won't be working out anymore. Even daily activities become hard, especially reaching overhead.
So why risk it.