Shoulder Tendonitis

I have read previous threads on this - but starting a new one - basically have a raging shoulder tendonitis on my left shoulder - got MRI result yesterday evening and basically every tendon is inflamed as well as bursa. No tears.

My GP doesn’t want to give a Cortisone Shot - so at the moment I’m icing, taking turmeric pills and NSAIDs when pain is to bad to cope

I’m supposed to do a swim in August so I have time.

So the purpose of this post is really my attempt for getting any good tips/experiences to heal quickly and correctly.

First thing I have decided to do is to switch PT as a niggle went to a raging fire after 2 visits and doing the exercises I was told to do. ?

miklcctPappyjoedanslos

Comments

  • LakeBaggerLakeBagger Central OregonSenior Member

    @andiss I’m sorry this is happening to you!

    I had calcific tendinitis last spring/summer. It was unrelated to swimming and I had a really good PT. All my shoulder tendons were so inflamed I couldn’t move my arm. My PT explained that they were all “really pissed off”.

    The wisest thing she said is that there usually is an original injury of some kind, but then there’s the way the body reacts to that injury, which is often more painful and more of a problem than the original injury. My first week, I hot tubbed, iced, did the heat pad and ibuprofen. She explained that the first step is to get everything to calm down, then slowly rebuilding the neural signals to get my muscles/tendons to relearn how to work together. My first set of “exercises” consisted of holding my hand against the wall with my elbow bent, just thinking about rotating my shoulder without actually putting any pressure on it.

    Later we did “dry needling” to get my tendons to stop being so locked up. It was like a miracle and hours after my first needling session I was able to do a few strokes of freestyle in a row with both arms for the first time. Just 2 months later, I got through a 19 mile channel swim with no pain whatsoever, so there’s hope!!

    Obviously everyone’s injury/healing is different, but I appreciated her general perspective: original injury + body’s protective response to injury = the complete world of hurt you are in right now.

    If you think swimming contributed to your issue, make sure your elbow is never lower than your hand while swimming freestyle and you are starting your catch right away (not pressing down on the water with your hand first).

    Hopefully your new PT can help your shoulder get calmed down and reset so you can rebuild. Hang in there!!

    evmoandissKatieBunMLambyMvGdanslos
  • andissandiss Senior Member

    Thanks for sharing - much appreciated!

    LakeBaggerdanslos
  • wendyv34wendyv34 Vashon, WASenior Member

    I suffer from shoulder tendonitis intermittently. It was mostly afflicting my left shoulder and switching to bilateral breathing helped take the load off. Rolling the hips further and keeping the elbows higher can help as well . In addition to ice, I use CBD cream and I'm careful about lifting anything at awkward angles. I'm not sure if it ever completely goes away though.

    LakeBaggerandissrickpdanslos

    It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.

  • andissandiss Senior Member
    edited March 2022

    Thanks - will look into the cream - pain has finally calmed down and first day without NSAID - curiously I tried an air stroke - can do it but not pain free - so I guess it needs further rest

    LakeBaggerdanslos
  • akswimakswim United StatesMember

    I got a bad case of tendonitis in my right shoulder, I iced 4 times a day, 5 minutes each time. Froze water in a styrofoam coffee cup, and peeled it as the ice melted. Kind of a massage/ice combination. I also used Voltaren cream daily. which helped a lot! Also backed off on my mileage for a few weeks to let it heal. Once I got healed up a bit, I started doing shoulder care exercises a few days a week.

    Good luck!

    wendyv34
  • wendyv34wendyv34 Vashon, WASenior Member

    I've used Voltaren too. It definitely works, but keep the amount and area small. Since it's an NSAID, it's possible to overdo it.

    akswim

    It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.

  • andissandiss Senior Member
    edited March 2022

    Using that too - currently after I have done anything when I think it’s gonna get worse.

    Would massage guns be good or bad - I’m kind of thinking increased blood flow - but if you do too much it might hurt the tendon?

  • I've struggled with this intermittently as well, and definitely know how frustrating it can be. After trying several different therapists, I ultimately took the PT into my own hands and have found a product called "Crossover Symmetry" to be a helpful program when done diligently.

    Also, and this is likely a personal thing, I find that increasing my entry angle to the water during the catch really relieves a lot of stress.

    Best of luck!

  • andissandiss Senior Member

    Latest here - scheduled for Cortisone shot into Bursa as things aren’t going away - and then go to physio by the physician recommend approved list.

    Hoping it’s upwards and onwards after this point

  • Those shots can be like a miracle - here's hoping its one that lasts for the long term.

    andiss
  • andissandiss Senior Member

    The effect was noticed almost immediately - noticeable pain reduction - told to do avoid any loading and swimming and to start new physio sessions in 5-6 days.

  • andissandiss Senior Member

    update - cortisone injection removed all the pain

    After a weeks rest - new physio - complete different program. They believe it’s down to my work - hunching in front of a laptop all day. So now it’s all about strengthening the shoulder muscles & muscles between the shoulders - and stretch out the pecs.

    Allowed back in the pool. Started with a gentle 300m.

    Felt unreal! 🙂

    LakeBaggerKatieBunJSwimKari33wendyv34MvG
  • Welcome back to the water! Wishing you diligence and perseverance in PT.

    JSwim
  • Kari33Kari33 PennsylvaniaNew Member

    @andiss said:
    update - cortisone injection removed all the pain

    After a weeks rest - new physio - complete different program. They believe it’s down to my work - hunching in front of a laptop all day. So now it’s all about strengthening the shoulder muscles & muscles between the shoulders - and stretch out the pecs.

    Allowed back in the pool. Started with a gentle 300m.

    Felt unreal! 🙂

    Glad you are feeling better. Shoulder pain/injuries are not fun at all. I had a similar experience in that the addition of a shoulder strengthening regimen + regular trips to the sports chiropractor really helped in a big way. I have to stay on top of it, but my established routine has worked well for the last year+ since the pain crept in.

    andiss
  • andissandiss Senior Member
    edited May 2022

    Mixed bag - cortison injection only helped for 3 weeks - but new physio is on the ball and seeing progress.

    And turns out I can do backstroke pain free - will check with physio if can up the mileage. :)

    Kari33
  • andissandiss Senior Member

    Progress at last - did a 200m open water swim past weekend.

    Still not fully recovered but significantly better.

    Physio is using a tool to break down scar tissue - similar techniques as used for kidney stone I believe.

    And doing a lot of muscle work strengthening traps and rhomboids

    Will keep mileage very low for a foreseeable future

    MvGKari33
  • sarahcassidysarahcassidy Las Vegas, NVMember
    edited May 2022

    Have you considered seeing a chiropractor? I had a right shoulder injury around the same time yours started. I had an impingement on my left shoulder which was corrected with surgery years ago, so I recognized the impingement symptoms when it started in my right shoulder. However, it turned out that my right shoulder was out of alignment, causing the impingement. Several chiropractic adjustments resolved the pain, thankfully. My shoulder still likes to creep out of alignment, so I just go to the chiropractor every time I feel that happen, but these maintenance visits are getting longer in between.

    KrisLarsenKari33
  • andissandiss Senior Member

    Thought I would provide an update. I’m making progress and the realistic aim is to be back to normal by September.

    So I’m very slowly increasing distance per session - at 500m now - with a modified stroke - less high elbow.

    The weight training im doing approx 4times a week consists of

    Scapular retraction
    Pec stretch
    Supine fly with dumbbells
    Shoulder blade row with dumbbells
    T Row with dumbbells

    4 different band exercises.

    Last week I also started Chest press and a modified push up on the knee.

    The dumbbells are at 5kg at the moment - I started with 0.5kg.

    And a visit to the physio every second week.

    Kari33LakeBaggerwendyv34
  • Kari33Kari33 PennsylvaniaNew Member

    @andiss said:
    Thought I would provide an update. I’m making progress and the realistic aim is to be back to normal by September.

    So I’m very slowly increasing distance per session - at 500m now - with a modified stroke - less high elbow.

    The weight training im doing approx 4times a week consists of

    Scapular retraction
    Pec stretch
    Supine fly with dumbbells
    Shoulder blade row with dumbbells
    T Row with dumbbells

    4 different band exercises.

    Last week I also started Chest press and a modified push up on the knee.

    The dumbbells are at 5kg at the moment - I started with 0.5kg.

    And a visit to the physio every second week.

    Progress is great news. I know firsthand how long this takes, but it sounds like you are doing all of the right things and being smart about it.

    September is not far away!

    andiss
  • LakeBaggerLakeBagger Central OregonSenior Member

    @andiss said:
    Thought I would provide an update. I’m making progress and the realistic aim is to be back to normal by September.

    Keep up the good work— slow and steady. I think recovering from a shoulder injury is like an endurance event in and of itself in that it requires a lot of patience and mental fortitude. If you can get through this, you can get through all kinds of things!

    evmoKari33andisscurly
  • KatieBunKatieBun CornwallSenior Member

    @andiss said:
    Thought I would provide an update. I’m making progress and the realistic aim is to be back to normal by September.

    So pleased to hear this, @andiss . I refrained from commenting because I was out of the water from December to mid March with the same....and I was too miserable to think about it for most of that time. I couldn't lift my coffee mug or even lift my left arm enough to switch off the bedside light. I originally started to feel it in October and exacerbated it with some pretty active Pilates. Finally gave in in December, went to my physio and my chiro, had a scan and started rehab exercises. A sprain from the Pilates move which went wrong, lots of fluid round the joint..and supraspinatus tendinopathy....again. (It was last this bad in 2017. Nearly missed the season.)

    Acupuncture, manipulation, rehab exercises, ultrasound treatments....nothing seemed to be improving it, so I had 5 radial shockwave treatments from my physio and started to see progress. Started strengthening exercises mid-March with 1/2kg and went back to the pool for about 800m of single lengths, very slowly. I've now built that to 3.5k of slow intervals but, at my age, I think it's going to stay slow...as I was a snail anyway. :D

    The main thing is, I finally had a lightbulb moment about my stroke. When I'm swimming with a buddy, I keep looking to see where they are and come out of rotation far too early on my left side. I've stopped myself from doing that and I'm swimming half the time on the other side of my buddy, so I have to even out the breathing. I'm having to concentrate really hard on staying away from the bad habits.

    On Tuesday, I swam 5.5k in the sea, then took 2 days rest. Yesterday, I did 2 sea swims, of 4k and 3k, and there's no discomfort. I'm hopeful I can complete next Sunday's Jubilee 10k river swim without anything going wrong, even if it'll be my slowest ever.

    Anyway, I'm delighted for you. Keep us updated.

    LakeBaggerevmoKari33JSwimandissakswim
  • andissandiss Senior Member

    Interesting to hear your journey @KatieBun. Also delighted to hear about your journey back to swimming.

    Turns out I have progressed well last few weeks, doing approx. 1km swims in the sea now. I'm not allowing myself to go further yet, i just get out regardless, even if I feel fine. My physio thinks it will be months before I'm fully back to normal, but he said he can tell my trap muscle is not as engaged anymore so he is encouraging my progress.

    Still doing same weight exercises but much heavier weights now and also added on exercises with a band that simulates resistance during different areas of the stroke - "to trick the brain to thinks its ok"

    My physio visits are 3-4 weeks apart now and stroke analysis/adjustment is next on my list.

    In one way, being out of the water for almost 6 months has triggered a new found love for it, really enjoying being able to do it again, swim because i want to do it, not because i have to get km for the next event/swim is a very nice feeling! :)

    KatieBunLakeBagger
  • KatieBunKatieBun CornwallSenior Member
    edited July 2022

    Glad you're loving it, @andiss . So pleased to hear you're making progress but being sensible about how much you do. My 10k was cancelled so I'm working very slowly towards a 10 miler in September. I'll be building to back to back 4 hour swims in the quarry in August. I don't dare push it too hard. I've been swimming against the tide in the local estuary and if I work too hard, I can feel twinges in my shoulder, so I'm going to literally "go with the flow", for a while. I'm sort of wishing I hadn't booked anything this year, but I can't help it. :D
    Keep enjoying it!

    LakeBagger[Deleted User]andiss
  • andissandiss Senior Member

    thought I’d post an update.

    Shoulder is holding up.

    Still in the gym.

    And swimming at the moment is aimless with no distance in mind and just doing it for the enjoyment. Like a casual 1km 😊 .

    Is there such a thing as a soul swimmer?! 🤣

    KatieBunLakeBaggercurly
  • curlycurly Issaquah, WASenior Member

    @andiss said:
    thought I’d post an update.

    Shoulder is holding up.

    Still in the gym.

    And swimming at the moment is aimless with no distance in mind and just doing it for the enjoyment. Like a casual 1km 😊 .

    Is there such a thing as a soul swimmer?! 🤣

    Sounds like great progress to me. I've gone through many times in my life where I do the aimless swimming just for enjoyment phase. I think being aimless really helps with injury recovery, because you aren't pushing something on a self created schedule. I find there is a gentle breaking out period when you go from aimless to "I'm BACK!!!" If you just let that sort of happen organically, you tend to not have setbacks.

    KatieBunandiss
  • jaimie072jaimie072 perthNew Member

    @andiss said:
    Progress at last - did a 200m open water swim past weekend.

    Still not fully recovered but significantly better.

    Physio is using a tool to break down scar tissue - similar techniques as used for kidney stone I believe.

    And doing a lot of muscle work strengthening traps and rhomboids

    Will keep mileage very low for a foreseeable future

    Are you sure you have figured out the root cause of the problem? Typically shoulder tendonitis is caused by technique issues. People get cortisone, rest, see physios and get strengthening exercises, but the real issue is never addressed. Shoulder gets better because of rest and cortisone, but the pain returns when swim volume is increased.

    Has your physio spoken to you about swim technique and/or seen videos of you swimming?

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