Rotator cuff

[John T Barker]

Nearly a year ago I tore up my rotator cuff just before my employer went out of business. Finally reached a settlement for the worker's comp claim which means the insurance company is not paying for my physical therapy any longer (had surgery.) I'm at the stage where most of my exercises are weights or resistance bands which I can do at home or the gym. There's a few that I can not duplicate with weights and I am going to try to make myself. One is a 1/2" plastic tube arched and attached to a flat piece of plastic, essentially a letter "D" with the flat surface on a table. The task is to move 24 pieces of plastic from one side of the arch to the other until your arm falls off and then move them back again. I knew I had to do this one at home because it hurts like hell and the shoulder is weak and needs all I can do for it. I picked up a piece of 1/2" plastic electrical conduit and I'm going to glue some dowel to a piece of plywood then secure the conduit to the dowels, making the arch. Should be pretty easy.

I'm wondering if anyone else has made exercise "tools" like this for shoulders...or anything else for that matter. Post some pics or descriptions.

[Erik Loza]

I'm no expert on this but do did injure one of my rotator cuffs many years ago, never got it medically dealt with, so now always feel like the shoulder is weak. There are several exercises with small weights my PT advised (probably like you) but I'll add that another element that has helped me out is regular massage therapy. It seems like other surrounding muscle groups try to carry the load and get tighter than they should be and that creates its own set of problems with range of motion, etc. Anyhow, just what works for me.

Erik

[Rick Potter]

Both my cuffs are shot, and cannot be operated on. 20 years ago we drove to Alberta from California. When we left, I could hardly lift my right arm to the top of the steering wheel. I practiced doing that, then the dashboard, and finally touching the rear view mirror.. sets of 10, then 20, etc. By the time we got home I could do sets of 20 touching the mirror a dozen times a day.

It didn't help the torn cuff, but I learned to use auxiliary muscles to get the job done. I still cannot lift a 5# weight over my head with that shoulder, unless I jerk it up.

Doctor says mine will only be about 10% of what it was. Seems like he was right. Certain muscle movements in that arm are simply not there anymore. For instance using a fork or spoon is very awkward. I usually eat left handed now, when in public.

[John T Barker]

I'm no expert on this but do did injure one of my rotator cuffs many years ago, never got it medically dealt with, so now always feel like the shoulder is weak. There are several exercises with small weights my PT advised (probably like you) but I'll add that another element that has helped me out is regular massage therapy. It seems like other surrounding muscle groups try to carry the load and get tighter than they should be and that creates its own set of problems with range of motion, etc. Anyhow, just what works for me.

Erik

I was surprised that my PT didn't do much massage. She inflicted a lot of pain regaining my range of motion and then offered ice. I have a bunch of exercises I will continue which I learned there and she is going to e-mail me some more. I have felt an increase in my lifting ability and hope it continues.
I find that other muscles ache from something as simple as walking (I'm guessing it's the arm swing.) I have recently stopped taking Ibuprofen which I had been taking for a few months for a pericardium inflammation. I realize now that this stuff is my best friend as it has been masking every ache and pain in my body to the point that I forgot about them. I'll have to check with the docs to see if I can take it long term.

[John T Barker]

Both my cuffs are shot, and cannot be operated on. 20 years ago we drove to Alberta from California. When we left, I could hardly lift my right arm to the top of the steering wheel. I practiced doing that, then the dashboard, and finally touching the rear view mirror.. sets of 10, then 20, etc. By the time we got home I could do sets of 20 touching the mirror a dozen times a day.

It didn't help the torn cuff, but I learned to use auxiliary muscles to get the job done. I still cannot lift a 5# weight over my head with that shoulder, unless I jerk it up.

Doctor says mine will only be about 10% of what it was. Seems like he was right. Certain muscle movements in that arm are simply not there anymore. For instance using a fork or spoon is very awkward. I usually eat left handed now, when in public.

Your case sounds tough. Have you gotten second opinions? Good luck.