So I got a call from my doc today and he says I have tendonitis and we can do nothing or we can refer me to an orthopedist who will most likely give my shoulder a steroid injection. Anybody else ever have one of these injections? Will the euphoria of the large needle be so great that I become addicted? j/k Anyhow, the ortho he is reffering me to did a fellowship specializing in joints and my doctor has a significant amount of faith in him. I am allowed to get back in the water when I feel the time is right but he warned me to take it easy so as not to aggravate it before it completely heals. At least I don't have to worry about surgery and can concentrate on my recovery. Thanks again to all of you who responded to my posts with words of encouragement.
Parents
Former Member
You mentioned the possibility of "loose cartilage" in another thread ("Not shoulder instability after all").
Antiinflammatory agents reduce the inflammation of tendinitis, in addition to relieving pain (and most doctors would try oral agents before a steroid injection).
Many swimmers develop some weakening of the rotator cuff as they age because they don't do exercises that target these small muscles--apparently that doesn't apply to you. However, these are the same exercises that pitchers use, since throwing a baseball, like swimming, is an overhead type activity.
It's seems a little odd that a single violent stretch would cause tendinitis in an otherwise healthy joint; perhaps it was just a freak occurence and you'll have no further problems after it heals.
I've yet to meet a radiologist that can "diagnose" tendinitis from an MRI (although it sounds like that's what it is); usually the diagnosis is made by a doctor who has actually examined you and reviewed the MRI results. You can't actually see tendinitis on an MRI--it's more a diagnosis of exclusion.
Anyway, good luck with your recovery.
You mentioned the possibility of "loose cartilage" in another thread ("Not shoulder instability after all").
Antiinflammatory agents reduce the inflammation of tendinitis, in addition to relieving pain (and most doctors would try oral agents before a steroid injection).
Many swimmers develop some weakening of the rotator cuff as they age because they don't do exercises that target these small muscles--apparently that doesn't apply to you. However, these are the same exercises that pitchers use, since throwing a baseball, like swimming, is an overhead type activity.
It's seems a little odd that a single violent stretch would cause tendinitis in an otherwise healthy joint; perhaps it was just a freak occurence and you'll have no further problems after it heals.
I've yet to meet a radiologist that can "diagnose" tendinitis from an MRI (although it sounds like that's what it is); usually the diagnosis is made by a doctor who has actually examined you and reviewed the MRI results. You can't actually see tendinitis on an MRI--it's more a diagnosis of exclusion.
Anyway, good luck with your recovery.
