Shoulders won't heal. :( Meant to put it on this thread.
Former Member
I did a 25K race last July. Training got a bit messed up and I kept going, even though I was hurting the last few miles because I really wanted to finish. Both of my shoulders are still sore as I write this now. Started physical therapy in August and that hasn't helped. X-rays showed up nothing.
The primary care doctor thought it was bursitis back in August. The first sports med doc (last Nov.) thought that it was just the fibromyaliga kicking up the pain (though the joints being loose or whatever) and told me to continue the physical therapy. The second and third (same office, one just had more experience with the shoulders than the other, so I just got referred to the other) sports med doc thought that it was multidirectional instability. The physiatrist thought that it was just tendonitis and recommended an MRI (something I felt should've been done LONG ago). He questioned surgery on the right shoulder after the MRI, but the third sports medicine doc thought that it wasn't the least bit necessary. Wants me to also try physical therapy elsewhere, so will set that up.
Not really sure if fibromyalgia can do this and I've never had this problem before. Grew up doing swimteam year-round and have always competed distance events, though not something this long. Will put up basic results of what was given to me, just for any insight. No progress at all though. I miss swimming so much. Having to miss out on softball and can't do a lot of everyday tasks or reach above my head, etc.
Here goes:
Both MRI's performed on a ultra high field 3T
> > 16-channel MR scanner. Contrast injection into each
> > shoulder performed and dictated separately.
> >
> > Right Shoulder
> >
> > The rotator cuff tendons are unremarkable in appearance
> > with no evidence of a tear or significant tendinosis. The
> > biceps tendon, teres minor, and subscapularis are
> > unremarkable.
> >
> > Adjacent to the superior aspect of the anterior labrum at
> > 12:00-1:00 location, just anteriorly to the biceps anchor
> > and closely related to the middle glenohumeral ligament at
> > this level, there is a 3 x 4 mm filling defect which may
> > represent small soft tissue fragment or possibly labral
> > tear. The remainder of the labrum is unremarkable. The
> > superior labrum posteriorly to biceps anchor is normal. In
> > addition, a sublabrar foramen is noted.
> >
> > The acromion has a mildly concave undersurface, without
> > significant denegerative changes of the acromioclavicular
> > joint identified. No evidence of os acromiale. Small
> > amount of fluid is seen in the subacromial-subdoitois burse
> > just inferiorly to the acromiodsomething (printer ink junk on some
> > of this) joint.
> >
> > Impression
> >
> > 1. Small soft tissue fragment closely related to the
> > superior-anterior labrum. This may be related to fraying of
> > the labrum in this region, which does not extend posteriorly
> > to biceps anchor. In addition, there is a sublabral
> > foramen.
> >
> > 2. Small amount of fluid in the subacromial-subdoloid bursa
> > suggestive of mild bursitis.
> >
> > 3. Otherwise unremarkable study. No evidence of rotator
> > cuff tear.
> >
> > Left Shoulder
> >
> > There is mild swelling and intermediate signal involving
> > the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons consistent with
> > mild tendonitis. There is no evidence of a tear.
> >
> > The biceps tendon, subscapularis, and teres minor are
> > unremarkable.
> >
> > The glenoid labrum is intact. No significant amount of
> > fluid is seen in the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa.
> >
> > The acromion has a concave undersurface. No significant
> > degenerative changes in the acromioclavicular joint or
> > inferolateral downsloping is noted. No evidence of os
> > acromiale.
> >
> > Impression:
> >
> > 1. Mild rotator cuff tendinosis
> > 2. Otherwise unremarkable study
Former Member
Please clarify - you are not working out at all except for the physical therapy?
Yep, can't work out at all. Any movement basically flares up the pain and it's for many things, even from using a pen to write or sorting out items, etc. Changing my stroke won't help either at this point unless it's movements that don't involve the shoulders. Who knows though? Thanks for writing guys.
There are so many things we can do in the water that will not take the hands above the head and not involve the shoulders. After I fraid the tendons in both my shoulders I resorted to lots of kicking on the back and sculling. Dolphin kicking on the front with the hands at the side. Lots of arm shaking the arms. Even dog paddle with no extension.
An Egyptian doctor who worked with the Egyptian Marathon swimmers gave a few suggestions. Then he froze my shoulders and told me to swim but not pull too hard. I raced in the marathon swims for another 5 years.
I second the question about whether the PT is the only exercise you're doing.
When you do your PT exercises, does the pain persist all the way through or do you find that the shoulders feel looser and more pain free during/after the exercises?
Meant to write back sooner. Pain gets worse as I keep using them. Haven't done anything lately though and should be. Just burned out from all this, but I really miss swimming too.
