I know that there are threads on here already about shoulder injury and Cortisone shots but I don't have time to look for them.
I have decided to get a Cortisone shot this week for bicep tendonitis.
My question is: Can I swim then? My fear is that if I do I might tear it and do further damage. However, I am also thinking that if the shot works, the inflammation will go down and I won't hurt it.
Any advice and/or experience is appreciated. :agree:
I have been told on several occasions that MRIs are tricky for shoulders, and sometimes don't pick up tears that may be there. Unfortunately that means the only true way to know what's going on is surgery, which is generally a last, not a first step. Just a warning that you may not want to look at the MRI results as the absolute diagnostic tool for your problem. I also would highlight the comments about cortisone injections - if you get too many, they can weaken your tendons, so you may not want to jump right to it. My approach to shoulder rehab has been through physical therapy. It can take many months to get you back to fully normal, but at the same time you are addressing the problem by strengthening the rotator cuff. It's generally the weakness that is causing the problem in the first place, so the cortisone may take down the inflammation but if you keep doing the same thing you are likely to encounter the same problem in the future. In short - do those shoulder exercises!
I have been told on several occasions that MRIs are tricky for shoulders, and sometimes don't pick up tears that may be there. Unfortunately that means the only true way to know what's going on is surgery, which is generally a last, not a first step. Just a warning that you may not want to look at the MRI results as the absolute diagnostic tool for your problem. I also would highlight the comments about cortisone injections - if you get too many, they can weaken your tendons, so you may not want to jump right to it. My approach to shoulder rehab has been through physical therapy. It can take many months to get you back to fully normal, but at the same time you are addressing the problem by strengthening the rotator cuff. It's generally the weakness that is causing the problem in the first place, so the cortisone may take down the inflammation but if you keep doing the same thing you are likely to encounter the same problem in the future. In short - do those shoulder exercises!
