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Hey guys,

So yesterday when I was benching I felt a pain in my front deltoid. I was stupid and kept working out, though I did end up cutting my workout short after the pain got really bad. I don't think it's torn as I can move my arm, there's no bruise, and it doesn't hurt to touch. However when I raise my arm diagonally (towards myself, not away from) I get a really intense pain.

How long do I need to stop working out? Three days maybe? It's so frustrating because I've made so much progress. I went up in weights in almost everything last week so I was feeling pretty good about myself. Now I'll have to go lower than what I was lifting before with more reps. Ugh.

Also, going to a doctor isn't an option as I have no insurance.

Thanks!

Ibuprofen and ice

Are you sure it's muscular and not a tendon?

You're gonna need to stretch it and massage it. Otherwise, the fascia surrounding the muscle will invade the tissue and reduce its ability to move.

A massage therapist would be best, but you say you dont have the insurance for one.

Been taking ibuprofen, but have been using icy hot instead of actual ice.

Not sure that it is the muscle, but it's right where the front deltoid is.

Will definitely stretch it, and massage it myself.

Any ideas when I can work out again?

See an actual doctor because no here is trained to diagnose you. I am often shocked and amaze how some of you would seek medical advice of non-medically trained professionals on this site and if they are your willing to take their advice, absent an actual in-house exam.

I have no insurance. I know it's nothing really bad as I can move my arm just fine. I have strained things before, so I kind of know the drill, though I haven't done so in about a year.

rocketboy saidI have no insurance. I know it's nothing really bad as I can move my arm just fine. I have strained things before, so I kind of know the drill, though I haven't done so in about a year.

Then just what's the point of this thread, if you know it all already? ...

Haha, I forget! I want advice about easing back into my workout, how much time I should take off, etc.

rocketboy saidHaha, I forget! I want advice about easing back into my workout, how much time I should take off, etc.

I don't think anyone can tell you how much time to take off unless they examined you. There can be many causes of shoulder pain such as tendonitis, tears, strains, bursitis, impingement. The correct diagnosis can only be made after the shoulder is examined by a professional.

The shoulder is an easily injured joint. For the joint to be able to move in so many directions it has to give up stability. The joint also has a poor blood supply which delays healing.

The two exercises that are particularly bad for the joint are over head presses and bench presses. Some people may have permanent problems doing these exercises once the shoulder is injured.

I have a partial tear of my left rotator cuff that acts up if I get carried away doing overhead lifting. I have been doing rotator cuff exercises and stretching that was suggested by a physical therapist.

There are many articles on shoulder care on the Net. You should read these in addition to the usual rest, massage, etc. Here is a link to just one article

http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/shoulder-injury.htm

rocketboy saidHey guys,

So yesterday when I was benching I felt a pain in my front deltoid. I was stupid and kept working out, though I did end up cutting my workout short after the pain got really bad. I don't think it's torn as I can move my arm, there's no bruise, and it doesn't hurt to touch. However when I raise my arm diagonally (towards myself, not away from) I get a really intense pain.

How long do I need to stop working out? Three days maybe? It's so frustrating because I've made so much progress. I went up in weights in almost everything last week so I was feeling pretty good about myself. Now I'll have to go lower than what I was lifting before with more reps. Ugh.

Also, going to a doctor isn't an option as I have no insurance.

Thanks!

It sounds like you might have damaged your proximal tendon, or may have some impingement going on your shoulder.

Google up on shoulder impingement. Google up on biceps proximal tendon tear.

If there's bruising around the area, you almost certainly have a tear.

If your bicep is peaked like popeye, you almost certainly have a tear.

Your shoulder has 5 ways of motion. You need to move it in each of those planes to test it.

If there's swelling, ice it. Don't do heat, as it'll make the inflammation worse.

If there's bruising, get to a doctor. He'll know the right test to do to test for an injury (or you can spend some time finding it yourself).

If you have shoulder impingement, or a slight shoulder tendon, sprain, back off.

Guys hurt there shoulders because they fail to do enough back exercises. In particular, posterior deltoids exercises.

If you have a complete tear, you likely felt a sharp pain, or heard a snap, then, no pain (it's torn off at that point). If it's still hurting, you might have a partial tear, especially if there's bruising.

If it's a complete tear, the only way to fix it is surgery, and sooner is better. If it's a partial tear, it may, or may not be worth surgery. If it's just inflammation / a sprain, you'll need to back off, let it heal, and strengthen it, and the antagonist side. Lots of guys never to posterior delts and back and end up with a serious imbalance being to developed in the front. It's just the opposite with swimmers. They get over-developed in the back and have problems in the back, instead of the front, just the opposite of a strength athlete.

If you felt a snap, or heard a snap, or it has bled / bruised. You need to see an expert, or read up on how to do the tests yourself.

Barbell bench presses, and front military presses are just horrible on your shoulder girdle, and your imbalance. You shoudn't ever do them. Dumbbells, through a full range of motion, are much better. Never forget your antagonistic exercises, like reverse flies for your shoulders.

A week and a half ago, and after training with due diligence for 34 years, I had a partial distal bicep tendon tear. I went to pick a 100 pound weight from the floor as I have hundreds of times before. I felt a tug, and then, pain, and I let go (unwrap the strap and dropped the weight). I tried with another weight, and no luck. Two days later, I did a very light biceps workout, and ended up with real nasty bruising. I self-diagnosed with a partial tear using the intact hook test. I went to the doctor, and he did the same test. It's partially torn. I'm trying to get into see an orthopedic specialist this week, but, without insurance, there's lot of navigating.

There's several kind of pains, I've learned along the way. Slow down pain, stop it pain, and you really fucked something up pain. If you have bruising, you need to see a doctor. If it's really fucked up pain, you need to see a doctor.

With some luck, your body is just warning you to change some things.

Don't forget, heat will worsen your situation. Ice is until the pain stops. Only use heat after you're fully in recovery. You'll want to study that up too.

These things can't be diagnosed over The Internet, especially with a pictureless. You need to learn everything there is to know about your symptoms. Even without insurance, just for piece of mind, you'll probably want to see a doctor if it doesn't calm down with some ice. DO NOT APPLY HEAT until all pain has subsided. Various tests for various conditions are well documented online. You can self-diagnosis, if you want to, and go from there.

Here's what a partial distal bicep tear looks like, which you don't have but shows you the bruising that comes when the tendon bleeds from being partially attached:



Good luck.

Thanks Chucky. No bruising, no snap, no swelling. It feels a lot better today. I gave myself two days of rest (though I did go running), and am going back to the gym tomorrow. No benching of any kind for at least a week, and will only lift light weights with more reps for that same amount of time. At this point it only still hurts when I move my arm up and inwards and even then keeps felling better and better. Guess I was lucky this time. hope I am smart and don't overdo it tmrw.

Thanks again.

Just had something similar, really sharp intense pain when I lifted my right arm above horizontal, but the pain was really deep, couldn't find the spot by poking around externally to locate the site of the pain. Physiotherapist diagnosed it as an impinged tendon, told to rest for 4-5 days and take anti-inflammatory drugs. Also given some stretching exercises to improve posture, was told it's common amongst tall people and office workers who tend to hunch forward alot.