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spraylord
Jan 7, 2003, 9:09 PM
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I am a very new climber (2 months) and this past weekend in the gym I injured my shoulder. I was pulling myself up while bouldering when I just felt a sharp pain in my right shoulder. It was not a pop. I realize I need to stop climbing until it feels better, but how do I make it better. I know ice is good, but for how many days and for what durations? I have heard people say you can over ice, is this true? Also, someone once told me to take tylenol to help it. Lastly, can anyone tell me what the heck I did to it in the first place. It only hurts when I lift up my arm. Now, if I use the other arm to pull my right arm up, no pain at all. So its not a range of motion thing, its only when I use my right arm strength to lift up. Any suggestions at all would be great. It is so frustrating, and like a foll I find I lift my arm up every ten minutes while I'm at work with that "maybe its better now" mentality. lol
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jjg757
Jan 7, 2003, 9:21 PM
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Probably just a sprain or pulled muscle, keep lifting only light stuff, and try to work it everyday. At worst you could have torn the cartilage, which is characterized by a SHARP PAIN, and chronic, continuos pain. try tylenol, but Aleve kills it for 8 hours. take two.
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esimhs99
Jan 8, 2003, 1:20 AM
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you also may have pinched a nerve (i have done this before and you just have to wait for it to go away, usually a week or so).
as for icing--no more than 20mins at a time. try to get in 3 or so times a day. you should definitely try to ice after using it a lot. tylenol, aleive, asprin...blah blah blah, will help ease the pain and swelling if there is any.
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gyngve
Jan 8, 2003, 1:39 AM
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If you can go to a doctor / sports medicine person or whatever without paying an arm and a leg, you may want to do so. There's all sorts of different types of injuries, and some require cold (to reduce inflammation) and some require heat (to clear out the stagnant blood). But be sure to rest it plenty before working it again... nothing sucks more than aggravating an existing injury. Stretching and low-impact exercises and working opposing muscles are probably a good thing also.
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ooievaar
Jan 8, 2003, 1:40 AM
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This does just sound like a strained muscle. Try not to use it for at least a week or so, if it's not hurting after that just start slowly back in. (and don't start dynoing on your first day).
Ice is also good, and yes you can overdo it (people have given themselves frostbite from over-icing). Do 15 minutes at a time, and take an hour off between icing. Also don't let ice touch the skin directly, make sure you put some cloth inbetween it and the skin.
For pain, ibuprofen is probably the best thing. Tylenol will make it feel better, but it doesn't help with inflammation at all. Using ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, vioxx, etc are all better because they will reduce swelling and help things heal faster.
For most joint or muscle injuries, just remember RICE: (rest, ice/ibuprofen, compression, elevation).
Peace out, B
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dgt2n
Jan 8, 2003, 1:41 AM
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same exact thing happened to me a couple months ago (i think). i dont know exactly what it was, but i tried to keep my climbing to a minimum, and backed off whenever it started to bother me (usually after ~45 minutes or 3-4 climbs at the gym). the pain was VERY bad immediately after climbing - made it tough to even drive home or hold a phone to my ear, but also went away almost as fast - gone in about an hour. after 3 or four weeks, there was no pain at all.
take it easy, rest it, and take some anti-inflamatories (advil, etc).
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mountaingeek
Jan 8, 2003, 1:49 AM
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If you can't lift that arm under its own power, you might have torn something. Anti-inflamatory pills (advil or ibuprofen not tylenol) will help, but you really should see a doctor.
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noal
Jan 8, 2003, 2:20 AM
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Everyone wants to be a doctor
I tell you what man, you want to use that arm again....GO TO A DOCTOR, don't do squat for a week, then do fifty push ups. It starts hurting you go to a doctor right away. And not some sports medicine MD!!! If you have insurance you go to one they'll cover then get a referal to an Orthopedic specialist. If you don't have insurance go directly to an Orthopedic specialist. I hurt mine about two years ago, sounded exactly like yours, pain wasn't unbearable unless I was raising it up or doing pull ups. I didn't go see a doctor till I'l done ireprable damage, turns out I had damaged my rotator cuff, and severly injured my AC joint. It's close to a year and a half now and mine still hurts me bad. I have a friend who hurt his playing football, then kept trying to baby it and he's in a sling now with a badly damaged nerve. GO TO A DOCTOR!
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millie4690
Jan 8, 2003, 3:10 AM
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i didn't read all that everyone had to say, but i hurt my shoulder before and it felt exaclty the way you describe. a massage therapist spent some time with me and said it was bicep tendonitis. she suggested slow, slow stretching, and not to just stop when the pain stopped.
that happened after a weekend of intense drumming and dancing, and it was over a year ago. my shoulder has acted up the same way, but not so bad since i've started climbing, too. and everything i've heard about tendonitis is followed very quickly by 'see your doctor ASAP'.
if you intend to climb or lift your arm for the next part of your life, if not indefinitely, please see your doctor. especially until you are able to diagnose and treat your shouler and other pains accurately without proffessional assistance.
i feel your pain my friend. good luck and happy healing.
jenna
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xanx
Jan 8, 2003, 3:20 AM
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send me $500 US and i'll make your shoulder stop hurting, gaurenteed
mike
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calamity_chk
Jan 8, 2003, 3:25 AM
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Heat vs ice depends on the injury.
My .02 .. Go see a doctor.
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steepfish
Jan 8, 2003, 3:42 AM
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streching before you climb can prevent injuries
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zorg
Jan 8, 2003, 10:15 AM
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Is it common practice in the USA to take anti-inflammators for everything?
A tear in a muscle is something else than an inflammation isn't it? I don't know I am not a doctor though.... I would go and see one if you can afford it, if not, have LOTS of rest.
good luck, be carefull
Jasja
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womble
Jan 8, 2003, 11:03 AM
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Zorg, most muscle trauma is initially going to involve inflammation, hence all the advice regarding ibuprofen and ice.
Just 2 cents from another non-doctor.
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roughster
Jan 8, 2003, 11:40 AM
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Go grab a few six packs of Newcastle, head home, put on a climbing flick and drink like a fish till your completely sloshed.
When the wife gets home, look at her with a straight face and say, "Go cook me a pot pie and be quick about it".
I guarentee when you regain conscious you will forget all about your sore "climbing" shoulder.
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rprp
Jan 9, 2003, 2:11 AM
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AND for those of you who don't have shoulder pain...
Do rotator cuff exercises. I've found that the easy way to do them is with one of those long elastic exercise bands. Do them in both directions. This should be one of your top preventative exercises.
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jumpingrock
Jan 10, 2003, 6:50 AM
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Not a doctor but I have heard that if you put a heat on an injury then the blood vessles dialate and more blood flows to the injury so it heals quicker. Obviously don't do this when it is swollen.
I also got this great topical anti-inflamitory for my shoulder(swimmers shoulder) and elbows (tendonitis)
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charley
Jan 10, 2003, 2:14 PM
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It sounds
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blueeyedclimber
Jan 10, 2003, 2:48 PM
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I am not a doctor either but I play one on TV. No, actually I am a Phys Ed teacher. After the initial ice, I would move on to wet heat. Soak a towel in hot water and wrap your shoulder up. Also, if you are going to continue to climb, get used all sorts of pains, cuts, and bruises. You will be hurting in muscles you didn't know you have.
Josh
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aimeerose
Feb 1, 2003, 11:24 PM
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I'm not a doctor either, but I'm in school to be one; a doctor of Physical Therapy that is. I would say you definatly have injured your supraspinatus (rotator cuff muscle). If you can not lift it without help from your other arm, then you have injured either the muscle or the tendon. You need to go to an MD or if you are in a state with direct access you can go directly to a physical therapist (PT). If you call the PT office they will let you know if you need a referal from a physician. If you are unfamiliar with physical therapy, this is what we are trained to do. We are health care professionals who have undergone at least 2 years of schooling and 1 year of internships to learn how to treat and diagnose musculoskeletal conditions.
With this type of injury you need medical attention if you ever want to climb again. A rotator cuff injury can be so bad that you can't even brush your hair again. Not saying yours is, but you should have it checked out.
In regard to ice, 15 min. 3 times a day is best, with a frozen dixie cup peeled back to reveal the ice. Rub the ice over the affected area. Also, ibuprofen is better than tylenol for injuries. If you are still in a lot of pain and there is swelling, take 3 advils 3 times a day for no more than a week. It's a lot, but you need to decrease the inflammation. If it upsets your stomach, take with food, and discontinue if it still hurts your stomach.
Good luck. You WILL climb again if you take care of this injury.
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cookiecrumb
Feb 2, 2003, 4:38 PM
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As everyone else, I'm not a doctor.
If you take ibuprofen or anything that dulls the pain, be careful not to start climbing again too early because you may feel better (i.e. no pain) before the injury is healed.
You should see a doc. He/she will be better able to diagnose the injury. He/she may recommend some therapy to speed up rehabilitation.
Dave
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climb512
Feb 2, 2003, 5:38 PM
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Noal gave the best advice when he said go to a doctor. it could be a simple muscle pull, or cuff damage in which case you will just make it worse. I had the same problem, turned out it was an impingment(where calcium deposits for at the end of the collar bone and impinges on the head of the upper arm) and needed surgery to correct.
So, it could be anything. Go see a doc!
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froggy
Feb 6, 2003, 3:17 AM
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Hi,
I hurt my shoulder over a month ago and thought it was just a tweak.. Anyways a month latr and I still can't climb - still hurts and my range of motion is down too.. My chiro says it is 3 pulled/strained muscles and climbing will only make it not get better..
So my .02 cents is take it easy till it feels better and DONT OVER AGREVATE IT when you come back! I did this and it got worse..
Take it easy
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yourclimbinggod
Feb 6, 2003, 3:21 AM
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dude,
like me, you have to suck it up and work through the pain -- anything else is just quitting. remember, donovan mcnabb played the whole game against Phoenix with a broken ankle, and he was great. You can be too -- I know you won't whine. You will be a rock climber!
Peace -- also, yoga might help rehab -- stay away from painkillers -- my dad was addicted to those things (he was a pro hockey player) -- pain must be endured -- peace
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aimeerose
Feb 11, 2003, 4:42 AM
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Go to a real doctor or physical therapist. Don't screw around with chiropractors or yoga if you want to climb for many more years.
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