# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > INJURIES, REHAB & SPA >  My at home shoulder rehab plan. How does this sound? Do I need in office P-T?

## NiceGuyResearcher

*Title: Biceps weak in right arm (dominant arm) since I can't do as much reps as the left arm
*

Right arm as if like the motion where you pull back a waist belt to fit 1 of the belt's loops sort of like a "outward hip flexor movement" like this symbol image: a) _] b) / really reveals not as much strength in the right arm. There is an itchy tenderness where the upper arm shoulder joint meets the right outer pec.

Tele doc appointment, my primary doc over the phone, told me it usually gets better on its own

My google research revealed 2 respected people that for Shoulder injuries the best thing to do is Rest, Rest & Rest (some have said rest 2 weeks, others rest 1 month)

I also find that "moist heat therapy" like with a warm almost hot rag in a heating pad make the area feel a lot better

My primary care doc didn't strongly advise an MRI nor an X-ray

I'm not in pain, and range of motion is good

I'm taking 2 weeks off (not sure if I should take 1 month off from upper body exercises)

Fish Oil caps every day, Glucosamine every day

I found a place where P-T's (physical therapists) make a trip to one's home (a house call), **but: they don't have that ultra sound therapy gel unit* 

I found in chiropractivc and shoulder prob's since I had a sore shoulder in 2011, that these ultra sound gel therapy units done in a circular fashion on a sore lower back or sore shoulder are helpful as they seem to be deep tissue rubs

I found a good book on Amazon which is better than treat your own rotator cuff" and better than "the Mcenzie method"

I mean if the P-T's that don't need a referral & make house calls will only recommend & show me exerices to improve blood flow into the shoulder area, _isn't that I can do on my own at home?_

I hope the attached book pic is allowed. 

I don't get any kickbacks

*So, let's say this is the plan:*


51 year old male (me)
1) 1 month off from any upper body exercises (doing a conservative estimate)
2) Fish Oil caps every day, Glucosamine every day
3) Rotator Cuff / shoulder biomechanics exercises found in attached book
4) Moist Heat Therapy
5) Left arm dumbbell biceps curl (synergistic / complements) so that right arm / right shoulder does not lose muscle mass.

It seems the medical industry via their google info. wants people to make in-office visits, but let's be real here, when it comes to shoulders and bodybuilding: rest is the best recipe to rehab them, am I right?

The same do it yourself at home, principle, seems efficient unless there is a traumatic injury, i.e. falling down stairs & hurting shoulder, with real loss of range of motion, **with real pain*

*This same treat it yourself principle goes along with*  what? surgeries should be a last resort measure, right?

Thanks in advance, for confirming or ratifying, that this do-at-home therapy is basically what's needed given, I don't have real bothersome pain, I have good range of motion, chief complaint: can't do right dumbell standing biceps curls in the rep range I used to

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## Charlie67

I'm happy to hear your taking it seriously. I screwed around with pain in my right shoulder for 2 years before I went to the doc. "work through the pain" all the posters said. Finally went to the doc, got an MRI. Rotator cuff tendinopathy and moderate spurring (or something close to that).... basically, its aggravated from over-use but nothing was broken. Just beat-up. Met with the PT who, literally, gave me a book of stretches/warm-up exercises. I did no overhead or incline presses for about 3 months, and I did the stretches every day for at least 3 months, then dropped to only doing them on gym days (5 days/wk). I now, 8 years later, do all of those stupid stretches on chest and shoulder days. Took a solid year afterward see PT before it became less noticeable, probably 3 years before I could lift without noticing it at all. I guess my long-winded point is stick to your rehab plan. I think people quit too early because they get bored, but shoulder problems can stick around quite a while.

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## NiceGuyResearcher

> I'm happy to hear your taking it seriously. I screwed around with pain in my right shoulder for 2 years before I went to the doc. "work through the pain" all the posters said. Finally went to the doc, got an MRI. Rotator cuff tendinopathy and moderate spurring (or something close to that).... basically, its aggravated from over-use but nothing was broken. Just beat-up. Met with the PT who, literally, gave me a book of stretches/warm-up exercises. I did no overhead or incline presses for about 3 months, and I did the stretches every day for at least 3 months, then dropped to only doing them on gym days (5 days/wk). I now, 8 years later, do all of those stupid stretches on chest and shoulder days. Took a solid year afterward see PT before it became less noticeable, probably 3 years before I could lift without noticing it at all. I guess my long-winded point is stick to your rehab plan. I think people quit too early because they get bored, but shoulder problems can stick around quite a while.


Thanks a lot Charlie67

Ive seen some of your posts over the years and this is advice i can take to the bank

I put this answer on the top shelf of the best answers to follow regarding my shoulder problem of October, 2022

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## NiceGuyResearcher

Update:

I went to a physical therapist last week

The physical therapist diagnosed that my shoulder soreness is actually the upper part of the biceps (attached photo)
She didn't take an x-ray nor an MRI, but had me do various motion
and she said I could still have hurt my biceps region by sleeping on a shag rug in August 2022
the rest I've taken the discipline to do, seems to have helped as there's less cracking and popping when I reach for stuff with my right arm / shoulder (I try not to extend so much, but sometimes by force of habit (& dominant right arm, I'm a righty) one uses the right arm 

This makes sense as it probably accounts for a lower rep range in my dominant arm (right arm) when doing dumbell stand. bic curls
thankfully they do deep tissue ultrasound gel therapy
and for black friday, i bought myself a massage gun at 40 % off

I have homework asssignments to do with an elastic band (the usual ones, outward turns at the hip) and a variation of a barbell bent row but with a band and doing them horizontally

Here's a photo of the area attached.....

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## lovbyts

I hate using those elastic bands but they help, I just feel worthless/weak. lol Again, dont be me and dont rush it.

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## wango

> Update:
> 
> I went to a physical therapist last week
> 
> The physical therapist diagnosed that my shoulder soreness is actually the upper part of the biceps (attached photo)
> She didn't take an x-ray nor an MRI, but had me do various motion
> and she said I could still have hurt my biceps region by sleeping on a shag rug in August 2022
> the rest I've taken the discipline to do, seems to have helped as there's less cracking and popping when I reach for stuff with my right arm / shoulder (I try not to extend so much, but sometimes by force of habit (& dominant right arm, I'm a righty) one uses the right arm 
> 
> ...


Back before it tore off, but the RC and biceps tendon were already diagnosed with an MRI as being a mess, I found that any bicep work I did that was not supported on a bench or machine added too much to the pain. Preacher or biceps machines allowed me to do biceps work with little to no discomfort. After the tendons completely tear off, at least the pain is gone.

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## NiceGuyResearcher

I'm not doing any dumbell movements any time soon at least till after January 17, 2023 which would be "months" of shoulder rest and only doing the elastic bands and pushups

Dumbbells provide a better range of motion and you can cheat with them by using the other, free hand to do *both positive & negative reps after complete failure by assisting the weight with that free hand. However, barbells are a more controlled, safer movement much like the nautilus preacher curls, especially when recovering. Thanks again everyone.

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