i have been able to find lots of exercises on the web for swimmer’s shoulder, i have an old badly separated shoulder (from the 80s) and now that I’ve started swimming again it is very very painful. I have tried by starting slow, at only 1500 x 3 days/week but it is still very painful. I’m thinking there are likely some exercises I can do to avoid, help or something? Right now I’m icing and taking ibuprofen but i have greatly reduced ROM due to pain and have trouble with simple elevation. I suspect that eventually I’ll be okay, once my shoulder is used to swimming again, but I’m hoping to aid the pain now. TIA!
was it a dislocated shoulder or a separated shoulder(medically called a separated clavicle)? I separated my clavicle in 2010 and did a HIM 12 months later. Let me know which it is.
it was not dislocated. huge lump on shoulder.
AC joint separation, correct? Most cases are treated conservatively, as it seems you were. High-grade separations and failed nonsurgical treatment warrant surgery, with knowledge of the potential complications.
Sorry to say that evidence-based exercises specifically for AC joint pain reduction do not exist. Physical therapy after AC injury uses general shoulder and scapulothoracic exercises for strengthening, as much as possible within the pain-free range of motion.
ah. it was way back in the 80s and even if they had recommended surgery (not sure if they did or not) but I wasn’t even offered PT back then. Would common PT exercise help now, some 30 years later? http://www.livestrong.com/article/354161-exercises-for-separated-shoulder/
New x-rays? PT might be able to assess current status of separation. Try 1 or 2 treatment sessions for a home-exercise program. Isometric exercise (done at various degrees of shoulder joint range) is generally the least painful.
ah. it was way back in the 80s and even if they had recommended surgery (not sure if they did or not) but I wasn’t even offered PT back then. Would common PT exercise help now, some 30 years later? http://www.livestrong.com/…-separated-shoulder/