Potential r.cuff injury?

[imran faruq]

Had a bizzare experience at the gym today.

Here's what my workout looked like before the accident:

* warm-up with light dumbells; 15-20 reps of front and lateral raises.
* dumbell military press; 4 sets @ 65%, 75%, 85% & 85%.
* side lateral raises; 4 sets@ 65, 70, 75, 75.

Moving on to arms:

* warm up with light weights on cables; upto 20 reps.
* seated EZ-bar extensions @ 75%, 75% and 75%.
* straigt bar bicep curls @ 75, 75, 80.

And this is where it happened; as I was going into the second set (70%) of twin dumbell extensions (lying), my left shoulder kind of gave way as I tried to press back up. Heard a popping and cracking sound at which point my left shoulder felt like it was falling backward, momentarily lost control and let the dumbell fall out of my hand. Experienced a mild pain in my left shoulder, seemed to be coming from the rotator cuff I think. Wrapped up the workout. The pain is not so severe, but I can feel a certain pinching sensation when I move my left shoulder across certain angles.

Experts, old-schoolers, please advice...have I managed to wreck my shoulder without even knowing it?

PS: mild pain can be felt in the left trapezius muscle as well. I might also add that my rear delts and traps were a teeny weeny bit sore from the back training done the day before yesterday.

Thank you for taking the time to read this; didn't know where else to go to for help.

[craig kruse]

first off- ice the heck out of the entire area multiple times per day for the next several days. Take some alieve two times per day.

Performing lying tricep extension would be a very strange way to injure your rotator cuff tendon. you may have hurt a supporting structure called the labrum. It is a cartilage ring to deepen the socket and make the humeral head fit better. If you are getting a pinching feeling with certain shoulder movements, that would be my thought.

Unless there is a gross instability, treatment would consist of strengthening the supporting musculature. Rotator Cuff, Rear Delt, scapular stabilizers. Go light with higher reps for now.

If it continues to hurt after icing and taking alieve and starting with some light strengthening, I would definitely get it looked at. A bum shoulder and strongman training can be tough

[imran faruq]

Alieve? As in alleviate it? You mean raise the injured area right?

Real bizzare, yeah tell me about it. I was doing it with dumbells, probably thats why...really going 100% with the ROM as well. Plus, my shoulders were a bit tired as too.

Note to self: never pair up arms and shoulders from now on.

Thanks for your 2 cents Craig.

[imran faruq]

By the way, after icing it, a red spot had formed in the side deltoid region and another one right around the region where the trapezius connects with the top of the side deltoid. Hope this info helps in determining the type and class of injury.

[craig kruse]

alieve is an over the counter anti inflammatory. Naproxsyn Sodium. It will help decrease the inflammation and pain.

[imran faruq]

Thanks again. Here's hoping this doesnt become a serious tendon or rotator cuff issue.