masterstrack.com

The No. 1 site for masters track discussions

Login | Register

Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:24 am

Offline
Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 32
Location: Sarasota, FL

Any insights on Labrum rehab? I am having my right shoulder scoped next Thursday, clean up some labrum tears. I made the mistake of mixing javelin training with softball...ouch! Now I can't throw anything 20 yards without pain.

I have also scar tissue around my achilles tendon. MRI showed no tearing but there seems to be scar tissue and a knot around the tendon. Touching it is very painful. I can run slow, I can stretch it without pain, but I cannot run up on my toes. Difficult for sprint/jump training. Thinking about acupuncture. Any thoughts or ideas?

gd
Sarasota, FL



Top Top
  Profile WWW

Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:00 am

Offline
Master Masters Athlete
User avatar
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:01 pm
Posts: 250
Location: Chico, CA

I had surgery about 7 years ago to repair a labrum tear in my non-throwing arm from years of overtraining the bench press (using bad technique). I also considered surgery on my throwing arm but glad I didn't

Both shoulders feel terrific. Here's what worked for me:

1. I stopped bench pressing. Instead, I substituted standing chest presses on a Life Fitness machine. I also do standing rows with a squat in between reps. Both exercises are more functional and place less torque on the shoulder joints.

2. I started doing kettlebell swings and snatches in January. I try to do most of the movement with my legs and hips, so my shoulder go along for the ride. I think these exercises are the main reason my shoulders feel so good. Kettlebell training is highly ballistic, which lends itself to explosive movements in track and field. Warning: kettlebells will tear up your shoulders if you initiate the movements with your upper body.

3. I also started doing suspension training on a TRX device. The main exercise I do is a hip flexion exercise where I support my upper body in a front plank (push-up position) and my feet with ropes. I think the plank increases shoulder stability.

As a result of my painfree shoulders, I have been able to back to some of my old favorites, such as the Neider press, snatches, and military presses. I threw the javelin in college for a couple of years, but haven't had the courage to go back to it as an old guy.

I wouldn't start these exercises immediately (except for light kettlebell swings). I suggest beginning with gentle shoulder range of motion exercises with no weight. Remember, the shoulder girdle involves a lot more than the glenohumeral joint. Make sure you also involve the scapula with exercises like scapular elevations and retractions. Work as many shoulder movements as possible (e.g., rotation, horizontal flexion and extension, flexion and extension, circumduction, retraction and elevation). Also, do gentle stretching exercises.

Start with high reps and don't load the joints significantly until you are relatively pain free. Minimize inflammation and pain using ice and later ice and heat. I think the jury is still out regarding the use of NSAIDs (e.g., Advil) in people trying to develop peak power. While NSAIDs decrease pain and inflammation, they might also retard training gains.

One thing that worked well for me for sore joints is a lotion composed of hyaluronic acid (HA) and dexamethozone. You would have to get this from a compounding pharmacy that would require a prescription from your doctor.

Shoulder rehab for old athletes is as much art as science. Your success will depend on your motivation, program design, extent of the injury, skill of the surgeon, genetics, and time. Be systematic in your rehab program and throws training. Consider changing your technique in the javelin or switch to the discus, hammer, or shot. Film your motions. Good technique doesn't hurt. Building good mechanics will keep you out of the operating room.

Thomas Fahey (M60)



Top Top
  Profile

Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:35 pm

Offline
Senior Masters Athlete
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Posts: 12
Location: Mountain View, CA

For the achilles, try eccentric excercise. It somehow seems to restructure the tendon fibers.
To do this stand on a step on the balls of your feet. Raise with both feet, shift body weight on one foot, lift the other foot, and slowly lower your body until the calf is fully stretch. Rise using both feet again. Do 3x15 reps with each leg, once per day, for three months. Ignore pain. If it becomes too easy, add weights (either a vest or use one of those machines at the gym).
A controlled Swedish study confirmed the tremendous success this excerise has on achilles tendinosis/tendonitis. I did this myself and it looks like I got rid of chronic pain that plagued me for a decade. I could literally feel my tendons becoming thinner and healthier.
You can try NSAIDs to support this process, just be aware of the side effects (leaky gut syndrome and so on).



Top Top
  Profile

Thu Sep 04, 2008 11:11 am

Offline
Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:09 am
Posts: 7
Location: San Diego

Skurry wrote:
For the achilles, try eccentric excercise. It somehow seems to restructure the tendon fibers.


Ditto on the eccentric "calf-drops" (two up - one down). But make sure your calfs are sufficiently flexible. My achilles started bothering me last October. Visited a PT who gave me a quick flexibiltiy check (you're probably already aware of this): A standing deep squat with both legs, arms out in front for balance - my heels came off the ground so I had some flexibility issues. After a couple months of Soleus and Gastroc stretches the flexibilty came back.

After flexibility returned (about 4 mos), the soreness in the achilles remained (mine was lower near the insertion to the heel). Two things helped: I customized the plastic heel cups on my Brooks training shoes to give more clearance to the achilles. I cut away the thread at top around the ankle to expose the foam and plastic heel cup. Peeling the foam away, I used a portable lighter (careful here!) to heat the plastic heel cup and push it out away from the achilles.

The 2nd thing that helped was the eccentric calf exercise. After about 6 mos, still had some irritation in the achilles. However, the eccentric exercises have made the achilles feel stronger, even though there is still some pain. I just have to make sure I have enough rest days in between sprint days to where I know the achilles has calmed down. I've heard good things about herbs Cissus Quadrangularis and Maritime Pine Bark for tendon healing, and have been using these as well along with good general suplementation.

I think the time frame for healing was way longer than I expected ( 12 mos ) and I had to prepare myself mentally. Hope this helps. :)



Top Top
  Profile

Fri Sep 05, 2008 2:26 pm

Offline
Senior Masters Athlete
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Posts: 12
Location: Mountain View, CA

Leap-in-Sky wrote:
I customized the plastic heel cups on my Brooks training shoes to give more clearance to the achilles. I cut away the thread at top around the ankle to expose the foam and plastic heel cup. Peeling the foam away, I used a portable lighter (careful here!) to heat the plastic heel cup and push it out away from the achilles.


I forgot to mention, I had my breakthrough to painlessness after I had a two week rest period and switched training shoes. I went from ASICS gel shoes for supination to neutral MIZUNO shoes. The Mizuno ones don't have a gel or air cushion, just foam and a rigid plastic "wave" to absorb some shock energy. They felt harder, but for some reason my feet really liked that. Not sure if it's really the shoes or the rest that did the trick. But when I put on the old shoes, it just doesn't feel right.



Top Top
  Profile

Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:49 am

 
Offline
Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 32
Location: Sarasota, FL

My surgery went well. A routine shoulder depression surgery with some bone smoothing/sculping for the bicep tendon, with trimming of some frayed ends of the labrum. No other pathology of the shoulder was found. My first physical therapy visit was yesterday and it was very enlightening. My PT is going to first get my range of motion back to where it was before the injury and surgery and then work with me to develop the muscles of the upper back that keep the shoulder in place during throwing. (overhead, as in the javelin) 100% return to throwing is expected as long as I don't push it. As far as the achilles tendon, the PT was very specific as to treatment. 1. warm it up slowly 2. massage it across the grain, gently 3 Ice massage. This is all prior to running again...in about 3 weeks. He did say to stretch it too and prior to getting out of the car, bed or seated to do "gas pedal" motions to warm it up prior to walking. Also....no bear feet, sandals....heel lift with running shoes ...elevate the heal and relieve the tension on the achilles.

So back to working toward my goal of competing in the Pentathlon at the Indoor and Outdoor Nationals. Feeling better.

ohfpygmy - Sarasota, FL



Top Top
  Profile WWW
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 32 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Moderators: Jess, trackinfo, Ken Stone, Larry Barnum


Search for:
Jump to:  
cron