I hate to sound like a whiner, but I can’t afford $150 for this book…Is there anyone willing to lend it to me for a short period of time? I’d have it back into the mail to you within a day.
My paddling technique makes me look like a thalidamide baby because of the pain, but the thought of surgery doesn’t appeal.
Thanks in advance.
appears to be available at the LA county library; check your local, they may be able to get it.
libraries still exist ???
ben
Hi, I’ve not heared of this book before, but sounds very interesting, I shattered my rotator cuff and ripped the shoulder muscles, 2 yrs ago and paddling can be a real bitch sometimes, would this book we worth reading?
Man… the cliche’ed phrase " I feel your pain" is literally true in this one. Destroyed one shoulder, then did a number on the other one while taking it easy on the first shoulder.
And about the only things that worked were aspirin, exercise/therapy and ice packs. Both shoulders came back, eventually. The exercises were similar to those shown in http://familydoctor.org/265.xml and described at http://cms.claremont.edu/sportsmedicine/shoulder.htm. Light weights, etc.
Now…if you must have the book - buy it from Amazon Canada - $Canadian 38.47. Don’t ask me why, but there it is. http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0944831257/qid=1113309979/sr=8-8/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i8_xgl14/702-1975513-1669612
hope that’s of use
doc…
Missed the 2003-2004 season for my shoulder - first time out of the water for rehab. Took 6-8 months.
This year the shoulder lasted until the end of the season, rehabbing now with onshores, and only out of the water for about 6 weeks.
For me it is mostly the chest muscles overpowering the shoulder blade stabilizers…as long as I can paddle with my acromions far enough back, everything is fine. But the chest strengthens with surf, and rips the shoulder blade stabilizers out of position… impingement… pain… inflammation, and it gets worse with each surf. A little supplementary exercise and its fine. A book is unlikely to provide you anything not already on the several dozen sites online about swimmer’s shoulder.
Thanks Doc and Blakstah, I found a few exercises that look reasonably pain free. The Canadian Amazon site does indeed list the book, but without a way to buy it, other than the used copy for lots of bucks.
After thirty one years of surfing, I guess I ought to be happy it didn’t happen sooner.
For the moment the situation is resolved, thanks to all.
All the cuff exercises are great but the one thing my wife (therapist) keeps hammering me on is that you have to stretch as well. Especially the anterior muscles (chest,shoulders) since those are the ones that tighten up too much and pull your arm too far forward causing impingement. The doorway stretch is a shoulder saver for sure. Being both a surfer and a competitive swimmer my shoulders are strong but I’m constantly dealing with tight shoulders and the stretches have kept me out of trouble.
I used to have this bookmarked. I just found it again.
http://www.dolfzine.com/page391.htm
Sensei Ken O’ Neill lays out his personal program for rotator cuff rehabilitation. This is a must read article. It is strongly suggested that you print this article out so you can give it the attention it warrants.
Warning: this is not easy reading nor is it meant to be. (All exercises are illustrated on the final page.)
I blew out my rotator cuff when I was in my teens. I went from not swimming to over 6000 yards in about 2 weeks. Within 4 month my cuff was blown. I tried everything (cortisone shots, therapy, lite exercise). The only thing that did any good was time and taking it easy. I was many years until my shoulder felt 100%. I now back off whenever I feel that twinge and things appear to be fine.
I should mention, every time I see one of these threads about shoulder problems they talk of strengthening the cuff muscles, which is a good thing. But the fact is that strengthening the muscles won’t do a darn bit of good if your problem is paddling techique/form. Now everyone says, “but Iv’e always paddled this way and never had a problem before” Unfortunately, as we age the old shoulders aren’t as forgiving as when we were younger and bad paddling form that we got away with (sometimes) when we were younger start raising hell as we get older.
Ya, there is a right and wrong way to paddle, Ask any competitive freestyle swimmer and they’ll tell you all about internal rotation, impingment, high elbow recovery,etc because doing it wrong will stop you cold.
If you are having recurrent shoulder problems I’d look very carefully at how you paddle.
I’ve swam on a masters team and the coach was able to make a huge difference in my stroke. However, when I apply what I’ve learned to paddling it doesn’t seem to apply as well. I could paddling’s unnatural position (basically sitting up on your belly). What do you think a good paddler should look like? I feel that I could paddle a lot better.
Paddle with your shoulders back, neck down.
Impingement is only relevant, for most people, if they acromiom is too far forward. This condition develops naturally from swimming or surfing, as the chest muscles get strong and are only worked over the shorter end of their range. They pull the shoulders forward, into a position that stresses the rotator cuff and subacromial bursa. Swimmer’s shoulder is the name for this condition. The cure is strengthening the supporting muscles (supraspinatus, trapezius, rhomboids) so that the shoulders can be stabilized back while the surfer/swimmer is paddling. Also, it helps to do some chest exercises that use the full range of motion, like deep pushups, so that the chest muscle range of motion is not a factor.
Ken O’Neill’s page is great, but I think something more specific for the typical surfing shoulder problem could help even more.
In the past three years I’ve gone from torn left knee cartilage, stepping off board ala Slater and speed hiking Broken Top in Oregon, to ruptured disk in back, to torn left shoulder rotator cuff, to torn right rotator cuff with nerve damage going to elbow. The price is rest. The result is overweight. I have started waddling 2-4 miles every few days(up to my mid 40’s I did steady 7 minute miles, now it’s twice that). I have asthema now, too, but it’s got to be weight related.
Supplements and knowing when and what to add to your stomach helps. Knowing what you are trying to fix helps also. Exercise pain is not from lactic acid buildup as once believed, but micro tears. This is important to shoulder abusers like us. The body needs energy and protein. First, last year, I heard chocolate milk w the best post exercise drink. I liked that idea, but I couldn’t exercise first because I was still injured. Add weight. Then I got turned onto chocolate flavored whey protein, which I blend with milk. Awesome. Ad more weight. Now I’m doing road work things are reversing. Even old as I am I have faster recover time than I might have expected.
I have an uncle who ran competition marathons into his 60’s and my grandmother lived to 102. I don’t know if my genes are that long lived, but I’m preparing for the worst, which is living a long time.
Stay away from Coke or Pepsi or any soda. Sugar too is a bummer. It cuts uptake of calcium. And bonds to protein so it’s virtually indigestible. Combined it weakens the cartilage and the bone so the ligaments and muscles can just rip things to shreds.
Also if anyone has restless legs calcium supplements help me. I figure it’s just the body stealing calcium from Peter to pay Paul. Galvanic reaction. The calcium supplements stop that by providing adequate source. Cheap fix.
My apologies on that book link. Shoulda seen that. Oh well.
On that note, I figure I owe ya one.
Now, when I thrashed my shoulder ( Important Safety Tip: never play with mushroom anchors while drunk as an owl ) I was at the point of 4 aspirin every two hours. Not good. I checked around and checked around and I was getting to where it looked like I was gonna have to find a new line of work that involved being lefty only. Being what ya might call world class clumsy with my right hand, it didn’t look good.
So, turns out a good friend is a trainer at a private school. Da Bull, as he is known, set me up with three exercises, which brought it back. What follows is arguably the worst display of computer graphics you will ever see…
Told ya it was bad. The shoulder recovered but the mind and eyes went.
You want to use light weights. I like a coffee can half full of sand, or a very light dumbbell. Less than 10 lbs, even no weight at all if you’re really hurtin’. I would do 1 set of all three, roughly 20 repetitions of each, then another set of each, then another, several times a day. When that becomes easy, bump the weight up a bit. If it hurts a little, and it will, aspirin and ice on the shoulder. If it hurts more than a little, go down on the weight you’re using or none at all.
Don’t do these fast, slow and easy is the trick. Go through the whole range of motion there and you should be ok.
hope that’s of use
doc…
I think Blakestah’s got it. I’ve blown out my right shoulder. Had it reconstructed. This was before they were using arthroscopes on shoulders. Plus I was younger, too. Middle aged tendonitis in both shoulders two years ago. I thought I might be done. Blakestah’s exercises are right on. Light weights. The only thing I think is missing is shoulder adduction, thumbs down at 45 degrees for the super spinatus. Find a good PT. If it’s completely torn your going to have to rest it. No other way. Exercise can make it worse until it heals. Muscle tears heal by replacing muscle tissue with scar tissue. Scar tissue is less elastic and prone to tearing. Once heald you need to compensate with strength and all the other good advice from above. Good technique, flexibility, strength, common sense, etc. Good luck and I feel for yah. There’s not much worse than being layed up and out of the water. Mike
i dont know if its been said but you might want to go down to your localmedical supply center and pick up some elastic band tubing. this way you are getting some strenght resistance but not to much. the longer the tube the less resitance. tie two loops in the thing at either end and put one loop on a door handle and do your exercises that way.
most pt’s are going to start you on that.
Hey Doc, where’d you get those pictures of me working out?
that book is a great one.private message me your address and i will send you a copy.one problem is that we consistently paddel while prone, in the same position, which only works certain muscle groups.a good solution is to hit the pool and work on your backstroke, which over time will help balance out the load and stress of the shoulder area…