What to do if your shoulder gets sore from lifting weights
Q. I am a 45-year-old woman who likes to work out regularly. About six weeks ago, my left shoulder began to get sore after lifting weights.
Since that time, my shoulder pain has worsened and my range of motion has become very limited. I saw my primary care doctor, who ordered X-rays that were normal. She gave me anti-inflammatory medication to take, which has not helped.
The doctor believes that I have a frozen shoulder and has referred me to an orthopedic surgeon. I am waiting for my appointment and wonder what a frozen shoulder is and how long until I get better?
A. There are four muscles that surround your shoulder that form a tendon that attaches to the bone. This tendon is known as the rotator cuff tendon and allows you to rotate your shoulder in all directions. Above the rotator cuff tendon sits a thin layer of tissue known as a bursa.
If inflamed from overuse, the tendon and the bursa become thicker and can become painful to move overhead. In some patients who stop moving their shoulder because of pain, particularly in women between 40-55, scar tissue can then develop. The scar tissue further limits the shoulder motion resulting in more pain, less motion and then more scar tissue.
This condition is known as a frozen shoulder.
The orthopedic surgeon will examine your shoulder and make sure no other problems exist such as a tear of a tendon or arthritis. If the doctor confirms the diagnosis of a frozen shoulder, treatment is usually a period of physical therapy to regain motion.
Until you regain your motion, the pain will not usually subside. It can take a number of months of rehabilitation to improve. In a rare circumstance, surgery may be necessary to correct the problem.
Once improved, you will need to modify your workout in the gym to facilitate the shoulder rather than aggravate it.
Dr. Harlan Selesnick is team physician of the Miami Heat and director of Miami Sports Medicine Fellowship, Doctors Hospital. Send your questions to HarlanS@baptisthealth.net