shoulder pain

[16]

I have been out for almost 2 months now, and have about 1 more month to go until my shoulder tendinitis is at the stage where i can hit again. While i'am out i can't help but to think whats stopping me from re-injuring my shoulder again. I have analyzed my serve to death and can't find anything significant except occasionally i open my shoulders a little early to the net. I recently had to have a cortisone injection so i haven't even been able to run. I'am thinking of switching to a platform stance from a pinpoint to see if that helps, also i'am trying to increase the stability in my shoulders in physical therapy.
The doctors and therapist seem to think my injury(s) is because of bad genetics(bad stability,shoulder position,ect...) So i no i can't get away with just strengthening and be 100% sure i won't re-injure it.
If anyone has any advice on how i can help to prevent a re-injury i would like your opinion. I'am trying to save enough money so soon i can buy an adaptor that will let me download my serve video's to the web. thanks

[16]

I forgot to mention one of the reasons my shoulder is injured is because they are too loose, which is partly because of instability and partly from over stretching them.

[jun]

I don't know what you mean by "too loose"...I have always thought being flexible is good.

Anyways, maybe it could be the genetic causes. It could be due to bad serving motion or improper ball toss.

Or maybe you just need to do some strengthening exercise.

[16]

Its probably a little of everything. But they seem to think its because my shoulders are too loose. I no its rare to get injured from being to loose, all i can say is thats what the specialists up here seem to think. They say its unusual but it can happen.

[papa]

Hate to hear stuff like this but how do you know your serve is the problem - or at least the major factor involved?

[16]

I Don't now, but i want to take every precaution because i'am sick of getting injured. I have spent 1 1/2 of my last 3 years of tennis injured. Any suggestions are welcome.

[cervelo]

I think what you're talking about is "subluxation" of the shoulder/rotator cuff. From what I've read, the tendons and r. cuff muscles fail to stabilize the shoulder due to some prior injury, or maybe genetics, like you said. I had this and it's a scary issue to deal with. For me, overheads were worse than serves. This was usually b/c the ball was back behind the ideal striking point at contact. The shoulder takes the brunt of the stress when you can't get your weight behind the shot. If your serve is problematic, I would consider your service toss placement as a starting point in evaluating your serve.

I did some research and I realized that you absolutely must strengthen the joint or you will risk a rotator cuff tear or further shoulder damage. I developed a rotator cuff workout and I try to never miss it (of course, definitely check with your Doc- first).

[vin]

I hate answers like that from doctors!

Unfortunately I have a lot of experience with shoulder problems. Instability is often caused by muscle imbalances.

Here's my advice for what to do:

1. Learn trigger point thereapy. This will teach you how to get rid of muscle knots that will keep your muscles tight and likely lead to injury. The book is only $20.

2. Learn how to stretch and do it often.

3. Work on strengthening your rotator cuff.

4. Not essential, but to help toughen up your body, lift weights.

All but #3 apply to keeping your entire body healthy in addition to your shoulder.

I've posted on this stuff in more detail in the past. Do a search by author using my user name and you'll find posts with some more info and references to books and other stuff.

Good luck and don't muscle the ball when you play.

[16]

thanks vin, might be worth taking a look at.

[Marius_Hancu]

Check the exercises here:
http://www.mtsu.edu/~athtrain/atep/4...tatorcuff.html

Also check:

http://www.hughston.com/hha/a.tennisinjuries.htm
Rotator cuff tendinitis
The rotator cuff consists of muscles and tendons that originate from the scapula (shoulder blade) and attach to the humerus (upper arm bone). These muscles and tendons allow the shoulder to move in many directions. As a result of overuse, you can develop tendinitis, or inflammation of the tendons. Rotator cuff tendinitis in recreational tennis players usually results from excessive overhead serving. This is more likely to occur if you hold your arm at a 90-degree angle from your side while you are serving (Fig. 1).

Changing your technique to increase the angle between your arm and side to more than 90° (ideally 135°) will lessen the chance of injury to your rotator cuff.

Check the pic there.

I'd also suggest to have a look to my posting at:
Great fitness sites
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/viewtopic.php?t=23127
which might help you in terms of conditioning.

BTW, swimming might be a good exercise for your shoulders.

Also, do searches at this site, at yahoo and at
for
shoulder pain
and
rotator cuff
and
shoulder pain tennis

or at Google:
http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search
Find messages with all of the words:
rotator cuff subluxation

and read everything available.

[Marius_Hancu]

Do you Google searches I mentioned, there are very good threads there.

One of them mentioned:

From: ldierks
Subject: Re: labrum tear. Anyone have this injury?

View this article only
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
Date: 2004-11-25 22:40:16 PST

There is a really good book that should be read by anyone having shoulder
pain. Its called: The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution and was approx 20. It
has helped me get over a lot of pain and has excellent stretches and
exercises plus exercises you should NOT do, that I myself had done over the
yrs. I bought it online, the publisher is Health For Life, phone
800-874-5339 or Library of Congress Catalog Card # is: 90-83784. It was
money very well spent. Really has nice explanation of shoulder anatomy and
a great bunch of dumb bell exercises that will have you sailing long and
strong. Lloyd

[vin]

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution is an excellent book, but it's out of print and hard to find. I was lucky enough to get one from a martial arts store selling it through Amazon.

[Marius_Hancu]

Originally Posted by vin

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution is an excellent book, but it's out of print and hard to find. I was lucky enough to get one from a martial arts store selling it through Amazon.

Well, yes, one can find it at Amazon (as a used book sold by Amazon associates) but the price is $100 and over. Perhaps one should look for other opportunities/chains or wait.

One should also do a search at Yahoo for
its title, it gives many other stores, such as this one:
http://www.fetchbook.ca/7_Minute_Rot..._Solution.html
which might or might not be available.