• Keep up to date with Ausbb via Twitter and Facebook. Please add us!
  • Join the Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

    The Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Ausbb- Australian Bodybuilding Forum stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.

    Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.

Bursitis in Shoulder

BigJim

Member
Hey guys,

Posting this up for a mate.

His missus was told she had Bursitis in the shoulder due to overuse. He gave her some exercises to do with a theraband which she has been doing now for a bit over a month and still is having trouble lifting her arm above her head.

She wants to get back into doing some weight training for fitness, nothing heavy and more focused on reps, but because of her shoulder she is unable to.

They are both wondering if anyone can recommend anything in terms of helping get her shoulder "functional" again to the point where she will be able to smash some weights.

I mentioned to him i would chuck it up on here as there are some very knowledgeable people on here!

Thanks in advance fellas!
 
Would help if we knew which bursa, there are lots in the shoulder. I would assume it is. I would assume it is the subacromial bursa, but without knowing it makes it harder.

If it is she is lucky because I just had to do a whole literature review on it :D
 
Notes from ultra sound performed:


Bicep tendon is in tact, bicipital groove appears shallow but no subluxation of the tendon, rotator cuff tendons appear in tact with no features of tendinopathy or tear. the sub subacromial bursa is only slightly prominant but there is bunching on abduction associated with discomfort.


Cortizone into subacromial bursa.


I was hoping you would check this out dave :)


Hope that helps!
 
Pec minor stretches 90 degree angle up (shoulder and elbow) against that wall
The usual shoulder stretching routine most people do will help
Exercises to correct scapula retraction
Light shoulder exercise to focus on scapula rhythm and slow strengthening (may have to be lateral and frontal raises depending on pain)
Rotator cuff strengthening
Posture changes
Work changes (if she does a lot of overhead stuff at work)
Soft tissue work by the physio or a good massage therapist has been shown to help, especially if she has protracted and internally shoulders.

Thats really it, there is a lot of evidence just for some stretching and strengthening but you want to take out the cause too. If she doesn't have the best posture this will allow it to occur more easily and can lead to subacromial impingement syndrome which is couple of steps up from bursitis. Lots of overhead work, repetitive movements and static contractions of the shoulder can all lead to the injury.
 
Thanks heaps dave!

A couple questions from my mate:

Seeing its already injured how often should she be exercising it to strengthen it?

How often should she be stretching it?

Is it something that can be fully recovered from or just something that needs to be managed?
 
Stretch every day 5 sets of 30 seconds over the day or in one session whatever is easier.

Strengthen 3 x a week, 3 sets of about 12 reps progress by add reps up to 20 over 3 weeks then increase resistance and do it all again.

Since it is bursitis which is inflammation of the bursa once it dies down and she stops irritating it it should get back to normal. So better posture (stretching and back strength), stronger rotator cuff and a reduction of overhead repetitive tasks should do it. It takes time though, I would give it 8 weeks and have an assessment for pain and functional ability before and after to see if it is working and to show her the progress she has made.
 
dave you are a champion my friend!

My mate is absolutely stoked with the info. He reckons the hard bit will now be to actually get her doing it (when is it not right?).

Thanks heaps mate :)
 
hey wow, good timing with this!

and thanks for the info as well dave, my mum just found out she got bursitis a few weeks ago and I've been looking at how I can give her a hand as well.

so a big thanks from me too!
 
If she has problems moving it she can start with pendular swings and then helping moving her arm through the range of motion. But it shouldn't be that bad as that is what we use at work with 80 year olds who have had shoulder surgery so she should have much better shoulder mobility than that.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
thanks dave.

but as you said, my mum's shoulder bursitis isnt that bad (fortunately).

she can probably lift it to horizontal before the pain starts, or something around there :)
 
I like military press but the problem with that is not all people can do it. So she could instead do lateral raises and progress as she gets better range of motion. You are using light weights too and slowly progressing, really focussing on controlling the scapula so it moves correctly i.e. retracted and depressed at end of lift and tilted properly for the appropriate movement.

She could also do a cable chest press or wall pushup (not much use for strong young guys but older ladies could benefit if it was enough resistance) that way her scapula is not inhibited and she does not have to bring her arm up into a painful area. If you do that you still want her to practice movements to where the pain starts, you just don't make them weighted.
 
Top