shoulder bone

[Indomitable Spirit]

hi guys! i came back from training the other day and i had a shoulder injury. this injury was not just in the muscle but i could feel it in the ball and socket joint. it felt like my shoulder had popped out of position or something.
the reason it happened is becasue when doing the L Stance inward middle block, i just overdid the power in it and i hurt my shoulder somehow.
has anyone ever had this before and if so how did you deal with it?

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Dude. If you seriously believe you're injuring your shoulder by throwing blocks, you need to get off the mat, and hit the weights. Or find another instructor. Proper form and guidance would prevent you from being able to throw so much power into the air, that you would hurt yourself. If you're in that poor of physical condition, hit the gym for a spell and put on about 20 pounds of muscle. Strong muscles, tendons and ligaments support joints in motion, and aid in injury prevention and rehabilitation.

D.

 

[shesulsa]

Spirit,

It is surprisingly easy to injure some ligaments in the shoulder, especially if one's shoulder or vertebrae are not in proper alignment. Have you considered taking this to your chiropractor? Do you have a good one?

I would recommend having your alignment and posture evaluated - you can even talk to a physical therapist about your gait and posture.

The first time I hurt my rotator cuff was from lifting a huge can of Crisco off a shelf above me and handing it to someone to my left. I could barely move my arm the next day and it had that "out of socket" feeling.

I don't know what's wrong with your shoulder, but do see someone. Such a movement executed correctly should not injure you unless your posture was bad, stance improper or form incorrect.

Good luck and please check back and keep us informed.

 

[Miles]

I agree with Shesulsa-you should have it checked out.

As far as why it happened, who knows? You could have fatigued the supporting musculature or tendons, had an unknown pre-existing condition, or just be getting old

At 5th guep, you should have the requisite conditioning and proper form, so I think it could be serious. You might also re-examine why you are throwing full-power blocks/strikes/kicks into the air-it is preferable to have some resistance like a blocker/target.

Hope it is not serious!

Miles

 

[Indomitable Spirit]

well i'm 19 at the moment so its not because of the age. this is how it is hurting: when my arm is in a normal position by my side for example it just hurts a little bit. but when i lift my arm above a certain level it kills as if i have lost all strength in my arm.

the reason it was from the blocking movement is becasue my instructor tells me to go exactly side on so my body faces exactly 90 degrees from the attack which i am meant to block. and i am always told to put power in the block and pull my shoulders back to have a good L Stance.

to Kembudo Kai Kempoka, i would go to the gym and put muscle on but i just hope it doesnt make me slower and clumsy. at the moment i am fast and is the sole reason why i'm ok at taekwondo. which exercises would you recommend for the shoulders?

 

[shesulsa]

This sounds a lot like some rotator injury or maybe a cartiledge thing. Do see someone.

 

[Indomitable Spirit]

do you think i should see my instructor about this first as he might know what i do wrong (well he will know what i do wrong!)
and if i see one of those physical therapists do they fix these injuries so that they never happen again?

 

[shesulsa]

Yes, you should tell your instructor about ANY injury you sustain - even if not martial arts related.

What you REALLY should do is see an orthopedic surgeon who can evaluate and identify your injury with certainty.

A physical therapist will be able to give you exercises that can help rehabilitate your shoulder, a chiropractor can tell you if your skeletal structure needs to be realigned and can accomplish more for you if she or he practices Applied Kinesiology. Those folks are rare, though.

If rest and therapy doesn't help, you need to see a sports medicine doctor - called an orthopedic surgeon. He would probably take X-rays and maybe an MRI. Most folks would see him first, but I don't know what your insurance is like or if you have any.

Since I don't know exactly what your injury is, there is no way I can say anyone or anything can make sure your injury doesn't happen again - no one can say that, really. The best you can hope for is a complete recovery and a preventative maintenance schedule - none of that can happen without some kind of attention to it.

Here's some general pointers for injuries - most of them you want to ice right away or as soon as humanly possible. I don't ice mine like everyone else - I put the ice on until 10-15 minutes after the area has become numb. I use TigerBalm and White Flower Oil. I have never tried Shengesui (sp?), but I understand it works well also. If memory serves, each one of these balms/liniments addresses forms of tissue. I think TigerBalm addresses soft tissue, WFO connective or firmer tissues, and SS even firmer tissues, but I'm not 100% sure - will find out and re-post. So keep that stuff around if you can. If you're not sure where to buy some, ask your teacher, he or she will know.

In the meantime, REST YOUR SHOULDER!!!! COMPLETELY!!!!

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

well i'm 19 at the moment so its not because of the age. this is how it is hurting: when my arm is in a normal position by my side for example it just hurts a little bit. but when i lift my arm above a certain level it kills as if i have lost all strength in my arm.

the reason it was from the blocking movement is becasue my instructor tells me to go exactly side on so my body faces exactly 90 degrees from the attack which i am meant to block. and i am always told to put power in the block and pull my shoulders back to have a good L Stance.

to Kembudo Kai Kempoka, i would go to the gym and put muscle on but i just hope it doesnt make me slower and clumsy. at the moment i am fast and is the sole reason why i'm ok at taekwondo. which exercises would you recommend for the shoulders?

Yep. Sounds like rot cuff -- basically, a bunch of muscles and tendons that encapsulate the shoulder joint to provide support without sacrificing flexibility. Make sure you don't have any internal derangemeent first (i.e., a partial or complete tear of onme of the rotator cuff muscles, glenoid labrum (part fo the "socket"), or other structure), then get to the gym. There are many websites that offer good coaching on shoulder injury rehab exercises, and strength + endurance training for the muscles for sports applications.

Resistance training will not slow you down. Particularly with the upper extremities (arms, hands). There are several threads on this site that go into the how and why of that, so I won't re-post it. But do get it checked out before training weights: Strength training on an unstable injury can make it worse, so make sure you get a diagnosis and some rest, first.

Dave

 

[sifu Adams]

Just went though that rotator cup tear and bi-cept tear. no fun at all. last year I my arm felt like yours. I contenued to work out but the more I did the worse it got. I let mine go untill I had to have the big "S". that put me out for about a month then only thing I could do is kick. after about 4 months I am back at it. Best thing I can tell you is go see a doctor ASAP and get if fixed before you mess it up bad!!!!!!

 

[bignick]

Just to dispel a quick myth...

Weight training does not make you "slow" or "clumsy"...the picture that people have in their heads of the lumbering musclehead is plain wrong. Sure, there are people like that, but that's because all they probably do is lift weights...little cardio, little plyometrics, not a lot of stretching...just weightlifting. You'd be suprised how well most weightlifters and body builders can move because they do work plyos and stretch and do cardio. If you lift weights and continue to train taekwondo I highly doubt you'll have any problems at all.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Just a hunch but I think if you combine the physical exercises (weight training, etc..) with a lot of stretching with practiciing normal TKD techniques (kicks, handstrikes, blocks, tc..) that you needn't worry about being 'big and clumsy'

I'm faster and more agile now than when I started, even though I'm stronger and a bit more muscular, because the strength moves the limbs fater and balanced strength keeps me from hurting myself

 

[Indomitable Spirit]

thanks for the help guys! i really appreciate it. i will see the doctor and a therapist and let you know whats happened but you are all probably right. it's likely now that its a rotator cuff since you guys have been through it.

i just hope i recover in a month becasue of the tourney i am going to. and sifu adams, man i'd be climbing up the walls insane if i missed training for that long!
and thanks for the weight training advise. i will be doing it from now on with my normal taekwondo training.