Shoulder Trouble...Interesting Diagnosis

[beccaB]

My right rotator cuff has a frayed edge on it and there is tendonitis in the left rotator cuff. I've been going to Curves for about 5 years. the problem started before that with my job, and Rotator cuff is a common problem there. So far I've been able to avoid surgery. I had a second round of physical therapy, 2 years after the first time. It focused more on flexibility this time, which motivates me more to do the home exercises. Cortisone is a wonderful thing too!
I would be VERY careful doing any exercise that makes me push my elbows past the plane of my torso. On one machine at curves one of the ladies keeps trying to get me to go too far. I know my own limitations. It's easier to do that now that I'm closer to 50 than 40.

[OakLeaf]

Aw, shucks, I'm real (said the Velveteen Rabbit).

Seriously, I hope everyone does take my advice here with a grain of salt!

Wahine, on the other hand, really knows her stuff.

Books/websites - exrx.net has descriptions of a wide range of strength and flexibility exercises, anatomy illustrations (apparently lifted from Gray's Anatomy but with their own copyright bug on them ), discussions of muscular weaknesses and imbalances, etc. Their exercises tend to be pretty traditional gym work, but useful.

Lately I'm a big fan of Stott Pilates. Their Comprehensive Matwork Manual is incredibly detailed. (Way too detailed to simultaneously read and do the exercises.) They have a number of good DVDs also.

Yeah, funny people should mention the inner thigh, because I kind of came the other direction. Before I came back to cycling and learned Chi Running (which happened about the same time), I was mostly doing a lot of step aerobics, with a little bit of running. My adductors were way overdeveloped and my vastus medialis were underdeveloped. Since taking up Chi Running and cycling, my thighs are visibly MUCH more balanced.

[BethG]

Forgive my ignorance, but what's "Chi running"?

[OakLeaf]

Chi Running