Partially torn rotator cuff

[Chile Pepper]

After I crashed in early April (and fractured my shoulder), I wound up taking a full four months off from all exercise. I started back to cycling and weight lifting a few weeks ago and immediately experienced intense pain in my shoulder. It turns out I have a partially torn rotator cuff (the supraspinatus tendon). It's a small tear, about 5 or 6 mm, and my traumatologist doesn't think surgery is indicated. He also doesn't think it was caused by the crash, although my shoulder didn't hurt like this before I fell, and he doesn't think PT would be much help. Basically, he said if it hurts, don't do it, and let's see how it looks in a few months. He's normally spot on in his advice (I've seen him for several injuries), but this time I'm not sure.

Does anyone have experience with something similar? Were there any exercises that helped, or did you just baby your shoulder? Any advice would be appreciated.

[beccaB]

I have a spot in mine,although I don't know which tendon exactly, that is like the frayed edges of a rope. I had PT on it and a few cortisone injections. It has all helped, but I probably will try to not have any more injections.I work out at Curves and it is manageable. The only real problem I run into is excessive humid weather, which there has been plenty of this summer. Where the pain comes from is the anterior deltoid area. I can bike, but I have to stretch often. I'm pretty sure it was brought on by driving a school bus 4 hours a day for many years.

[TsPoet]

I've torn my rotator cuff 3 times. Partial, full, then partial again. No PT is a bad idea. I quite the PT the third time and it's taken me 3 years to get back to being able to use the shoulder and I don't have full range of motion.
I'd strongly suggest some PT, I also love the electrical stimulation stuff (that's not what it's called ).
But, the worst thing you could do is nothing, keep on doing what you want to do, including cycling... and don't let it stop you.
Good Luck

[beccaB]

I wish they would have sent me home with that electrical stimulation thing! What a weird thing to like. Addictive almost.

[snapdragen]

I wish they would have sent me home with that electrical stimulation thing! What a weird thing to like. Addictive almost.

I have one It's not the super industrial one that PT clinics use, it's called a TENS unit.

[Dannielle]

Not torn but I badly bruised my rotator cuff when I fell in June. I had my orthopedist check it out (because it still hurt pretty badly 6 weeks later) when I went in for my knees 2 weeks ago and I ended up getting a cortisone shot in my shoulder. It felt completely better in a few days.

[Chile Pepper]

Thanks, everyone. It sounds like PT may be helpful, so I think I'll look into that. I was encouraged at the gym today, where I went through my biceps/pecs exercises with a focus on how my shoulder felt. I was able to get through my workout by lightening my weights on the fly and shortening up my presses (i.e., not coming down all the way).