Deltoid injury?

[Catrin]

Good points Oak, and thanks for the tips on acupuncture. I am not ruling it out, just not looking to it as my first choice. It is good to know that it isn't painful!

I agree, when it comes to gym work form is SO very important. Thankfully my coach is unusual in this area, at least in my experience. He is very clear in the role of proper hand/hip/knee/foot placement and has no problem getting our attention in whatever way is necessary. He is also good at figuring out what cues to use in order to help us in this endeavor. It is still amazing to me, for example, I MUST look a certain place on the floor in order to not over-extend in a deadlift - if I lift my eyes higher than that point my back over-extends. It really is amazing.

Everything is all connected, and while my doc found this yesterday, yeah, there are certainly likely other contributing things. I HAVE seen marked improvement recently at my scapula-thoracic 'joint' which was certainly contributing to my problem. I think it's been difficult since my symptoms affect the entire shoulder girdle from my AC joint down to the bottom of my lat on that side. My cervical spine issues don't help. I've seen my shoulder freed completely after manual manipulation of just my neck! My own reading has shown that the pec minor syndrome CAN explain most, if not all, of my shoulder/scapula symptoms. So it will get some targeted love, along with my first rib and scalenes. I will look into the teres major.

In the end I am not looking for 100% improvement in that shoulder and neck, nor do I expect it. I am simply working to become as fit, strong, and flexible as I can become as I look to the next stage of my lfe - given my age and physical limitations. My focus is on movement, not so much the ability to deadlift x amount of weight or squat THAT. Those are good functional movements, and that is their focus for me. I've come a long ways in the last 11 months and am very thankful. Working in my group environment helps to keep me humble and focused on what I can do.

Added: I just looked up the teres major, and considering it's interaction with the lat, it seems good to check out some exercises for that. We know my serratus on that side also needs attention. You know, the body is just so amazing, my right side is as functional as my left side isn't. The human body is SO good at compensating! I suspect that my body's been compensating for decades on that side - which is why it is has been so difficult to solve this.