I just strained my rotator cuff. About 2 weeks in, can't lift for 4 more weeks. What adjustments should I make?

D

dtik9

New member
To give some background: I've been lifting for about 12 years, I'm 42(M) and my compound lifts are well above average. I do a lot of barbell and dumbbell work and like to run as well.

My split goes:

Day 1 - Chest/triceps
Rest day
Day 2- Back/biceps
Rest day
Day 3 - Legs/shoulders
Day 4 - 5k or more run
Rest day

Right off the bat, I'm fairly certain my shoulder was aggravated doing deadlifts. I'm questioning whether I should bother with that at all at my age. I'm doing PT now and will eventually be working in yoga once the pain subsides enough for me to do so. I can't return to lifting until probably week 1 of October.

I'm looking for anything - what lifts should I avoid? Which ones have helped those of you who have had an injury? I have a good set of PT stretches and exercises from my doctor too.

Thoughts?

TL;DR - 42 year old dude working through a shoulder injury looking for any advice for when he goes back in 1 month.
 
@dtik9 I am much older than you and still deadlift. With decent form and a proper warmup, you should be able to continue deadlifts for at least a few more decades.

If I had to pick an exercise to give up, it would be the bench press. I either injured my rotator cuff or front deltoid a few weeks ago while benching and bringing the bar to my chest is still painful. I didn't notice it at all when completing a current age PR deadlift.

When injured, I normally modify my program instead of skipping workouts. Rather than taking time off, if an injury is not serious, I will adjust the weight and range of motion. If I can't perform the exercise at all, I will try to find a replacement. When I had a broken arm, I did leg presses and squats with a modified bar.

For deadlifts, I might start with 135 and not worry about a proper lockout or even touching the ground between reps. At 185 and/or 225, I will increase the range of motion. As the weight goes up, I might TNG until my work sets.

Obviously, you should follow the advice of your doctor and not some internet commenter. If you decide to lift with an injury, my advice would be to find an orthopedist who was a college athlete and still lifts and follow his or her recommendations.
 
@htb33rod Also - I've done some variation of the split I listed for 10+ years. Think it just caught up with me?

I'm not asking to be smug, i absolutely don't want to re-injure myself.
 
@dtik9 You can usually get away with a lot of stuff in your 30s still before it really starts to catch up with you in your 40s, 50s and beyond
 
@dtik9 Bodies are funny. When I put my shoulder out (sadly, fairly frequently), deadlifts are one of the few exercises I know I can comfortably do without issue.

Maybe it's because you're a lot stronger than me though.
 
@dtik9 Follow a real program yours is shit

I’ve never heard of someone injuring their rotator cuff deadlifting are you sure this is the issue since you haven’t seen a doctor?

Is it debilitating?

What do you consider above average

After 12 years I’d think you’d have form down, a decent program to follow and understand basic 1rm% set/rep ranges

I think you’d be better off doing upper/lower splits

If you have the time you’d be fine hitting chest /shoulders/ triceps/ biceps and upper back on the same day. don’t waste a lot of time on biceps and focus on your triceps the biceps just a fluff muscle lol
 
@dawn16 Yep. Saw a doctor. Confirmed pulled it deadlifting.

It is debilitating, strained rotator cuff, 6 weeks off.

Above average as far as my compound fall between Advanced and Elite for my age and weight class.

And I do have form down, I'm not sure why the hostility from you given I'm just asking for some advice. I'm guessing you're one of those insecure types who make this kind of thing lame for other people. Don't worry, you'll get there one day.
 
@dtik9 Guess I’ve just never heard of someone pulling a rotator cuff or injuring it in the deadlift

No injury is lame and it sucks you gotta take 6 weeks off

But like I said I’d switch up your training and follow an actual program

I’ve seen people do their own thing and just spin their wheels for years

Hopefully your cuff heals up and you’re back at it sooner than later
 
@dawn16 Thanks for the advice, the whole thing has me moody. I haven't missed the gym in years.

What I THINK I did, and you're right I know better than to do this, is I think when I was pulling some of the heavier weight I failed to "set" my arms before pulling the lift up. Meaning I had slack as I began pulling and that "snap" into place was what did it.

I did it on like the last few reps, just trying to get more. But - I'm willing to admit it could have been something else. I benched on Monday as part of chest/triceps, golfed on Tuesday, Deadlift on Wednesday as part of back/biceps, rested Thursday and woke up in horrible pain on Friday.

So, the deadlift is just my theory. Doctor just told me what was wrong and how to rehab it, what the limitations are. But where the pain is, yeah it feels like I strained it that way.

Either way, I'm hearing a lot of upper/lower as the solution, im gonna mix that in with doctors advice when I get back to it. I have to admit what I was doing wasn't it or I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
 
@dtik9 I hesitate to say to the following because you have been lifting for a long time and undoubtably either know this or forgot about it. When starting a deadlift, find a cue that makes you remember to always take the slack out of the bar on a deadlift.

Especially with 1RM and last reps, it can be tempting to jerk the bar of the floor when a bit of patience would have been both more productive and safer. Flex your triceps hard and tighten your lats. With steel plates, the clicking sound is a good indication that you are ready. With bumper plates, I think about pulling a few pounds less than my planned attempt.

Number 4 in Chad Wesley Smith's five part deadlift series, part of which I am quoting from, explains it better that I did.
 
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