As someone who's going to the doctor next week to discuss potential shoulder surgery, this is timely.
I really need to figure out whether it's going to make things better or worse, but unfortunately, that feels like something a doctor can't guarantee one way or the other.
Any anecdotes or other experiences/thoughts are appreciated.
One thing that bodybuilding taught me is to never underestimate how significantly you can change how your body works through weight training, mobility work and physical therapy.
I used to suffer from chronic low back pain. It hurt to get out of bed every day for years. 1-2 years after getting into bodybuilding the pain disappeared and didn’t come back. Not only that, but I’m not physically limited by my back whatsoever.
I’m not suggesting you start bodybuilding. But the things I think that helped was 1) weight training, 2) mobility work / stretching, 3) physical therapy. That combo can be really powerful.
Unfortunately, it goes both ways. I started training 6-7 years ago and today have constant lower back pain (non-existent prior) and chronic shoulder pain (again, non-existent prior). When you lift, even with reasonable weight in a conservative progressive overload program, injuries can and will occur. In my case, there was no singular “injury”; the pain just gradually crept in and has not gone away.
I still wouldn’t stop weight training, as it’s a part of my life that I love. However, despite never going for ambitious PRs, I have chronic pain that I never had prior to starting - and no amount of physical therapy has resolved it.
jader201 · · focus · HN ↗
I really need to figure out whether it's going to make things better or worse, but unfortunately, that feels like something a doctor can't guarantee one way or the other.
Any anecdotes or other experiences/thoughts are appreciated.
cj · · focus · HN ↗
I used to suffer from chronic low back pain. It hurt to get out of bed every day for years. 1-2 years after getting into bodybuilding the pain disappeared and didn’t come back. Not only that, but I’m not physically limited by my back whatsoever.
I’m not suggesting you start bodybuilding. But the things I think that helped was 1) weight training, 2) mobility work / stretching, 3) physical therapy. That combo can be really powerful.
LakesAndTrees · · focus · HN ↗
I still wouldn’t stop weight training, as it’s a part of my life that I love. However, despite never going for ambitious PRs, I have chronic pain that I never had prior to starting - and no amount of physical therapy has resolved it.
As always, YMMV.