When to start training again after labrum/bicep injury?

[Nubbins]

After ordering the RCTM and working hard through the summer, I managed to send my first two 12a's a few weeks ago.  Obviously I was beyond psyched to be doing something I once thought was impossible for me.  I became even more sold on the idea of training, as I think I'm just starting to understand what I'm actually capable of, climbing-wise. 

Two weeks ago I was trying hard to RP my third and got myself into an awkward body position from which I managed to fully rupture the proximal head of my bicep tendon and tear my labrum.  I've already met with one ortho surgeon and I'm getting a second opinion from a sports medicine shoulder surgeon, but at this point thinking of just biting the bullet and getting surgery to fix everything.  I know I'm getting way ahead of myself here, and will of course do whatever the doc and the PTs say to both facilitate recovery and not do too much too soon to avoid re-injury, but I'm already thinking about my next training cycle...  specifically whether campusing would be a horrible idea even 9 months down the road - does anybody have experience with starting hangboarding/campusing again after these sorts of injuries?  Any advice?

Much thanks in advance!

[disturbingthepeace]

Hi Nubbins, congrats on the first 12's! Last July I dislocated my shoulder in the gym, pulling too hard on a gaston. I tore 60% of the labrum and elected to have the surgery to repair the labrum beginning of Sept. I followed my doctors recommendation and took ~5.5 months off of climbing, for the first 4 or so months of that I couldn't have even considered climbing. I have read posts of people getting back to it after 3 months, but my range of motion was still too limited, and it seemed like a horrible idea to even consider hanging to me.

Once I was able to begin climbing (late Feb), at first it felt very difficult, my shoulder was quite sore, my skin hurt and my toes hurt and I was afraid of re-injuring my shoulder. However by beginning of April I had redpointed 5.12 again, and towards the end of July 5.13. Since then I have had a phenomenal season (for me) all things considered.

The key for me was hangboarding, I started hangboarding ~6 months after surgery with no issues besides a little soreness. My Power workouts were on the weak side, and I mainly did bouldering to work power. At about 9 months out I tried campusing but it was still hard on my shoulder, not the latching of the hold, but pushing down on the rung while going up with the other hand. At 1 year out from surgery I can now campus and only get a little soreness from the shoulder.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!

[MarkAnderson]

Wow Mike! I'm bummed to hear you got hurt, but that's a super inspiring story of recovery. Hangboarding is an awesome tool for rehab. Its probably better for rehab than it is for training Your story is interesting because a lot of folks with shoulder issues are reluctant to hangboard. THere's also a lot of debate about the "correct" shoulder posture for hangboarding. DO you have any thoughts on these issues, or did you do anything special in your hangboarding approach to rehab your shoulder?

[disturbingthepeace]

Hey Mark, I didn't have any issues with shoulder joint pain while beginning to hangboard, my pain was all in the shoulder muscles which made sense after not really using those muscles for almost 8 months. I tried to hang while keeping my shoulders "engaged" not just hanging and allowing my shoulders to go loose, which I think would have put more stress on the joint.

Other items for me is having the holds spaced far enough apart, (the rockprodigy hangboard does awesome at this, great design)! Starting out all of my hangs except the warm-up were at reduced bodyweight keeping the load on my recovering shoulder lower.

BTW, your training book is amazing, I'm impressed at the amount of research and thought that you guys put into it!

[MarkAnderson]

Thanks man, I really appreciate that.

[slimshaky]

i had a labrum tear in my left shoulder about 4 years ago. i went the PT route and it was slow going - i thought for sure i was going to end up having surgery. after about 6 months of the shoulder exercises i was in pretty good condition. then, i had a minor labrum tear in my right shoulder maybe a year later.... i was able to climb/train through the right shoulder for the most part.

one thing i have noticed is that if i keep doing my shoulder strengthening routine, my shoulders feel a lot better. i still have to be careful about certain movements - particularly pressing a gaston into a mantle and fully extended dynamic throws. i am pretty careful during my campus workouts - i actually think this is safer than big throws in the gym because there are less variables to focus on.

[joev9]

Nov 5, 2014 10:04:43 GMT -7 slimshaky said:

i had a labrum tear in my left shoulder about 4 years ago. i went the PT route and it was slow going - i thought for sure i was going to end up having surgery. after about 6 months of the shoulder exercises i was in pretty good condition. then, i had a minor labrum tear in my right shoulder maybe a year later.... i was able to climb/train through the right shoulder for the most part.

one thing i have noticed is that if i keep doing my shoulder strengthening routine, my shoulders feel a lot better. i still have to be careful about certain movements - particularly pressing a gaston into a mantle and fully extended dynamic throws. i am pretty careful during my campus workouts - i actually think this is safer than big throws in the gym because there are less variables to focus on.

Could you share your shoulder strengthening routine?  Been having achey shoulders a want to get them stronger, safely.  Thanks.

[slimshaky]

(i have been slacking on my routine lately, and need to get back in the habit of doing it...). i kind of do a hand full of small circuits. The circuits are usually 3 exercises, usually 2 or 3 sets of each exercise.

Circuit 1

• theraband, with the band level (to a doorknob/rail/etc), elbow pinned to waist, start with forearm forward and 'open' it out to your side. this is a pretty standard PT exercise for shoulders.
• theraband or pulley weights, row exercise pulling straight back with arms parallel to floor and even with shoulders
• arm lifts with weights, straight arms, start with arms hanging straight down, lift them straight forward (then out at a 45 degree angle, then directly out to the sideList item 3

Circuit 2

• pushups
• arms straight up, pull forward down to waist with straight arms (using theraband or pulley weights)
• same thing but pulling arms straight down to side (like making a snow angel)

Circuit 3

• arms straight forward, keep arms straight, pull back and open (kind of like a bird flapping its wings)
  repeat these with arms being pulled straight up, at a upwards 45 degree angle, level with floor, with a downwards 45 degree angle, straight down towards floor.
• vertical shoulder press (military press) with dumbells.
• various shoulder stretches

not sure if any of this makes sense, but if you google shoulder exercises for physical therapy there should be a bunch of videos. basically i try to do a bunch of exercises that have a broad variety of axis of rotation, angle of arms, which shoulder muscles are being engaged, etc.

[joev9]

Awesome, thanks. I will be adding some of these into my routine shortly.

[Nubbins]

Thanks for all of these responses - this is all really helpful, not in small part from a keeping-me-from-getting-too-bummed perspective, and the various tips, thoughts, and experiences are definitely motivating in planning my (eventual) recovery!