Three weeks without benching and desperately hoping for recovery
As I posted earlier in this blog, I developed an acro-clavicular lesion also known as “weightlifter’s shoulder” (Clavicular Osteolysis or Weightlifter’s Shoulder – it hurts ) in June. This type of lesion affects between 25-50% of lifters, is considered an overuse injury and tends to become chronic. The chronic expression goes beyond than just the acro-mio-clavicular condition itself. A series of indirect injuries develop along with it and the present one seems to be a rotator cuff inflammation, or that plus a biceps tendon injury, or another “interesting” combination of painful conditions.
As many competitive lifters I know, I am a combination of an extremely careful and attentive person concerning my body – I eat well, I supplement, I ice dozens of times a day when necessary, I take anti-inflammatory meds – and a total freak. The “total freak” part is the problem: there are two meets I am dying to take part in: one is the WABDL bench press world cup (here in Brazil) and the other is a CONBRAFA (a local federation) event involving all the continent. If I score what I know I can at the WABDL meet, I may be ranked first in the WABDL open world ranking for my weight category. And that means a lot . It is not much more than I am currently lifting: just about 20lbs more and I am there. According to everyone, I should have already reached that.
But friends, pain does impair strength effort. I don’t know exactly how, because lifters LIFT – pain or no pain. But probably pain affects the strength exertion at a central level, where the conscious mind is neutralized. So I am finally following “some” advice (the real advice would be for me to give up the meets and just concentrate on recovery, which I haven’t even seriously considered) and have been taking Arcoxia and quit training Bench Press and accessory upper body exercises for 10 days.
For two weeks my weight has been beautifully controlled on 121lbs. On one day with Arcoxia, I gained 2lbs. On three days, 4lbs. What a mess… I didn’t know I would react with so much retention. I hope I can manage that more easily.
On the bright side, my deadlift is getting nice: after five months with no training (having no place for it plus breaking my leg), I am lifting more than I ever did before. On my third training session, I am lifting 330lbs, which is not bad at all considering what a good periodized training can improve over this number. And I finally did squat over the fatidic 286lbs on which I broke my leg – so I guess the fear of squatting is gone.
Well… Can’t win on all fronts.
October 27, 2007 at 4:07 am
Wow, sounds like you a true competitor and I hope you are able to recover from your injury. I have worked trhough pain, its not fun, but we do what we have to (and need to). I have been plagued with an elbow and shoulder soreness since July and treat it carefully after I lift. Good luck with yours!
October 27, 2007 at 4:07 am
Marilia, I have injured my rotator cuff too, it is very painful, and doing more lifting will only do worse! you could loose all arm mobility. At that time I just took it easy change my diet, even had to run slower, no more speed training in intervals, etc. A good friend of mine advise to do some movements with rubber bands that allowed the tissue in the rotator cuff heal, don’t know if someone has suggested that already, I did not read you are using them, try to find out more with your doctor. Hope you rehabilitation does not takes long, but at this point it is up to you.
November 12, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Marília,
Então você está contundida crônica.
Vi uns vídeos seus no Youtube. O que todos eles têm em comum é que quem filma é ruim pra burro.
Arranja alguém que faça jus ao seu esforço, ok?
Beijos.
Vamos almoçar um dia?