In October 2021, during a rock climbing challenge, I unfortunately suffered a shoulder rotator cuff injury. At that time, I didn’t know it was a rotator cuff injury, and thought it was just normal muscle soreness from training. Since I didn’t take it seriously, I only sought treatment from a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who provided massage and acupuncture. Later, I continued to use the injured shoulder, which aggravated the injury and eventually caused me to be unable to use my shoulder for almost a year in 2022, leading me to give up rock climbing and strength training. So, I want to tell everyone to pay attention to protecting their shoulders.
If you experience shoulder pain after exercise, it is recommended to:
If the pain is mild: it is recommended to apply ice and receive physical therapy, such as massage and stretching exercises, to promote blood circulation and relieve shoulder pain. After the pain has subsided, you can apply heat to promote muscle relaxation and recovery. It is important to remember to ice before applying heat, and not apply heat immediately after injury.
If the injury is suspected to be severe: it is recommended to see a specialist doctor as soon as possible, as it may require closed needle or surgical treatment. Seeking treatment only from traditional Chinese medicine or massage therapists is not enough. My pain lasted for a whole year, and if I had gone to see a Western doctor earlier, I could have reduced a lot of treatment costs and recovery time.
In summary, massage and stretching exercises can help restore shoulder flexibility and strength. However, if the pain persists after physical therapy, it may be necessary to see a specialist doctor to receive a closed needle treatment, followed by further physical therapy. If that still doesn’t work, then surgery may be considered.