My main hobby is surfing, I go on a 2 month trip to Indonesia each U.K. winter. Not being a young guy (I’m 55) I need to work hard for the rest of the year in order to be in any sort of shape for my trips. I kayak most days, around 4 miles up and down the canal I live on. Takes an hour or so, my boat is a fat heavy fishing type.
All was well until 2 weeks ago when I started to feel pain in my right shoulder. It’s not searing pain, more a dull ache. It doesn’t hurt when I paddle or otherwise use the shoulder, Tends to ache more when I’m resting. As a precaution I haven’t paddled for 2 weeks now but it hasn’t improved or worsened in that time.
I’m off to Indo in 4 weeks, starting to get a bit concerned about this. I’m unsure whether to continue resting, start kayaking again, or what to do really.
Does anyone know what this injury might be, what’s best to do about it?
exercise helps my aches and pains. You never know whats going on get it checked out. I messed up my knee and it has taken 5+ months to feel good again but I got you by 15 years, how long does it take to see a doctor over in the UK?
At least get therapy for it asap - massage, chiro, acupuncture - anything that will give you some hints about what is happening by the response you get.
There are numerous ways you can overstress muscles around the shoulder - I play a musical instrument and kayak in better weather so am quite good at finding them. The only thing that is consistently true by your 50’s is that you can’t let them hang around. They will just aggravate. You need to get aggressive about knocking these aches/whatever out early, before they decide they will be a permanent part of your life.
All I can say is that when I’ve gone to doctors for this knee or that shoulder they always say keep moving. Ibuprofen, a long slow warm up, go do your thing, then more ibuprofen (and ice for the knee). The pain always eventually goes away.
@Rex said:
All I can say is that when I’ve gone to doctors for this knee or that shoulder they always say keep moving. Ibuprofen, a long slow warm up, go do your thing, then more ibuprofen. The pain always eventually goes away.
@Rex said:
Now String, I didn’t say you have to eat ibuprofen for life. Just until the inflammation goes away. My liver is fine as are my shoulders and knees.
People that abuse dosages that are recommend and consume alcohol may have problems.
I’m no doctor, but when I’ve had similar symptoms in the past, the doctor gave me about ten days worth of Ibuprofen pills and I was told to take one a day until they were gone. The pain usually would go away in a day, or so, but his instructions were to continue taking the rest of the pills to totally eliminate the inflammation. He said if the inflammation is not eliminated the shoulder would not heal and might get much worse.
This regimen of course was prescribed only after the doctor had done some manipulating and testing on the shoulder.
As you might know, you don’t want to use Ibuprofen too often if you can avoid it, but when you need it, you need it. In the U.S.A, we can get it over the counter at any drug, or grocery store, but probably not in the strength that doctors prescribe.
It is possible that your paddling technique might be aggravating the shoulder. Be sure that you are using core rotation and not arm paddling. I would suggest sticking with a lower angle also.
@Rex said:
Now String, I didn’t say you have to eat ibuprofen for life. Just until the inflammation goes away. My liver is fine as are my shoulders and knees.
It depends on your body. I have always avoided pain killers of any kind but my Creatinine level went up a couple of years ago so Doc said stay away from it. The number came down. Whatever that means.
He told me to take Tylenol instead, so on a bad day I’ll take 2.
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@Rex said:
Now String, I didn’t say you have to eat ibuprofen for life. Just until the inflammation goes away. My liver is fine as are my shoulders and knees.
It depends on your body. I have always avoided pain killers of any kind but my Creatinine level went up a couple of years ago so Doc said stay away from it. The number came down. Whatever that means.
He told me to take Tylenol instead, so on a bad day I’ll take 2.
.
Creatinine is a measure of kidney function. Supposedly, the more muscle you have, the higher the level.
Guess I need to back off on trying to look like Superman
Generally taken every 6 to 8 hours, the maximum dose of NSAIDs per day is 2400 mg which is 12 over-the-counter tablets. Liver-safe: Ibuprofen and other NSAIDS rarely affect the liver. Unlike acetaminophen (Tylenol) most NSAIDs are absorbed completely and have negligible first-pass hepatic (liver) metabolism.Jul
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been implicated in many cases of acute and chronic renal failure. These events are much more likely to occur in the elderly, the poorly hydrated, or those with some preexisting renal impairment. But as yet, no completely renal safe NSAID has been discovered.
As for the OP’s problems, the etiologies for shoulder pain are many. No one on an internet forum is going to be able to diagnose the condition or offer any really cogent advice. My guess is that if there is no restriction of range of motion or pain with movement, a really serious pathology is unlikely. But if pain persists with conservative measures such as restriction of activities, anti-inflammatory agents, and time, it would be best to see a physician.
Inasmuch as the OP’s trip is a month away, the suggestion of having it checked by a physician is a good one.
My personal preference is to heat my rice pack in the microwave and drape it over the sore muscle/ligament/joint. A rice pack provides moist heat, is very easy to make, and for me has been very effective. You can buy them, but it’s nicer to have one as wide and long as you choose. A search will turn up loads of instructions how to make one.
There WAS runner in CA few years ago who had some pains. She rubbed aspercreme on her body I guess excessively. It built up in her statement and killed her.
