Returning to weights post reco

[dougy dislocate]

Hi all,

I posted on here about six months ago asking some questions about reco's. Well I have since had the op and done my 6 months of rehab. I stuck to the surgeons rules religiously and did all the exercises. Started physio a few months back and again tried my best to do all the exercises every day and the swimming etc.

Now I have been given the all clear from both surgeon and physio to get back in the gym with the only direction that I shouldn't do any weights that go behind my head or body. E.g lower bench press till arms are horizontal, or flys only back in line with body etc.

My query is, I have just completed my first couple of sessions and I took it easy but feel like I could go much harder. Is there anything wrong with going back to heavy weights so soon?

I was lifting probably 50% of my pre op load and could easily have gone higher, probably 75% but am concerned that this may comprimise the integrity of my surgery.

Thoughts?

[angieliu]

I don't think that it is wise to go up on your weights. You may feel that you can do more but I think that you run the risk of hurting yourself again I would take it slowly. The more you stress your shoulders the more time it will take to go up with your weights. Take it easy, getting the all clear from the surgeon and physio doesn't mean that you should go ahead full force with your weights.

I haven't had a shoulder reconstruction or anything of the like. I have had done two shoulder injuries, one a rotator cuff tear and the second, well I did a partial dislocation. I left both injuries undiagnosed without scans or the like for over 2 years. When I hurt my rotator cuff, I thought that I should just rest and then go back to weights. I still went to the gym and did cardio and leg work and introduced some upper body weights about 4 weeks after I hurt my shoulder and I got way to excited and I was back at square one with a sore shoulder. With my second shoulder injury on the same shoulder too, I stopped doing upper body work but I think I started back too soon with the weights. One would think you would learn from it. So now I'm actually taking time out from upper body weights and resting properly so that it will recover.

I guess if you are starting to work up more you should also try to keep your supplement levels up. Magnesium is really good for muscle recovery and for post injuries, arnica cream is really good because you can apply it directly to where you feel sore after a work out and helps increase the circulation and glucosamine which also contains MSM which is an anti-inflammatory.

My advice, take it easy, introduce heavier weights when you feel a little more comfortable after more weights sessions and maybe even alter between doing weights and also some resistance band stuff.