Thread: Injury advice : shoulder and back

i've been in love with pumping iron since i was a teenager and never had an injury.
All that changed when i hit thirty. Firstly I was using a fly machine and i broke the rule and put the handles too far back with too much weight. This meant I had to force it with my left shoulder to get the handles to a starting position. i felt something in my left shoulder go. i have been receiving physio for almost 8 monthswith ultrasound to the muscles and or tendons with some triiger point injections and cortisosteroids but it is still weak and anythin g more than swimming brings on pain again. i'm at a loss of waht to dop. even press ups are a nono
Secondly i tried some straight leg raises but only holding onto a post with one hand to save my bad shoulder. I've done this exercise loads of times with no probs but after this time I had very severe back pain (lower). I've had an mri which shows a slightly protruding lower disk but as i had not had one before the exercise was done I have no way of knowing if it caused it or not.
the pain was in the lower back and buttocks and even my hips were hurting like hell. i've had traction and ultrasound and is much better But again even the slightest thing sets it off again.
Does anyone know if the straight leg raise like this would actually damage the disk or wouldit justy be muscular damage (i've since learnt that this exercise is usless for abs but works the psoas musle?). i havn't been to the gym for 8 months and i'm wasting away. i'm getting morer and more depressed thinking i
will never be able to train again. the only exercise i can do is swim.
Any advice on these injuries and how to train with them would be greatly appreciated.
thanks in advance
yabs

thanks for the advice
they are not sure whther its enough to push up against my nerev and i've also had a peroneal nerve injury so its not easy to tell if the back is giving nerve pain sypmtoms
I pass the straight leg raise test without probs. I'm just wondering whther the pain in my back is just muscle or related to the disc and if I can ever confidently lift again.
swimming is great but you don't build that much muscle from it