Strained anterior deltoid. Recovery advice pls.

[Big G]

6 weeks back in the gym after two years off, and I've strained my anterior deltoid already. =( It happened yesterday while benching although I had no idea I'd injured it until the pain woke me up this morning.

I did four sets of 6 reps with 167 1/2lb (7 1/2lb & 1rep higher than last week when failed the last rep but didn't get injured), completing all reps (just) & building up to the working sets with lighter weights (per the last entry in my journal). I'm confident in my form, so I doubt that caused it. I've been working out Mon-Wed-Fri and only benching once a week (again in my journal), eating & resting well so I don't think I've been overdoing it.

Any advice on aiding recovery? Obviously rest, but should I be using a heating pad? Ice? Alternate between the two? Sling? Massage? Foam roller?

I've been cutting for the past 6weeks and have had my cards highly restricted 0-100g/day. Should I increase that while I'm healing?

And how long can something like this take to heal? Should I stay away from the gym 'til it's 100% again, or exercise anyway with much lighter weights?

Also, any thoughts on how to avoid this in future? I tend to run for 10-15 minutes pre-workout, to get my blood pumping & raise my body temperature, but I skipped that yesterday (because my workout buddy was hungover and didn't feel up to cardio!). Could that be the cause? I did do my usual 10lb plate swings for 2-3 minutes beforehand, but either that wasn't enough of a warmup or something else caused it.

 

[ThreeGigs]

Maybe you *do* need a form check.
Excessive front delt involvement on bench means you're probably bringing the bar down too high up on your body. In other words, too close to your neck instead of across your nipples.

How bad is the strain? Bruising? Discoloration? Any swelling?

 

[GFR]

I love how you threw in that 1/2lb bit of info for us.

 

[Big G]

Maybe you *do* need a form check.
Excessive front delt involvement on bench means you're probably bringing the bar down too high up on your body. In other words, too close to your neck instead of across your nipples.

How bad is the strain? Bruising? Discoloration? Any swelling?

Hmm... I don't think so, but you could be right. I'll watch out for that when I finally make it back to the gym.

No discoloration. Might be somewhat swollen (but not much). Hurts like hell though. Aching & aching & aching

I love how you threw in that 1/2lb bit of info for us.

I'm an accountant. I can't help myself.

 

[Cork]

RICE. Though obviously you can't really elevate it. Something like a front delt strain will plague you for the rest of your training life if you don't give it proper time to recover. Compensate by doing plenty of pulls and scapular retractions. It'll help take the pressure off of that front delt.

 

[dgp]

RICE. Though obviously you can't really elevate it. Something like a front delt strain will plague you for the rest of your training life if you don't give it proper time to recover. Compensate by doing plenty of pulls and scapular retractions. It'll help take the pressure off of that front delt.

^Good advice Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

 

[Big G]

^Good advice Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

=(

Rest is hard working full-time all day and either working on my own house or renovating a rental unit at night. I hit the gym for an hour this evening for some lat-work & rows. That seemed OK, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow. I was horribly sore on Sunday after drilling holes & rewiring for 6 hours on Saturday.

Ice I could (& should) try to fit in, at some points of the day. How long is recommended?

As far as compression goes, does that mean an Ace bandage around the entire shoulder & under the arm-pit? Sounds awful. Is that an all-day thing, or for an hour or two at night?

Elevation is obviously impossible although I do sit or stand all day, other than when I'm asleep.

As a side-note, are any medications recommended (eg NSAIDS). I absolutely NEVER take any meds of any kind, so I'm hoping that's OK in this situation too.

 

[ThreeGigs]

You RICE until the swelling goes (almost) away, then stop the ICE. Rest it as much as you can so as not to aggravate the injury, or worse, re-injure it.

Use NSAIDs (Ibuprofen is better than aspirin) only if the swelling is still there, or the pain is causing you problems. Pain is just your body's gentle reminder that it wants you to rest that shoulder, so if the pain is tolerable, tolerate it.

 

[smf66]

had that shit happen to me before was goin really heavy and on my 4th rep on the way up i felt it. that happened years ago and im still feeling it. i have not been able to go heavy ever since. and heavy i mean 365lbs and up

 

[Big G]

You RICE until the swelling goes (almost) away, then stop the ICE. Rest it as much as you can so as not to aggravate the injury, or worse, re-injure it.

Use NSAIDs (Ibuprofen is better than aspirin) only if the swelling is still there, or the pain is causing you problems. Pain is just your body's gentle reminder that it wants you to rest that shoulder, so if the pain is tolerable, tolerate it.

Excellent. That's all good news. I reckon it'll heal. I don't think it's swollen at all. Just aching. Not sure what I'll be doing in the gym in Friday (scheduled "Push" day). Maybe some tricep cable-work, skullcrushers and, um... ?

had that shit happen to me before was goin really heavy and on my 4th rep on the way up i felt it. that happened years ago and im still feeling it. i have not been able to go heavy ever since. and heavy i mean 365lbs and up

Man, Sorry to hear that. Pls keep your fingers crossed that my old body hasn't seen its best with the measily weights I'm able to bench.