After my self inflicted fall off my daughter’s bike on Wednesday when I manualled it then landed on my back, my right shoulder was feeling a little bit dodgy. Still went to Wind Hill on Saturday and everything was fine until I managed to lose the front end on the most innocuous part of one of the black trails that I’ve ridden hundreds of times. Unfortunately the jarring mean that I’ve now got some sort of rotator cuff injury.

Had the same thing on my other shoulder last year and it’s still not 100% now.

So, anything I can do to avoid this happening again (don’t say ‘don’t crash!’)?

Cheers,

JP

No idea, but I feel your pain. I got one when my dog was younger and ran full speed on the extender lead when I wasn’t paying attention so I wasn’t prepared for the jolt. It took about a year before it felt normal.
I’ve had similar sensation (but not as severe) in my other shoulder when playing squash and trying to hit the ball too hard with being fully warmed up – lesson learnt there. Not sure how that translates to biking though? Maybe some sort of compression top might help?

So, anything I can do to avoid this happening again (don’t say ‘don’t crash!’)?

Invest in a session with a sports physio. Get a rehab programme designed to strengthen the muscles and tendons that support your shoulder joint. Follow the programme rather than just sort of doing the exercises occasionally and then forgetting about it. Don’t crash.

Get a physio band and look for specific exercises for rotators

Second the physio band. Used to suffer like a lot of people who play cricket, regular use of band prevented needing an operation.

Press ups

Mine wasn’t rotator cuff, but physio worked for me, not the normal NHS ones mind, one I was directed to at the semi-private treatment centre in Nottm. My left shoulder was murder for over a year, riding wasn’t really possible without pain. after surgeon said be happy with 60% movement the physio had me doing loads of exercises and I’ve bolstered that with free weights in the gym. I’m at a point now where I’ve mild discomfort every so often but movement is almost back to normal.

Stop crashing on it, really.

This is caused by too much internal rotation, chest is tight, probably pec minor, shoulders are tight and front delts are dominant.

You need to stretch the chest and shoulders and strengthen the weak rear delts and rotator cuff muscles.

If you want a permanent fix then you need to do these exercises for ever.

Yoga downward dog is good for opening up chest and shoulders.
Some form of rowing exercises with emphasis on shoulders back and down.
Training progressions towards a handstand in hollow body position is great for strengthening the rear delts.
Look up YTWL exercises for getting those rotator cuff muscles firing.
Twice a week is plenty for the above.

This however is not an extensive list of fixes without seeing your mobility issues and general posture but will certainly improve your current situation.

Thanks all – useful stuff there.

JP

I found these easy to do, some here, some there
throwers ten exercises
Also I had Dainese moto body armour which had shoulder protection, so when you went down on your shoulder it didnt do so much damage

Invest in a session with a sports physio. Get a rehab programme designed to strengthen the muscles and tendons that support your shoulder joint. Follow the programme rather than just sort of doing the exercises occasionally and then forgetting about it. Don’t crash.

This this and this again. I could give you my story but the outcome is the same and it worked for me

(See the physio because…) Don’t make assumptions like it’s the rotator cuff. There’s a lot of parts to your shoulder.