pulled shoulder

[savit9926]

in april 2011 i was throwing some wood over my fence when i felt something go in my right shoulder. my gp sent me for x-ray which showed nothing. i have had four different physio sessions which have had no effect at all. i have not had a decent nights sleep since i did it.i am woken up in pain when i lie on my right shoulder ball joint, the pain is like a bad numbing pain sensation similar to when you bang your funny bone but much more painful. i cannot raise my arm above my head in a forward movement,the pain stops me about 18 inches before i can get it vertical.trying to raise it to the side is even worse, then it will only go as far as a 90 degree position before the pain stops it. it is as though there is some kind of a lock preventing the arm moving further.please has anybody suffered this experience and any advice would be greatly appreciated. stuart morris

[Heidi]

HI
Sounds like a rotator cuff injury, from the way it happenend and the pain and symptoms you are experiencing.
I am surprised however, that between 4 physios they couldn't provide you with any relief.
What treatment did they give you?
Sports massage, ultrasound, stretching are usually really effective.

[savit9926]

thanks heidi for your response.the exercises i have been given are stretching my arm upwards to try to reach vertical, also using a piece of string that i hold with my left hand at my left shoulder and my right hand behind my back. this is really painful to do. my right hand will not move higher than the small in my back and the pain is really bad.also advised to put my right hand on my left shoulder and push my right elbow with my left hand but when i do this there is a clicking feeling in the right shoulder. is this normal and nothing to do with the original injury? thanks once again for taking the time to reply stuart

[Heidi]

You shouldn't be doing any exercises that cause you pain. Pain is a bad thing and essentially means more damage is being done.
So was it just exercises you were given? Any hands-on soft tissue treatments?

[savit9926]

hi heidi, not with the first three sessions but i went private to a 'muscle therapist' for the last session and he spent a lot of time massaging the shoulder muscles. he gave me some exercises to do and said ' to enjoy the pain'. i think he was half joking but he did say that recovery would take a long time and that something should have been done earlier when i first sustained the injury. he also said that if the exercises he has given me to do at home do not work, it is possible i may need to have surjury in order to regain use of my shoulder. i am still getting this painful numbing sensation when i lie on my shoulder or raise my arm to the point it will not go any further. is this normal for this type of injury or is it possible a nerve may be trapped?
i take it 'no pain ,no gain' doesn't apply! thanks again for taking the trouble to try to aid my recovery.
stuart