Does anyone play with a torn rotator cuff?

[delerious]

A couple years ago I was having shoulder pain (and not playing any table tennis at all) and was diagnosed with calcific tendonitis. I got a cortisone injection and did a couple months of physical therapy. I think the injection helped, and don't think the physical therapy helped at all.

Then last June I started playing table tennis every week, and in August the pain in my shoulder started coming back. An MRI revealed that I have a partially torn rotator cuff. I got a second injection, and that worked beautifully. I continued playing table tennis every week and never had any pain at all until 2 weeks ago.

I think I overpracticed a couple weeks ago just before my first ever USATT tournament. The morning after practice, my shoulder was hurting real bad. I took Tylenol and participated in the tournament the next day pain-free, but had more pain after that, and I have not played any table tennis since then.

I saw the doctor again and got a third injection as well as a prescription anti-inflammatory. Most of the pain is gone now, but I still feel a little discomfort, so I might continue to take a break for another 1-2 weeks.

I definitely want to avoid rotator cuff surgery if possible, as there are USATT tournaments later this year that I have already signed up for, and I definitely don't want to miss my office tournament later this year. I read that surgery could have a 1 year recovery time, and have seen people on the internet say they still feel pain in their shoulder even years after surgery.

I'm hoping this third injection can last at least 10 months like the first and second injections did. I also need to work on improving my technique, because I probably swing mostly with my shoulder, instead of rotating my hips. I should also probably try to find a better physical therapist, as I don't think the one I visited a couple years ago did anything to help me.

Anyone here able to just keep playing table tennis with a torn rotator cuff without getting surgery?

 

[lodro]

A couple years ago I was having shoulder pain and was diagnosed with calcific tendonitis. I got a cortisone injection and did a couple months of physical therapy. I think the injection helped, and don't think the physical therapy helped at all. Also, at that point I wasn't playing any table tennis.

Then last June I started playing table tennis every week, and in August the pain in my shoulder started coming back. An MRI revealed that I have a partially torn rotator cuff. I got a second injection, and that worked beautifully. I continued playing table tennis every week and never had any pain at all until 2 weeks ago.

I think I overpracticed a couple weeks ago just before my first ever USATT tournament. The morning after practice, my shoulder was hurting real bad. I took Tylenol and participated in the tournament the next day pain-free, but had more pain after that, and I have not played any table tennis since then.

I saw the doctor again and got a third injection as well as a prescription anti-inflammatory. Most of the pain is gone now, but I still feel a little discomfort, so I might continue to take a break for another 1-2 weeks.

I definitely want to avoid rotator cuff surgery if possible, as there are USATT tournaments later this year that I have already signed up for, and I definitely don't want to miss my office tournament later this year. I read that surgery could have a 1 year recovery time, and have seen people on the internet say they still feel pain in their shoulder even years after surgery.

I'm hoping this third injection can last at least 10 months like the first and second injections did. I also need to work on improving my technique, because I probably swing mostly with my shoulder, instead of rotating my hips. I should also probably try to find a better physical therapist, as I don't think the one I visited a couple years ago did anything to help me.

Anyone here able to just keep playing table tennis with a torn rotator cuff without getting surgery?

Yep, same diagnosis. Can't afford the surgery and refuse the cortisol injection because they never fix the damage just give a temporary relief. It is also well know that Cortisol injection can do muscle damage.

I take routinely some paracetamol tablets "before" going to the clubs.
The more I play the more pain I will have the next days.
I adjusted my FH swing to keeping my arm as close to the body as possible
and avoid FH shots with fully out stretched arm.
This requires more footwork and I am not good at that either. 😁

Unfortunately it is a common injury amongst TT players. Maybe the top player can avoid it by being very fit, doing a lot of stretching and also careful warmups.

I do not think I got the injury from playing TT. I probably went once too often over the top of the handlebars of a motorbike 😁

 

[Der_Echte]

I had a painful partial tear... I bought a shoulder far infared device to wear on my shoulder... it stimulated more blood flow, felt better in 2-3 weeks... then when it felt good enough, I started to do certain stretches from a guide on an ortho site... did those very easy and carefully... then a few weeks later rubber band resistance for those 12 exercises... started easy, worked to just easy... then later light weights - same start easy concept.

Took me 4 months to heal it to 70%+... then I moved to Boston and could do TT... took it easy on the BH explosion on shots for a few weeks... then it felt 80% and could handle more.

I basically progressively worked the injury within limits when it was healed enough to start doing that and did not do anything extra hard.

 

[blahness]

If you become a frictionless LP/anti pushblocker it'll be a lot easier on the body

 

[NextLevel]

I play with shoulder arthritis and in addition to rotator cuff tears, I haven't had a normal shoulder in almost 6 years.

If you want to avoid surgery, you will need a prolonged period of not playing and a lot of exercises to see whether you can rebuild muscles to support the shoulder again. I have found shoulder hangs very helpful for resetting the joint that has been affected by years of computer work, autoimmune arthritis (and table tennis).

 

[mightymouse]

I thought I was the only one with shoulder problem. I don't remember how it happened. It was just one day playing table tennis and suddenly I felt sharp pain in my shoulder every time I swing my arm. I know something is torn there.

However, after months of rest, I played again and the pain persisted. So I switched to faster blade (so that I don't have to swing fully) and keep playing. The problem with the pain is not when I am playing but even when I wake up in the morning and my shoulder feel painful when I move.

Now, both my knees are hurting as well. I guess I am an old man now. I have to forget my dream of playing in the WTTC against FZD now (and probably need to switch to the illegal LP that is discussed frequently now in this forum).

 

[lodro]

Now, both my knees are hurting as well. I guess I am an old man now. I have to forget my dream of playing in the WTTC against FZD now

Same here, I had them all lined up, FZD , MaLong, Wang and Wong and everybody else. Maybe something to do in my next incarnation 😁

 

[beeray1]

I dislocated my shoulder at the beginning of 2018 without realizing that's what I had done, and it was out for 3 weeks before I got it reduced and addressed - resulted in a partial tear as well. I basically took an entire year off of Table Tennis, gave it a ton of rest, and then spent a lot of consistent effort strengthening my shoulder. I experienced one time earlier on what not giving it constant attention did - resulted in it being out again. So I've kept up on strength/stability and more recently mobility work religiously ever since. In my hiatus from Table Tennis I was really into disc golf, and if you know anything about that it took me about 2 years before I was comfortable enough to start throwing sidearm/forehand again just for approaches. I still don't have any real distance on that side because I just don't want to push the shoulder into that range of motion with much speed.

Here I am 5 and a half years later, and I've finally started correcting the weird forehand table tennis mechanics I picked up during the timeframe of compensating for the injury. My forehand swing became super odd and tucked in because of being afraid of the stress and range of motion of my shoulder, but I've realized that the consistent effort has resulted in my shoulder being strong enough to handle a real forehand swing again now that I'm back in the sport. So trying to re-teach myself the forehand I had in my younger years. Jury is still out on if I'll ever get that back though.

Only thing I'd do different if I could go back is to be more consistent earlier on with the PT and strength work, and trust the process.

 

[JJ Ng]

If you become a frictionless LP/anti pushblocker it'll be a lot easier on the body

There is a reason that LP is popular among older players. My vote is short pips on the forehand and long pips on the backhand

 

[mocker88]

A couple years ago I was having shoulder pain (and not playing any table tennis at all) and was diagnosed with calcific tendonitis. I got a cortisone injection and did a couple months of physical therapy. I think the injection helped, and don't think the physical therapy helped at all.

Then last June I started playing table tennis every week, and in August the pain in my shoulder started coming back. An MRI revealed that I have a partially torn rotator cuff. I got a second injection, and that worked beautifully. I continued playing table tennis every week and never had any pain at all until 2 weeks ago.

I think I overpracticed a couple weeks ago just before my first ever USATT tournament. The morning after practice, my shoulder was hurting real bad. I took Tylenol and participated in the tournament the next day pain-free, but had more pain after that, and I have not played any table tennis since then.

I saw the doctor again and got a third injection as well as a prescription anti-inflammatory. Most of the pain is gone now, but I still feel a little discomfort, so I might continue to take a break for another 1-2 weeks.

I definitely want to avoid rotator cuff surgery if possible, as there are USATT tournaments later this year that I have already signed up for, and I definitely don't want to miss my office tournament later this year. I read that surgery could have a 1 year recovery time, and have seen people on the internet say they still feel pain in their shoulder even years after surgery.

I'm hoping this third injection can last at least 10 months like the first and second injections did. I also need to work on improving my technique, because I probably swing mostly with my shoulder, instead of rotating my hips. I should also probably try to find a better physical therapist, as I don't think the one I visited a couple years ago did anything to help me.

Anyone here able to just keep playing table tennis with a torn rotator cuff without getting surgery?

I don't have this exact problem. Mine was mainly the elbow, but after two years of injections and rehab I went to see an osteopath. He said. "No, this is the way you should rehab" and I felt a great difference already the second day, and I'm better and better since then. Go see an osteopath.

 

[delerious]

Is looping something that will aggravate the injury?

After getting the injection a month ago and taking a prescription NSAID for 2 weeks, my shoulder felt better, and I went back to the club the last 2 weeks. Both times I played several matches, doing a lot of pushing and hitting some drives, but not really looping much. Didn't have a problem with any of that.

But tonight I was practicing my looping against a robot for an hour or so, and my shoulder is starting to hurt again.

 

[mightymouse]

I think it's not the looping motion, but because you did the motion for an hour. If you are in the process of healing, I don't think you need to spend up to an hour looping. 15 minutes is probably more than enough.

 

[pingpongpaddy]

A couple years ago I was having shoulder pain (and not playing any table tennis at all) and was diagnosed with calcific tendonitis. I got a cortisone injection and did a couple months of physical therapy. I think the injection helped, and don't think the physical therapy helped at all.

Then last June I started playing table tennis every week, and in August the pain in my shoulder started coming back. An MRI revealed that I have a partially torn rotator cuff. I got a second injection, and that worked beautifully. I continued playing table tennis every week and never had any pain at all until 2 weeks ago.

I think I overpracticed a couple weeks ago just before my first ever USATT tournament. The morning after practice, my shoulder was hurting real bad. I took Tylenol and participated in the tournament the next day pain-free, but had more pain after that, and I have not played any table tennis since then.

I saw the doctor again and got a third injection as well as a prescription anti-inflammatory. Most of the pain is gone now, but I still feel a little discomfort, so I might continue to take a break for another 1-2 weeks.

I definitely want to avoid rotator cuff surgery if possible, as there are USATT tournaments later this year that I have already signed up for, and I definitely don't want to miss my office tournament later this year. I read that surgery could have a 1 year recovery time, and have seen people on the internet say they still feel pain in their shoulder even years after surgery.

I'm hoping this third injection can last at least 10 months like the first and second injections did. I also need to work on improving my technique, because I probably swing mostly with my shoulder, instead of rotating my hips. I should also probably try to find a better physical therapist, as I don't think the one I visited a couple years ago did anything to help me.

Anyone here able to just keep playing table tennis with a torn rotator cuff without getting surgery?

I think it might be a good idea to post a video of yr fh technique.
It might be that yr stroke is overusing yr shoulder and that actually making a better stroke involving legs and correct weight transfer and relaxation might as well as healing you, make you a better player.
practicing a technique that is fundamentally flawed doesn't make any sense
get some tt advice as well as medical