Question
Hello -

Thanks for taking my question! I asked this in an orthopedic forum and got no reply unfortunately, so I thought I would try here. I have seen an orthopedist and have been told that I have a type 2 impingement in my acromion on both shoulders. I went to the doctor because I began getting a loud popping noise in my shoulders and bad inflammation during workouts. I would still love to continue, but when I work my shoulders (light lifting), they pop and grid during certain movements. After a workout, I ice my shoulders and I get what looks like a raised bubble at the site of inflammation (white raised skin that appears irritated after ice is applied on front and back of shoulders). My question is two-fold:  Can I continue working out (especially my shoulders directly) without making it worse?   Short of surgery, is there anything I can do to improve this condition?  I would love to continue light lifting, but I'm only 27 and don't want serious problems this young. Thanks

Answer
Hello Mike,

Sorry to hear about the shoulder.  The good news is that I think there is a great deal you can do to help yourself.

If you take a moment and think of all the muscles in your body like the rigging (ropes) on a big old-fashioned sailboat, you can begin to understand that all the muscles (like the rigging) must have the appropriate tensional balance in order for us to walk, stand, sit, lift weights, etc. at an optimal level.

If some of the rigging (muscles) are too tight they can begin to yank and torque things (bones) out of there optimal positions and then the functioning of our bodies begins to decline.  

Joints need appropriate space, freedom and alignment to work properly. Joints are made up of bones and soft-tissue.  Bones are basically chunks of calcium that do not do anything on there own. Bones basically go where the soft-tissues (primarily muscles) pull or hold them.  So if you want to re-establish proper functioning in a joint (a joint where nothing is torn or broken) then you have to release the inappropriately tight tissue that is torquing or compressing the joint.

I talk about this in greater detail on my completely free website,
Do-It-Yourself-Joint-Pain-Relief,
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/
where I have follow-along videos for every single joint in the body.

I'm going to recommend you go to the Shoulder Joint Pain Relief page,
http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/shoulder-joint-pain-relief.html
where I show you how to re-establish the space and freedom that your shoulder needs to function properly. I do think you can probably fix your own shoulder with this information.

I do think this could be a great help for situation.

All the best,

Gary Crowley