AC Ligament Strain / Tear

[Highroller]

Hello All! It has been quite sometime since last post (almost 4 months!) but I am still working out 3-4 times a week, I bought a mountain bike in May and have put on about 350 miles ( I bike to work everyday, weather permitting) and I have lost about 13 pounds. question has to do with an injury I sustained about 3 weeks ago. I was doing some shoulder presses on the Smith machine and I went down a little too far with the barbell and over stretched right shoulder. The pain wasn't immediate but I definitely felt it the next morning. It wasn't overbearing so I thought that I just needed to stretch a little more before lifting. Well, I went to the doctor about 8 days ago and he told me that I have a Type 1 sprain of the AC ligament. I was given Lodine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and have been taking 2 pills daily. I was told not to do any lifting over head for at least 10 days, limiting movement in the gym to bicep curls and lower legs. I have followed his directions to the "T" but still feel quite a bit of shoulder pain. Has anybody gone through this type of sprain? I know it is not a tear, which I am extremely happy about. But I don't want to waste 3 or 4 weeks doing nothing! I know I need to let shoulder heal, but how will I know when it is ok to go back and lift like I was before? Will this be tender for some time?

[swanso5]

- rule number 1, stay off the smith machine as it takes your body out of it's natural line of pull and obviuosly injuries occur from this which ytou have
- stretching will make it worse probably
- i wouldn't do BB Shoulder Presses anymore if i was you..do db version with palms facing your ears which is a much safer option
- start off very, very light when you do start back up and i would start with push ups anjd once you can do them for high reps with full range of motion and no pain than you can start with db chest/shoulder variations