OK about 3 weeks ago I pulled the muscle (possibly ligaments) that extends from beside my shoulder blade, across the shoulder socket and into my upper arm. Since that time everytime I throw that same area gets sore to the touch and my distance has declined about 30% (I used to throw about 300 and now am throwing around 210). If I grip the disc at all it leaves my hand with alot of off-axis rotation so the only way I can throw decently straight now is with a fan grip (yes even on my drives) with really light discs.
I think that I have lost some "stretch" or speed due to the injury. My wife says it is just all in my head, because I threw a tourney while injured and shot horribly.
Can someone please give me some suggestions, or insight into what the problem may be?

I would highly recommend taking a break and allow time for the injury to heal. If you jones for golf (which you probably will), you could experiment by using your other arm.

Conservatively speaking, it sounds like you strained one or more of your 4 'Rotator Cuff' muscles, possibly the Teres Minor - the other 3 being the Supraspinatus, the Infraspinatus and the Subscapularis.
Time off for healing is imperative to avoid re-aggravating your injury...and if it's a 'muscle tear' - then you should consult with a higher authority.
.02

Yo Doc,

Any pointers on the adductor muscles. 2 HUGE disc golf breaks and 14 months later it still becomes extremely tender after 18-20 holes. In fact, i haven't played more than 18 holes in one day since Early November...the VPO. Barely made it through the Players Cup. Took months off afterwards. Still VERY easy to aggravate. :confused:

PM sent...

Thank you for the info. Should I assume the lost distance is due to the injury, or something in my head? I feel like I have the same technique it is just not as effective as it once was. :( (not that 300 feet drives are really considered effective anyway :p )

Injuries need TIME to heal...even mental ones! :D

Injuries need TIME to heal...even mental ones! :D



I disagree with Circle 2 on this one. I raced competitively for 25 years and have run for over 30. I had a number of injuries while running and have had a couple of disc golf injuries. Doctors do tell you it takes time to heal but they almost never tell you to quit and rest any more. What they tell you to do is to get the right help from a physical therapist.

Generally, a therapist will give you a set of stretches and exercizes that will loosen the muscles and tendons while strengthening them. Very soon, they will tell you to start playing again but in moderation. Listen to your body is the mantra.

The reason they take this approach is that it gets blood into the injured area more effectively than sitting there. That enhances the healing process very effectively.

On the other hand, doing what Circle 2 tells you is better than trying to do it on your own. That is, if you continue to work out with an injury without proper prep, stretching etc., you're simply exacerbating the injury. At the very least I would advise a good stretching regimen with light exercize to keep the arm and shoulder in shape. If you simply sit, while the injury will heal, you are letting all the muscles and tendons that support that area fall into a state where the injury will be more likely to occur.

I suspect this is Hero's ongoing problem, rest is not enough!

Yo Doc,

Any pointers on the adductor muscles. 2 HUGE disc golf breaks and 14 months later it still becomes extremely tender after 18-20 holes. In fact, i haven't played more than 18 holes in one day since Early November...the VPO. Barely made it through the Players Cup. Took months off afterwards. Still VERY easy to aggravate. :confused:



I don't know what the adductor muscles are but my therapist has me do two (sometimes three) things for muscle injuries.

1) deep massage to get blood into the injury. The deeper the injury the harder it is to get blood and healing into the site

2) lots! of stretching. You can't stretch enough! (see below, in my case the stretches are specific and meant to loosen the tendons that hold the knee cap in place (the source of my pain)).

3) light exercise is the third option. The problem is that most people have no concept of light exercize. For example, I have knee problems. Light exercize includes the following per day:

a) 20 shallow knee bends
b) 20 toe raises
c) 20 leg lifts (no weight)
d) 20 half leg lifts (no weight)

This all takes me 3 to 4 minutes to complete. If I do it daily I have no pain or problems. If I don't my knees ache. Hard to believe but true. BTW - the exercises act to strenghten those tendons and muscles that hold the knee cap in the right place.

2 comments:

1) I've injured my back in a similar fashion and physical therapy as described above is the way to go.
2) If you were only throwing 300ft then you may have some fundamental form issues with your throw that make your arm susceptible to injury. Find a local pro or post a video here to have someone analyze your form.

Lyle is right. Resting may be the worst advice you get. You need to get to a Physical Therapist asap. When you hear about a pro athlete getting injured, they are in therapy the next day..sometimes the same day. Often when you have a muscle strain, the body reacts by losing flexibility on each side of the injury to protect it from further injury. If you don't do physical therapy, you may lose the flexibility permanently. Every day you wait, you're risking a long term problem.

I strained a chest muscle last year and went the same root - rest. Doc said it's a big mistake and a PT recommended stretching and strengthening routine. You don't have a muscle tear. You'd know if you did. You wouldn't be able to throw.

Lyle is right. Resting may be the worst advice you get.


Did Lyle say resting may be the worst (meaning worse) advice you get? I don't think so. Rest is not bad advice, but Lyle is saying that seeing a PT is better advice and full rest may not be the ideal treatment.

You make rest sound like it could cause his arm to fall off.

No, Lyle did not say resting is the worst advice. Do you see quotes around the statement? I said it. According to the Sports Injury Physical Therapist I spoke to when I had a muscle strain, resting is the worst thing you could do if you want to fully recover physically to where you were before the injury. He was referring to treatment options but I'm sure there are worse things you could do in general. I would assume things like playing no matter how bad it hurts would be worse. And no, I didn't mean worse. I meant worst as in MOST unsuitable. The word worse means MORE unsuitable and is a comparitive adjective but I wasn't comparing. I was making a statement.

No, Lyle did not say resting is the worst advice. Do you see quotes around the statement? I said it. According to the Sports Injury Physical Therapist I spoke to when I had a muscle strain, resting is the worst thing you could do if you want to fully recover physically to where you were before the injury. He was referring to treatment options but I'm sure there are worse things you could do in general. I would assume things like playing no matter how bad it hurts would be worse. And no, I didn't mean worse. I meant worst as in MOST unsuitable. The word worse means MORE unsuitable and is a comparitive adjective but I wasn't comparing. I was making a statement.


OUCH. I stand corrected on MY misuse of the word worse/worst. And you are right, your statement did not specifically state that it was Lyle's statement. However, given the way that you wrote your posting, I believe most folks would read it the same way I did.

I will admit a bit of overreaction to broad statements such as "worst advice" ect. However, when it comes to medical issues, I have a problem with any non-medical professional giving advice. Therefore, I do tend to be critical of comments like resting is the worst advice for xyz injury. It could lead to someone questioning their physician or PT when given the advice to rest an injury. Maybe it would be better to say, here is the advice I was given, but check with your own doc/PT to see what is best.

I'm just someone who works close to the field and has seen many people take non-professional advice and do more harm.

OK I have recouped from the bum shoulder. It no longer gives me any trouble. Here is the problem now..... I have lost my technique completely. I had went to just a fan grip and a bent elbow technique to make short drives and try to stay accurate so I could at least still play. I didn't have enough power (ie couldn't produce the rip) needed to throw with any type of power grip. The disc would leave my hand wobbly and weak.
Now that I have gained enough power back to throw regular, I have a habit of dropping my shoulder and releasing the disc on a hard hyzer line, which of course causes a really short drive. The only way I can make a decent "power-grip" drive now is to just stand still and do the reach back and pull-through. This however only gives me a distance of 230-250 feet, where I was getting 310-325, before the injury, with a run-up.
Can anyone give me some tips on how to break this habit of dropping my shoulder? This is killing me mentally in my game, because I am constantly frustrated with my drives!!!

My guess is you are trying too hard to throw far. Ease up.

My guess is you are trying too hard to throw far. Ease up.


...and pay careful attention to your follow-through.