REMINDER: THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to monitor the Forums. However, THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to review any materials submitted to or posted on the Forums, and remove, delete, redact or otherwise modify such materials, in its sole discretion and for any reason whatsoever, at any time and from time to time, without notice or further obligation to you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to display or post any materials provided by you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to disclose, at any time and from time to time, any information or materials that we deem necessary or appropriate to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, contract obligation, legal or dispute process or government request. Click on the following hyperlinks to further read the applicable Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sidebar Sidebar

Dead arm syndrome

One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
13,025
8,578
113
33.8N - 118.4W
Anybody every heard of or had this?

My back is much better. Still gets sore but my pop up when surfing is back to 90%. I've been surfing a lot. Now it's back to the old culprits- my left shoulder and neck. If I surf three days in a row by the third day I'm taking advil before and after. A day of rest and I'm good again.

Yesterday I was doing my barbell stuff (after two days of rest from surfing). Overhead presses were going up kind lopsided (WTF?) and I couldn't complete the final set. Afterwards I did my pull up/push up routine and I couldn't complete that either. I attributed it to having done a 10K run prior to the workout. I typically do a 5K to warm up. I've run up to 8 miles and then done a strength work out without problems ( I read if you combine endurance and strength work, do the one you want to emphasize last).

Then I went to take a shower and I couldn't even lift my left arm up to shampoo my head. WTF????? It kind of freaked me out because left arm pain is a heart attack symptom. But I had no other symptoms. And there was no pain. It was just paralyzed. I couldn't lift it. Really weird.

Today it still feels weak but not powerless. Surfs coming up. Hope I get my strength back for tomorrow.

www.healthline.com

Dead Arm Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prevention

Dead arm syndrome occurs when repeated overhead motions, such as throwing a ball, injures the muscles or tendons in the shoulder. Learn about symptoms, treatment, and prevention strategies.
www.healthline.com www.healthline.com
 
Last edited:
Sharky

Sharky

Miki Dora status
Feb 25, 2006
5,558
7,235
113
Sounds like nerve damage. My guess would be your neck is hammered. Get an MRI done.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: One-Off
One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
13,025
8,578
113
33.8N - 118.4W
oeste858 said:
Did you ever figure out the dead arm?
Click to expand...
Strength slowly came back. Four or five days and it was back to normal.

My shoulder still starts to hurt after an hour or so of surfing so I tend to limit my sessions to 1-1/2 hours, 2 if it's good. It has to be really good for me to surf 3 hours now. This past winter there were a lot of good days in a row.

Like Sharky said, my shoulder's a nerve thing. Extending the neck to paddle affects my shoulder. I try to paddle with my head down but you can only do that so much (not very much). When the shoulder starts throbbing, while I'm sitting there I can consciously relax and the pain goes away...until I start paddling. I think I can mitigate it with exercises, but it isn't going to go away. Wear and tear...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr J
PRCD

PRCD

Tom Curren status
Feb 25, 2020
11,338
7,446
113
I think you have tight scalenes and maybe pec minors. When you pressed overhead, they tightened up more compressing nerves. They call this "thoracic outlet syndrome" which just means what I said in the previous sentence. Just do this:

You worried about your heart before, then your back, a couple of days ago you were worrying about your memory. You're healthier than all of us. The only thing that'll kill you is maybe worry.
 
Chocki

Chocki

Miki Dora status
Feb 18, 2007
5,152
4,877
113
Planet Earth
PRCD said:
I think you have tight scalenes and maybe pec minors. When you pressed overhead, they tightened up more compressing nerves. They call this "thoracic outlet syndrome" which just means what I said in the previous sentence. Just do this:

You worried about your heart before, then your back, a couple of days ago you were worrying about your memory. You're healthier than all of us. The only thing that'll kill you is maybe worry.
Click to expand...
It sounds like he’s suffering from aging bro and if he’s been complaining about memory loss bro he’s prob not gonna remember doing it to begin with.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: One-Off
Autoprax

Autoprax

Duke status
Jan 24, 2011
65,096
20,685
113
62
Vagina Point
It could be a motor control issue too.

The nervous system doesn't feel safe in that position and the way it tells you it's not safe is pain.

Check for posterior delt weakness.
 
santacruzin

santacruzin

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Oct 17, 2007
8,259
8,253
113
valley purgatory
issue with C4/C5 discs will cause this too

"C4-C5 disc herniation refers to a condition in which the disc between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae becomes damaged and bulges out. This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, causing pain, tingling, and weakness in the arms and hands. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. "
 
silentbutdeadly

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
32,222
20,335
113
Tower 13
Going for my second MRI on sat for similar condition. First one presented no issues but since then the situation escalated. They gave me a steroid and that settled it down so I'm about 90-95 percent but I feel like it could come back at any time.
 
One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
13,025
8,578
113
33.8N - 118.4W
PRCD said:

You worried about your heart before, then your back, a couple of days ago you were worrying about your memory. You're healthier than all of us. The only thing that'll kill you is maybe worry.
Click to expand...
Was I worried about my memory? I thought I stopped worrying about that.? Something about always having had bad memory, so not age related...

Actually I'm more worried about my late take offs, cutbacks and off the lips (my bottom turns are solid :jamon: ). All the little pains and niggles are just impediments to that, so I actively try to mitigate and prevent (the worsening of) them when they arise.

Actually the heart thing was a major scare. Just had my yearly visit with the cardiologist. My cholesterol was 76 and he wants it under 70 due to my risk factors so he's upping the dose of Lipitor. Still running for my life.

The back thing totally sucked. It had me sidelined for 6 months. I never want to go through that again, but I'm on the deadlift program now and I think that has addressed the issue.

The neck and shoulder thing predates all and is ongoing. MD and PT said "normal wear and tear." Actually my MD asked me "Do you want to continue this activity (surfing)?" WTF? Of course I do. You can tell he doesn't know surfers.

I do some of those neck stretches every day. I start my morning by drinking 32 oz of water with half lemon squeezed in. Then I do 15 minutes off stretching, most movementsfrom the PT when I had my injured back, some from back in the day when I took karate. I do the look left and right, and head up and down, however I do them in a back extension position (paddling position). I keep the neck straight and turn as though I'm looking at the wave coming behind me. I know VM does not like "functional training" but a lot of what I do is with surfing in mind (like body weight squats into the valgus tube stance).
 
Last edited:
PRCD

PRCD

Tom Curren status
Feb 25, 2020
11,338
7,446
113
One-Off said:
Was I worried about my memory? I thought I stopped worrying about that.? Something about always having had bad memory, so not age related...

Actually I'm more worried about my late take offs, cutbacks and off the lips (my bottom turns are solid :jamon: ). All the little pains and niggles are just impediments to that, so I actively try to mitigate and prevent (the worsening of) them when they arise.

Actually the heart thing was a major scare. Just had my yearly visit with the cardiologist. My cholesterol was 76 and he wants it under 70 due to my risk factors so he's upping the dose of Lipitor. Still running for my life.

The back thing totally sucked. It had me sidelined for 6 months. I never want to go through that again, but I'm on the deadlift program now and I think that has addressed the issue.
Click to expand...
(y)
The neck and shoulder thing predates all and is ongoing. MD and PT said "normal wear and tear." Actually my MD asked me "Do you want to continue this activity (surfing)?" WTF? Of course I do. You can tell he doesn't know surfers.
Click to expand...
"Normal wear and tear" means, "You're fine."
www.noigroup.com

Nugget #67: We grow like trees

Nugget #67 (of 71) in Explain Pain Supercharged. Quick, simple, powerfully reassuring – you’re resilient, strong, robust, adaptable… It goes something like this.. Nugget #67....
www.noigroup.com www.noigroup.com

I do some of those neck stretches every day. I start my morning by drinking 32 oz of water with half lemon squeezed in. Then I do 15 minutes off stretching, most movementsfrom the PT when I had my injured back, some from back in the day when I took karate. I do the look left and right, and head up and down, however I do them in a back extension position (paddling position). I keep the neck straight and turn as though I'm looking at the wave coming behind me. I know VM does not like "functional training" but a lot of what I do is with surfing in mind (like body weight squats into the valves tube stance).
Click to expand...
"Functional training" is just weighted mobility work. I'm not sure it does anything more than unweighted work. The goal is to de-smudge neurotags. It's not lifting weights for building strength.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Share this page
Top Bottom