Shoulder Instability & Pushups !? :(

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KX19
KX19 Posts: 27 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
SO... In addition to C25K, I wanted to begin to incorporate other types of workouts into my schedule and thus today I started Jillian Michaels for Beginners; I want to be sure that I am using proper form before attempting to move on to more advanced/difficult workouts such as 30 Day Shred etc.

I ran into a problem. I can’t do a push up. I can’t even do a modified pushup.
I have had arthroscopic surgery on both shoulders for multidirectional shoulder instability which involved tightening and repairing ligaments and thermal capsulorrhaphy. Over the last year or two they have begun to loosen and I will likely need surgery again in the foreseeable future.

Anyway, back to the point. I WANT to do pushups but I also don’t want to cause further injury and expedite the need for surgery. Other than the typical tension band physical therapy type strengthening exercises, is there anything I can do to work towards this goal!?

If not, can anyone suggest exercises to replace pushups during a Jillian Michaels type workout? Ideally I am looking for things I can do from home as I do not currently have access to a gym. Thanks in advance!

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  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    SO... In addition to C25K, I wanted to begin to incorporate other types of workouts into my schedule and thus today I started Jillian Michaels for Beginners; I want to be sure that I am using proper form before attempting to move on to more advanced/difficult workouts such as 30 Day Shred etc.

    I ran into a problem. I can’t do a push up. I can’t even do a modified pushup.
    I have had arthroscopic surgery on both shoulders for multidirectional shoulder instability which involved tightening the ligaments and thermal capsulorrhaphy. Over the last year or two they have begun to loosen and I will likely need surgery again in the foreseeable future.

    Anyway, back to the point. I WANT to do pushups but I also don’t want to cause further injury and expedite the need for surgery. Other than the typical tension band physical therapy type strengthening exercises, is there anything I can do to work towards this goal!?

    If not, can anyone suggest exercises to replace pushups during a Jillian Michaels type workout? Ideally I am looking for things I can do from home as I do not currently have access to a gym. Thanks in advance!

    This is probably a serious enough issue that you should probably as your surgeon whether or not you should do pushups or similar exercises and if so, which ways are safe.
  • KX19
    KX19 Posts: 27 Member
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    This is probably a serious enough issue that you should probably as your surgeon whether or not you should do pushups or similar exercises and if so, which ways are safe.

    That is a very good point; when last I saw my surgeon however, all restrictions with regards to exercise had been lifted.
  • CoachDreesTraining
    CoachDreesTraining Posts: 223 Member
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    I had the same surgery back in high school. I had a lot of 'smart' doctors tell me how my instability was from too much bench press, and not enough back exercises (even though I rarely benched, and did a lot of pull-ups and rows). They never even considered that my shoulder issue could of been the result of a torn rhomboid I experienced a few years earlier. Long story short, even after the surgery I still had a lot of shoulder issues.

    It wasn't until I became a trainer that I realized my 'shoulder instability' was actually scapular instability. After spending a couple months doing scapula push-ups, turkish get-up variations, and kettlebell press variations; my 'shoulder instability' disappeared.

    Your condition may be different, but I'd be willing to bet your shoulders aren't the issue, they are the result of a dysfunction in back.
  • tracymat
    tracymat Posts: 296 Member
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    I use my exercise ball to do the pushups in Jillian's programs... IDK if that works for your problem or not?
  • djfriedman81
    djfriedman81 Posts: 125
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    step 1 consult your orthopedist
    step 2 try to perform recomended exercises
    step 3 repeat steps 1 and 2

    If ortho says all exercises are open game then try to do angled push up (where legs are at a lower level then hands) reduces weight you need to push
  • adopt321
    adopt321 Posts: 111
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    subbing
  • NicholeElizabeth92
    NicholeElizabeth92 Posts: 186 Member
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    I suggest doing pushups standing up agaisnt the wall....sounds silly i know but it's what our trainer for hockey would have us do to start off with to get use to the form. Then he would have us move to a bench (hands on the bench feet on the floor) so there wasn't as much body weight for us to fight against then a lower bench, then modified push up and finally the really thing. I hope this helps.
  • KX19
    KX19 Posts: 27 Member
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    I suggest doing pushups standing up agaisnt the wall....sounds silly i know but it's what our trainer for hockey would have us do to start off with to get use to the form. Then he would have us move to a bench (hands on the bench feet on the floor) so there wasn't as much body weight for us to fight against then a lower bench, then modified push up and finally the really thing. I hope this helps.

    I'm not sure whether it would help, but I'm going to give it a try- I'm willing to try anything!
  • djfriedman81
    djfriedman81 Posts: 125
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    I suggest doing pushups standing up agaisnt the wall....sounds silly i know but it's what our trainer for hockey would have us do to start off with to get use to the form. Then he would have us move to a bench (hands on the bench feet on the floor) so there wasn't as much body weight for us to fight against then a lower bench, then modified push up and finally the really thing. I hope this helps.

    This was what I was trying to say but much better
  • salgalbp
    salgalbp Posts: 218 Member
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    If you've been cleared for all activity, then you'll have to build up all of the supporting muscles that allow you to do a pushup. I had a radical double mastectomy and my goal when I started back at lifting was to do one FLIPPIN REAL PUSH UP! On 7/26/11 I starting doing stand up pushups against a wall or high counter or in the gym on the smith machine (when it's not in use) as I can lower the bar.

    I also decided I needed to work very hard on my shoulders/back/core to strengthen myself everywhere in order to support a pushup.

    I would get 1/2 way down and something in the middle of my chest would feel like it was going to SNAP and I'd drop to the mat (In fear I think of hurting myself)

    Would you believe just last week March 14th 2013 I was able to do a REAL ONE - no knees, I put my nose to the mat and pushed up and I actually was able to do TWO in a row. This was a HUGE WIN for me and it's taken a lot of time but I did it. Now, it's on to pull ups!!! :)

    I also had left shoulder issues, PT told me to lay off overhead lifting for 3 weeks (This is my third week) and ice to heel and it's been feeling pretty good.

    Good luck, you got this and don't let anyone tell you, you can't! :)
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 475 Member
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    I suggest doing pushups standing up agaisnt the wall....sounds silly i know but it's what our trainer for hockey would have us do to start off with to get use to the form. Then he would have us move to a bench (hands on the bench feet on the floor) so there wasn't as much body weight for us to fight against then a lower bench, then modified push up and finally the really thing. I hope this helps.

    After checking with your doctor to find out if it's okay, do this.
  • KX19
    KX19 Posts: 27 Member
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    If you've been cleared for all activity, then you'll have to build up all of the supporting muscles that allow you to do a pushup. I had a radical double mastectomy and my goal when I started back at lifting was to do one FLIPPIN REAL PUSH UP! On 7/26/11 I starting doing stand up pushups against a wall or high counter or in the gym on the smith machine (when it's not in use) as I can lower the bar.

    I also decided I needed to work very hard on my shoulders/back/core to strengthen myself everywhere in order to support a pushup.

    I would get 1/2 way down and something in the middle of my chest would feel like it was going to SNAP and I'd drop to the mat (In fear I think of hurting myself)

    Would you believe just last week March 14th 2013 I was able to do a REAL ONE - no knees, I put my nose to the mat and pushed up and I actually was able to do TWO in a row. This was a HUGE WIN for me and it's taken a lot of time but I did it. Now, it's on to pull ups!!! :)

    I also had left shoulder issues, PT told me to lay off overhead lifting for 3 weeks (This is my third week) and ice to heel and it's been feeling pretty good.

    Good luck, you got this and don't let anyone tell you, you can't! :)

    That's awesome, I'm so happy for you! I would love to get to the point where I can do just ONE real pushup as well.
  • RoxiesDada
    RoxiesDada Posts: 7 Member
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