Shoulder Injury and Chest Exercises

MamaOne13
MamaOne13 Posts: 66 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What chest exercises are okay with a shoulder injury?
Shoulder aches around the scapula, so just not sure what exercises out there would be okay to test out.

I've tried some pushups and light chest presses. Didn't hurt but felt weird. Is there a certain grip that might relieve stress on my shoulders? Ex. Neutral grip chest press vs. Wide grip??

Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    No way of telling without accessing you personally. I'm not confident you are injured just because you feel aches in a area.

    If you plan on continuing which more than likely is a good idea, I would suggest experimenting with what specific lifts, loads, ROM, volume, angle, etc...can be tolerated and your symptoms improve over time.
  • MamaOne13
    MamaOne13 Posts: 66 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    No way of telling without accessing you personally. I'm not confident you are injured just because you feel aches in a area.

    If you plan on continuing which more than likely is a good idea, I would suggest experimenting with what specific lifts, loads, ROM, volume, angle, etc...can be tolerated and your symptoms improve over time.


    Almost 3 years ago, I was deadlifting and suddenly felt a pop in my shoulder and sharp intense pain. I've dealt with injuries before so I didn't think much of it. I rested it for a couple weeks then resumed training.
    For the following year, anytime I did too much overhead lifting, my shoulder would start burning and I'd get a lot of stabbing like feelings all over.
    Ever since last June, I've been doing what I can to strengthen it slowly but I wasn't as consistent as I should have been.

    What makes it feel stronger/better is a lot of dumbbell rows which I'm now doing quite a bit of.
    I agree though that I need to keep testing out angles, volume, ROM, etc.
    I'm just overly scared of making it worse but it's not going to get better by trying nothing either 🤷

  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    Ever since last June, I've been doing what I can to strengthen it slowly but I wasn't as consistent as I should have been.

    Have you had it looked at to find out if you have a tear of some sort? If you have had lingering issues for a year, it is worth talking to your doctor. A physical therapist would be a good idea as well. Without knowing exactly what is wrong, you may be making the problem worse by self-treating.
  • MamaOne13
    MamaOne13 Posts: 66 Member
    edited July 2020
    debrakgoogins wrote: »
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    Ever since last June, I've been doing what I can to strengthen it slowly but I wasn't as consistent as I should have been.

    Have you had it looked at to find out if you have a tear of some sort? If you have had lingering issues for a year, it is worth talking to your doctor. A physical therapist would be a good idea as well. Without knowing exactly what is wrong, you may be making the problem worse by self-treating.

    I've been to a physical therapist and a chiropractor. The physical therapist said it was a rotator cuff impingement and the chiropractor said it was a scapular impingement based on where I was feeling the irritation.
    It's not in pain at this point, but at least a couple times a week, its achy or feels irritated.
  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
    I think you should get it looked at

    I had a shoulder injury i ignored until I had to have it surgically repaired.

    I know for my shoulder issue push ups and especially anything overhead were not allowed.
  • MamaOne13
    MamaOne13 Posts: 66 Member
    AliNouveau wrote: »
    I think you should get it looked at

    I had a shoulder injury i ignored until I had to have it surgically repaired.

    I know for my shoulder issue push ups and especially anything overhead were not allowed.

    Did your pain worsen though? Mine has gone from worse to slowly feeling better. And it's feeling better because I'm working on building strength in my back and rotator cuff.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    Did your pain worsen though? Mine has gone from worse to slowly feeling better. And it's feeling better because I'm working on building strength in my back and rotator cuff.

    Honestly, we are not doctors. My shoulder felt better until it didn't...then I developed a frozen shoulder and eventually had surgery. It's really up to you but I would speak with your physician.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    There are so many possible injuries that fall under "shoulder injury". My ortho said I could anything within my comfort level, there were no other dos or don'ts. I had a couple of different issues going on. They are currently resolved with a cortisone shot.
    I was given some very targeted strengthening exercises. These would vary based on your situation. They were trying to strengthen some of the small muscles in the affected area that tend to get overpowered by the big muscles, not directly the ones injured.
  • swirlybee
    swirlybee Posts: 497 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    I agree though that I need to keep testing out angles, volume, ROM, etc.
    I'm just overly scared of making it worse but it's not going to get better by trying nothing either 🤷
    This is basically what my physical therapist told me. And it's ok to use lighter weights.

  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    What chest exercises are okay with a shoulder injury?

    Any movement that involves your arms (even if just for stabilzation) also involves for shoulders.

    No way to know what exercises involving your arms/shoulders for chest work are ok forcyou are not but 2 of the most stressful chest exercises involvingvyour arms & shoulderswould be the bench press and pushups.

    I've that 2 rotator cuff injuries repaired by surgery and I vouldn't do either of those until my shoulders were surgically repaired. And, now I can't do either of them now die to a chronic elbow injury.

    It s*cks to get injured and to get old.
  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    AliNouveau wrote: »
    I think you should get it looked at

    I had a shoulder injury i ignored until I had to have it surgically repaired.

    I know for my shoulder issue push ups and especially anything overhead were not allowed.

    Did your pain worsen though? Mine has gone from worse to slowly feeling better. And it's feeling better because I'm working on building strength in my back and rotator cuff.

    I have a high pain tolerance and it never really hurt a lot. My MRI indicated I had good muscle bulk so we determined that was holding it together. I'd have a dull ache often and when I eventually tore it completly I couldn't really use my arm but I never had a lot of pain and I had full normal range of motion. I decided it was enough when it started giving out on me as I tried to do planks and push ups. (My knee has started the same thing)

    Strengthening the muscles is a good idea and does help. You could have an issue with your scapula. I have scapular winging which makes my back weak and prone to pain. I'm a freak haha. I have loose joints so things do weird stuff
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,168 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    debrakgoogins wrote: »
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    Ever since last June, I've been doing what I can to strengthen it slowly but I wasn't as consistent as I should have been.

    Have you had it looked at to find out if you have a tear of some sort? If you have had lingering issues for a year, it is worth talking to your doctor. A physical therapist would be a good idea as well. Without knowing exactly what is wrong, you may be making the problem worse by self-treating.

    I've been to a physical therapist and a chiropractor. The physical therapist said it was a rotator cuff impingement and the chiropractor said it was a scapular impingement based on where I was feeling the irritation.
    It's not in pain at this point, but at least a couple times a week, its achy or feels irritated.

    Did one or the other give you exercises to do at home to improve the situation? When I went to physical therapy for an impingement, I definitely got exercises. If things start to flare up again, I start doing them again (if I were a smart human, I'd do them all the time to maintain - I know, I know ;) ).
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    MamaOne13 wrote: »
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    No way of telling without accessing you personally. I'm not confident you are injured just because you feel aches in a area.

    If you plan on continuing which more than likely is a good idea, I would suggest experimenting with what specific lifts, loads, ROM, volume, angle, etc...can be tolerated and your symptoms improve over time.


    Almost 3 years ago, I was deadlifting and suddenly felt a pop in my shoulder and sharp intense pain. I've dealt with injuries before so I didn't think much of it. I rested it for a couple weeks then resumed training.
    For the following year, anytime I did too much overhead lifting, my shoulder would start burning and I'd get a lot of stabbing like feelings all over.
    Ever since last June, I've been doing what I can to strengthen it slowly but I wasn't as consistent as I should have been.

    What makes it feel stronger/better is a lot of dumbbell rows which I'm now doing quite a bit of.
    I agree though that I need to keep testing out angles, volume, ROM, etc.
    I'm just overly scared of making it worse but it's not going to get better by trying nothing either 🤷

    I had found similar. I do lot of indoor rowing now. Years ago, when I first lost the weight, I did a ton of running and bench pressing/pushups, but no rows or any pulling motion with weights. I do think your shoulders get out of line if you're not doing similar push/pull movements. My shoulders started hurting and didn't stop until I started rowing.

    Now, I have the opposite issue -- tons of rowing so I have to even it out with lots of pushups and presses.

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