Shoulder Impingement: Strength Exercises?

deminimis
deminimis Posts: 47 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been doing some prescribed band exercises (external and internal rotation and the like) to help with my shoulder impingement issue. Not really going anywhere. I'd like to move this along and build the right muscles/tendons/ligaments to get past this. I read that neutral grip chins are okay (perhaps helpful). Now we're talking. As far as cables on my old school Paramount universal machine, I have a single low, a single overhead and a mid-low (for seated rows). Not trying to limit suggestions to those, but thought I'd mention that equipment limitation. Also setup with a super bench, preacher curl bench and a miserable flat bench (kills my back laying on that damn thing), along with plate and free weights, so somewhat covered (equipment wise). Do you have any good upper body strength exercises that have worked for you and perhaps even got you past the shoulder impingement issue? This band stuff is for the birds and my former gains, albeit small, are now going the opposite direction. Thank you!!

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    https://youtu.be/ssH35JwmwTM

    Start there and hit his other shoulder videos.
    He has issue, so used advice.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    There's the other one, how to do the lifts better.

    https://youtu.be/wDzWHQdLkP8
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,496 Member
    Do you have access to a bar you can hand from? At lot of sources like dead hanging as a way to shoulder health.

    Some examples


    https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-benefits-of-hanging-for-strength-and-mobility/

    https://www.physio-network.com/blog/hanging-for-shoulder-health-and-function/

    https://inertiamedical.com/hanging-for-shoulder-health-repost/
  • deminimis
    deminimis Posts: 47 Member
    Thanks. My Dr prescribed many of those exercises. I guess I just need to keep doing them. Glad to see another vote for chins as I love my chins. Really missing inclined bench. Hopefully someday. Thanks again.
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,330 Member
    edited April 2021
    Umm.. might want to see a specialist for that... mri done etc.. You may do more damage than fix it.
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    What caused the issue, do you know? Honestly, your best bet is to go to a PT, preferably one who specializes in sports medicine. Otherwise, you may not be fixing the problem that's specific to your issue, and perhaps could be making it worse.

    I just finished up PT for my shoulder, actually. I still do some of the band exercises and other exercises that were prescribed for me, but I didn't think they were supposed to substitute my regular workouts. However, I had to scale back stuff that involved my shoulder--meaning lowering the weight or reps and really making sure my shoulders were doing what they were supposed to. In my case, my shoulders compensate for my weak small back muscles and thoracic hypermobility. So, I actually didn't need to strengthen my shoulders as much as make sure they were in the proper position and not taking over for other muscles. Also, one PT (not my regular one) told me not to do overhead presses as they "weren't a functional movement." However, I didn't listen to that, but just really listen to my body with those and go lower on the weight.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited April 2021
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    As someone who deals with lots of shoulder impingements, I will let you know that recovery from it can take anywhere from 1-12 months depending on the severity and how you handle the rehab. Patience is needed with this. There are lots of exercises you can perform, but what's more important is a correct diagnosis to ensure you're doing the ones needed.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    This ^^^^

    Also what @Theoldguy1 said -- Hanging Therapy, something that's helped me tremendously with shoulder injuries, isn't a neutral grip chin. It's simply hanging. I once created a rotator cuff tear from doing too many pullups (when I first started my weight loss years ago).

    It took me like 5 months of rehab before it was completely healed -- 3X a week.

    Though the band stuff is boring and I hated it, it eventually helped. Hanging therapy and Scapula Pushups helped me more, IMHO. Look up Scapula pushups. They are hard to describe. Have no idea why they helped me so much, but they did.

    If the bands bore you, I also know folks that have bought a BodyBlade (or an imitation) and had great success with that. Working the small muscles in your shoulder is a must. Skipping that and going right back into pullups (or chinups) is a recipe for disaster.

    I'd hate to see you lose more "gains" and really set yourself back a year or so by turning a nagging injury into a major one.

    One more thing. You mentioned incline bench pressing. I was doing a crap ton of that when I hurt my shoulder. Are you doing enough pulling exercises (rowing) to offset all the benching. If I do a lot of one (pushing) without pulling, or vice versa, my shoulder always gets messed up. Ironically, I use the rowing machine now 6 days a week and have to add in tons of pushups and bench pressing to offset all the pulling that I do now. It used to be the opposite. Something to perhaps keep in mind once you're feeling better.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,496 Member
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    As someone who deals with lots of shoulder impingements, I will let you know that recovery from it can take anywhere from 1-12 months depending on the severity and how you handle the rehab. Patience is needed with this. There are lots of exercises you can perform, but what's more important is a correct diagnosis to ensure you're doing the ones needed.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    This ^^^^

    .

    One more thing. You mentioned incline bench pressing. I was doing a crap ton of that when I hurt my shoulder. Are you doing enough pulling exercises (rowing) to offset all the benching. If I do a lot of one (pushing) without pulling, or vice versa, my shoulder always gets messed up. Ironically, I use the rowing machine now 6 days a week and have to add in tons of pushups and bench pressing to offset all the pulling that I do now. It used to be the opposite. Something to perhaps keep in mind once you're feeling better.

    One thing if you want to bench, dumbbells will generally be easier on your shoulders as the angles can change a bit through the rep as opposed to being locked into a position.

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