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Exercises to Avoid If You Have a Shoulder Injury

By bulksupplementsdirect

Updated on Saturday 22 May 2021

Your shoulders, as the most mobile joint in the body, bear a lot of weight during upper-body exercises and other daily activities. If you are lifting weights, carrying things, or perfecting your yoga inversion, they continuously work to keep the arms stable.

However, if your shoulders begin to pinch and grind when you lift a weight overhead or turn into a downward-facing dog, it’s time to see your doctor. You may be having a shoulder injury or impingement, which, although treatable, necessitates close monitoring and possibly a few sessions with your physical therapist.

If you’re having shoulder pain when exercising, take a break from all motions and activities that pinch the shoulders. Although you don’t have to stop working out entirely, you should avoid painful upper-body workouts and movements. Here are the top exercises to avoid if you have a shoulder injury:

Three Exercises to Avoid if You Have a Shoulder Injury

#1 - Behind the neck press

The overhead press variation is an exercise that you may have seen some bodybuilders perform at the gym. It, however, needs a range of motion that many people do not have. This is especially if you have a shoulder injury.

One of the most common causes of impingement pain is pushing a load or weight overhead into a motion range that you do not have. This action will begin to sensitize an already irritating rotator cuff tendon and bursa if done repeatedly.

#2 - Upright rows

The upright row is a typical medial deltoid (middle shoulder muscle) exercise. It places the muscle in nearly the same position as the position used for testing impingement and injury.

This type of exercise nearly completely impinges on the shoulder. Therefore, if your shoulder hurts, you should probably cut these out of your routine. This space is small and vulnerable to start with if the bursa and tendons are already inflamed. An upright row would almost certainly aggravate the situation.

#3 - Triceps dips

Dips strengthen the chest, shoulders, as well as triceps all at the same time. But, on the other hand, they also put you in a position of severe shoulder extension, which may exacerbate the injury symptoms.

Like the behind-the-neck press, this action puts more strain on the rotator cuff tendon and bursa, but in a varying way. When you place your arm behind the body, the shoulder gets pinched. It’s also likely to irritate another part of the tendon.

Exercises to do Instead

The best way to protect your shoulders is to incorporate more cardio exercises and lower-body strength into your training routine. Avoid any movements or activities that cause the shoulder to become more irritated. As the shoulder gradually recovers, squats, lunges, and hip thrusts are the best few exercises that can help.

#1 - Lunges

Begin by standing on your feet hip-width apart and your arms at the sides.

On your left foot, take a few steps forward.

Lower yourself into a lunge till the knees are 90 degrees bent. The hind knee should be just above the ground, while the front knee has to be stacked above the ankle.

Maintain for a while before returning to a standing position by pushing with the front foot.

Rep with the opposite leg.

#2 - Barbell hip thrusts

Begin by sitting on the ground with your shoulder blades resting on the edge of a training bench or box.

Stretch your legs in front of you as you roll a barbell up on the hips. If necessary, use a cushion beneath the bar to give you more comfort.

Bend both knees while putting your feet flat on the ground.

Push the barbell up by pressing into your heels and raising your hips above the ground while maintaining your neck long. Both the neck and shoulders have to move on the bench when you bridge up.

Pause for a moment before returning to your original position.

#3 - Squats

Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart.

Squat down by extending your arms in front of you and slowly bending your knees while pushing your hips back. Concentrate on lowering the body like you want to sit on a chair.

Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as low as you can comfortably go as you maintain a proper shape. The knees should be higher than your toes, and your gaze has to be directly ahead.

At the bottom of the squat, take a moment to pause.

To return to standing, reverse the movement by squeezing via the heels on an exhale. Drop your arms to your sides as you stand.

Treatment and Prevention of Shoulder Injury

Shoulder injury normally occurs due to poor movement of the shoulder. It typically involves lifting the arms over the head. However, lack of shoulder movement can make them more painful.

The good news is that shoulder injury treatment normally involves an invasive type of procedure. On the contrary, you will have to take some time off your workout routine. Typically, shoulder injury treatments could take some months to have a full recovery and involve a slow process.

In addition to resting, the physicians can suggest some anti-inflammatory drugs or even steroid injections. This will, however, depend on the intensity of the pain. In most cases, doctors recommend physical therapy as this can also prevent more injury in the future.

Working with the physical therapist can help enhance the movement and flexibility of the joints in the shoulders.

Bottom Line

Our shoulders are designed for movement. This enables us to perform a variety of complex tasks, including throwing a baseball as well as backstroke swimming. On the other hand, a shoulder injury could be excruciating and make it difficult for you to use your arm. Therefore, these techniques will certainly help ease the pain and range of motion.

With a lot of mobility in the shoulder, it’s critical to keep off high levels of strain at acute ranges of motion and maintain rotator cuff strength. Making a few minor changes to your exercise routine will help you avoid re-injury. In the long run, you will be happy with the results.