More Shoulder Safety Questions

B

betho

Cathlete
Hi Cathe,

Just want to say firstly THANK YOU for the Intensity Series! I'm loving it, as I do all of your workouts :)

I've been reading a lot lately about shoulder and rotator cuff exercises, and there seems to be a large group of physiotherapists, doctors, etc, that say Arnold Presses are not safe. I personally have never felt anything odd when doing the Arnold Presses in PS, but I do tend to go quite light with my weights for shoulders as they are a weaker area for me.

Another exercise that has been marked questionable is the bent arm side lateral raise where you use the "pouring a pitcher of water" analogy. Again, I have not had any problems with this exercise as I pay close attention to keeping my wrists fixed and I do not raise my forearms all the way to shoulder height. Can you tell I'm from the "If it doesn't feel right don't do it" camp ;)? Is there anything I should be doing differently with these?

In any case, I'd be interested in your knowledge on the subject of these 2 exercises in particular. Thank you again for all of your hard work - thanks to your workouts, I'm now in the best shape I've been in in 15 years!:D

Beth
 
bump. I am interested in Cathe's response too.

I've noticed some shoulder pain since beginning the Intensity Series that I've never noticed before, and am wondering if it could be the high reps for shoulders, particularly side lateral raise in PUB?
 
Here's a great resource I found in my public library: Strength Training Anatomy by Fredric Delavier. I know you can find it at HumanKinetics.com (the publisher) for about $19. It shows anatomical detail on which muscles get worked by the various weight-lifting exercises. It also gives form pointers.
juliee
 
Actually, the "Strength Training Anatomy" book is good for showing muscles that are worked, but I would not recommend it as a source for info on safe exercise. There are some moves shown that are contraindicated, such as doing lateral raises starting with your hands behind the back.

For safety, I recommend "Effective Strength Training' by Douglas Brooks, or (more conservative) "The Insider's Tell-All book of ..(I forgot the rest of the title!, but this should be enough to find it at Amazon.com )
 
...and Cathe, what about upright rows? I've read where there's potential problems caused by this one as well. Like Beth, I've done the upright rows and the exercises she's mentioned for years without a problem, but I know that's no guarantee of future trouble.
Thanks, Cathe, for your input!
Apryl :)
 
I'm not Cathe, but I am a physical therapist, personal trainer, and clinical exercise physiologist.

Since this is the "Ask Cathe" forum,I'll post a response to the above questions on the open forum under "Shoulder Safety."
Maribeth
 
Hi Beth! The exercises that you mention are questioned a lot because of the risk of shoulder impingement(basically put...compression of soft tissue in the shoulder joint during certain shoulder activities which leads to pain, inflammation, and swelling). If you are suffering from an acute shoulder impingement you will most likely need to either avoid certain exercises or at the very least modify them, along with putting longer rest periods beween your shoulder workouts. Side Note: If you have serious shoulder pain and are wondering if you have an impingement, it is best to visit your doctor for an evaluation).

If you do not have an impingement but do have shoulder sensitivity from time to time then you will also benefit from more rest between your shoulder workouts along with using modifications such as lighter weight, different equipment, or different levers (ie: bent arm vs straight arm).

Of course another option in either case is simply to do an entirely different shoulder exercise that you are very comfortable with.

If you have neither a shoulder impingement or shoulder sensitivity, you are fine doing my workouts (or these exercises)as presented, however, always paying attention to using good form, proper weight selection, and listening to your body along the way. As with any exercise, there will always be a time where a move just simply doesn't work for your body.

Since these exercises, along with some other shoulder exercises, have been questioned more over time, more modifications are now offered to help reduce the risk of shoulder injury and/or impingement.

Here are some modifications I offer in many of my workouts:

For starters, the standing set position before we begin to lift weight is to keep your chest lifted, shoulders back and slightly down, core braced, and arms down with thumbs just outside of the thighs. This already is advantageous to the shoulder as it creates more open space in the vunerable shoulder joint areas. Keeping the thumbs outside of the thighs will help to avoid having too narrow of a grip as you come upward with the bar or weights, again a plus in helping to prevent shoulder impingement.

For Side Lateral Raises, you are looking to keep your chest lifted, arms slightly forward as you raise them. Also arms parallel to the floor and just slightly below shoulder height at the top of the movement. If the movement is shown as a long lever side raise, you should still have a slight bend in the elbow to take stress off the joint.

Overhead presses: You should have the arms in the wider placement position as mentioned in the set position. As you lift the bar or weights overhead, you should keep it/them slightly forward as to see it/them out of the corner of your eye. Your joints should not lock out at the top of the movement.

Upright rows: As you draw the bar/weights upward, lead with the elbows and keep your elbows slightly below shoulder height at the top of the movement. You can space your hands wider apart and/or come up to only rib cage height if you still have tenderness in the shoulder area.

We all come from different walks in life and therefore, we will always come across exercises that will or will not be suitable for each individual. My best advise to anyone is if any exercise presents any discomfort in any way, simply modify it, and if you still experience some discomfort, do not do the exercise. I hope this helps clarify some of your questions :)
 
I echo Beth's thank you, Cathe!

I also have to tell you the Intensity series is your best yet, imo. I'm having a ball! They're tough, but so much fun! Thank you for them!
 
that was VERY helpful. I got my first shoulder injury a slight one a few months ago and am paying more attn to this stuff. it's all better now. I agree with Apryl. These are the best videos you have ever done! LOVE them. I like your looser style and fun cardio.
 
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