Shoulder pain

T

thinsgreat

Cathlete
Hello, I'm wanting to begin this program but am concerned about all the push-ups as i am nursing a strained shoulder. any suggestions on what i can substitute--I can modify some of the shoulder exercises with light or no weight- but can't figure out what to do with all the push-ups? Thanks
 
Good question. My advice is to wait until your shoulder is healed to start. I have had strained rotator cuffs in both my shoulders over the past 3 years. I rested, got cortisone shots, and did physical therapy at home with light weights for a few weeks. It takes some time. Working out with a strain and it will continue to hurt. It got to the point where I couldn't turn the steering wheel (very old car without power steering) before I went to the sports medicine doctor with the right shoulder. I did get it healed, and then the left one started having pain. I went to the doctor much sooner and have been good now for months thanks to the treatment. While you're in treatment you can do lots of lower body and cardio. I wore a weight vest and did lunges and squats. Anyway...that's my 2 cents!

Beth
 
thanks for the reply....wow, both shoulders-ouch! i went to the chiro yesterday and he did an adjustment-feels better--he said it was nothing serious, strained---but lay off of push-ups:( ...so-- not sure if i should begin sts or wait...i worry that i may always have to be careful with that shoulder and may not be able to do the program.
 
I am currently healing from rotator cuff tendonitis. My PT advised me to lay off exercises that put a lot of strain on the shoulders (i.e. overhead press, chest press, push-ups, etc.) while we work to heal the area. If I were you, I would hold off on starting STS for a bit and make sure you have given your shoulder time to heal first.
 
i'm wondering if it might be better to start with meso 2--less or no push-ups....i have been working with weights the last c
couple of months.
 
thinsgreat said:
i'm wondering if it might be better to start with meso 2--less or no push-ups....i have been working with weights the last c
couple of months.
Click to expand...

I would hold off any STS cycle, There are many push up to do during meso 1 but other cycle are also
intense. You could be working your chest for example but it still require shoulder assistance.

Taking on any STS Cycle could step back your healing process. I suggest you get healed first.
I agree with Sar bear comment below.

SarBear said:
If I were you, I would hold off on starting STS for a bit and make sure you have given your shoulder time to heal first.
Click to expand...

All the best
 
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What you could do is use a stability ball (moderate size of 55 cm) and position your pelvis more or less centered and do your push-ups that way. Its easier because the ball supports you and will lessen some of the torque on your shoulders. Stop if you feel pain, asap. I had to give up push-ups for a while and use the ball to help me ease back in.
 
I have had this same issue and was told by other members to use the Cross Train Express, Slow and Heavy, and Muscle Endurance DVDs. The point is to use negative resistance which helps the tendons. I have found that a great help. I am doing PT at home and I use YouTube videos on rotator cuff exercises. I'm better, but push ups still bother me, so I've gone to wall push ups, or use a higher bench. I wouldn't do STS yet, it just won't heal if you do. If you have the Live Streaming with Cathe try Smoking Upper body. She has great shoulder work with bands in that you could use anytime, not just in that workout!!
 
I had an issue with my left (non-dominant) shoulder caused by doing push-ups when I first started Cathe workouts. She made push-ups look sooooo easy :), but it was too much/too soon for the weak, Cathe novice that I was :eek:. "Luckily" I had a PT who thought I might have impingement syndrome (tight chest muscles & weak upper back muscles pull the shoulders forward & impinge the nerves causing shoulder pain). Strengthening the upper back & rear delts helped to relieve the pain, and I worked on building strength & endurance in all the supporting muscles groups (chest, back, shoulders, tris, bis, & core). I started with modified push-ups on knees, wall push-ups, or on a higher bench, and then went to the ball with most of my weight (hips) on the ball. Once the muscle memory was ingrained with the modifiers, I slowly started doing full push-ups.

Full regular push-ups were my new baseline. My new goal became to do as many or at the same pace as Cathe & crew, and to start to incorporate her advanced modifications like one legged, core, and tricep push-ups.

Last summer however, I fractured my right radial neck & badly bruised the right wrist after someone accidentally pushed me off my bike. All I could due was take walks for 4 weeks. Soon after I started PT for my elbow fracture, the therapists had me doing light wall push-ups. I thought about the muscles being used for the motion. Despite my very painful wrist and a cockeyed elbow & forearm, I pictured myself doing strong push-ups on the floor as I had been doing before the injury. Rebuilding the supporting muscle groups came back pretty quickly (muscle memory I'm guessing), and I closely listened to my body.

This summer, I completed my third round of STS (which I've had since it came out). I'm am proudly back to my "new baseline" again!

Depending on how restrictive or painful your shoulder issue is you may want to hold off on STS until you're better/stronger, or just modify/skip some sets of the push-ups in Meso 1 while building the support muscle groups. I have done that on my earlier rounds of STS. It is a periodized program, so doing it fully & in order is kinda important :D.

Bottom line, listen to your body because your instincts are smarter than you can imagine. Also, no matter what, I always try to maintain that muscle memory as Cathe says by thinking about the muscles being used or using modifiers with similar muscle movements.
 
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