Shoulder joint problems - How to keep lifting?

[valuum]

Recently had to take a month off for what I thought was tendonitis. I had some XRays done I have the beginnings of osteoarhritis in the shoulder from over use. I'm 28 and have been lifting since I was 22. I definitely over do push days in volume and frequency. My shoulder is still bothering me even after taking chest and shoulders off completely but it feels like it's coming back.

My plan is to take more rest days in general and plan my lifting schedule to include 2 days in a row off for my upper body.

As far as lifts go I hope to be able to recover 100%, I know raises feel easier on my delts than overhead presses. I don't know what to do for chest other than flys until I'm healed.

Guys that have been lifting 10+ years, what did you do to keep your joints and tendons good?

 

[flenser]

Probably time to start correcting muscle imbalances. The damage is more likely caused by that than overuse. For shoulder joints it's usually weak rear delts and rhomboids, and tight upper chest. Won't mater how much time you take off if you don't adjust your routine to fix whatever caused the issue.

 

[valuum]

The doctor gave me delt exercizes to do but I can't see them doing that much. Raises, particularly side and lateral raises, do not hurt he joint at all, especially I don't overraise them and activate the traps. My rhomboids are one of my best body parts while chest and delts lag behind.

What exactly do you mean by tight chest? I've been working really hard to get my form better and get a good pinch in my shoulder blades when I bench.

Before I would do heavier incline bench followed by DB's on flat then dips.

 

[flenser]

You could have different issues than most. You might want to see a PT. My doc is a nice guy, but I wouldn't trust his exercise advice : )

By tight chest, I mean the upper pec area is pulling the shoulder forward and down. Doesn't sound like that's an issue for you, though.

 

[Roco Bama]

this is the number one reason I avoid using bad forms and heavy weights.

 

[Btcowboy]

Subbed as I have shoulder issues on right side. I dont believe mine is muscle imbalance either. I do need to see a PT or the like. I have pain on presses overhead and bench. The pain kind of goes away but cant lay on my right side at night it hurts the shoulder and pain all the way down my arm. I do some different shoulder corrective exercises I found on Athlean X and try and do face pulls as often as possible to ensure rear delts kept up.

 

[Fryguy]

Second what @flenser said. Get your Doc to give you a referral for PT. If you do have an imbalance that is causing it, they can root it out and prescribe exercises to correct it.

 

[greenddog1]

Shoulder Pain Differential Diagnosis - OrthopaedicsOne Articles - OrthopaedicsOne

 

[Oldschool]

Become A Supple Leopard.?

 

[valuum]

It's an AC issue. I work out at a small ass gym where there's like maybe one personal trainer (the owner) who is more of a aerobic class type dude.

I'm going to look around and see about finding a place I can go to twice a week. I really wouldn't mind having a PT go over my form either.

 

[Tinytim]

Get off flat bech for a bit, use dumbells. Your too young to be dealing with this shit

 

[Artifex]

Subbed as I have shoulder issues on right side. I dont believe mine is muscle imbalance either. I do need to see a PT or the like. I have pain on presses overhead and bench. The pain kind of goes away but cant lay on my right side at night it hurts the shoulder and pain all the way down my arm. I do some different shoulder corrective exercises I found on Athlean X and try and do face pulls as often as possible to ensure rear delts kept up.

I have same thing with my left shoulder .I can't bench press and whenever is training for shoulders needs long time for warming up ... I do construction type of work ....

 

[Oldschool]

Become A Supple Leopard.?

Seriously look up Kelly Starrett and his stretches to give the shoulders and hips more mobility. They work great. Well worth the time.

 

[LeoTC]

Switch to a suicide grip when pressing, it puts the shoulders in a better position.

Perform and antagonistic movement in the same plane prior to pressing. If you're FB'ing, so a BOR with equal load first. If you're OHP'ing, so Lat Pulls or Pull-ups with an equal load first.

It'll help to maintain balance and Prime the shoulders before stressful pressing movements.

Use bands to warm-up. Band OHP to warm up the joint and cuff. Reinforce the movement pattern by adding light dumbbells before moving to a new movement.

Most importantly, in my view, is changing your overall training style and determining where your focus should actually be.

Build your days around a lift instead of a muscle group. Then apply all of the above and minimize energy expenditure by cutting out busy work.

Shit you do just because, 'It's chest day,' and thats what you're supposed to do. For example -

Pendlay Row
Flat Bench

Decline Lat Pull-down
Incline Swiss Bar Press

Dumbbell Row
Alternating Dumbbell Press

Then finish with moderate isolation, focusing on crossing the mid-line of the chest and keeping tension throughout.

Single Arm Incline / Decline / Neutral Fly

Shoot for a simple 10-20 /Arm /Set according to intensity.

They're finishers, so they shouldn't be in a lower rep range. No more than 3 Sets of each.

Then get you're dedicated cardio in and go the fuck home.

...

As long as you correctly manage volume and intensity, you can get by with less involved work-outs doing all this. You'll still get a ton of overall volume in throughout the week.

 

[rpbb]

Good Physical Therapist is the answer.