Shoulder health

How do you improve shoulder health?

As in strong and very resistant to injury. Two years ago I did a snatch 1rm with 170lbs. Did I mention this was my first snatch at all as well? My shoulders were already weak from over-benching, and throwing. Next thing I heard a ‘snap’ and I haven’t done a heavy benchpress or good throw since( I do handball as well).

Several times I’ve thought it was fine again, but the injury keep re-appearing. My other hobbies as snowboarding, breakdancing and martial arts ain’t helping either. Local physiologists say it’s an imflammation, and it’ll be ok in a few weeks without any work. Allso stop stretching shoulders will help (eh?). So until I can find a shoulder specialist, you’re my last hope. My guess would be I have a pinched nerve, as the muscle feels like shutting down sometimes.

Help is really apreciated!

Again, you should know your body better than your ave. Doc does. That is, as far as when something doesn’t quite feel right. here’s my experience:The short of it is i had shoulder problems, Doc tells me it rotator cuff( #1 answer you will hear ). I said i didn’t think so but you’re the pro. After a few trips I begged for him to scope it even though MRI just showed swelling. He did and the result- torn cart. and bicepial(sp) tendon impingement - 2hrs later- ceaned out the joint smoothedout the groove, and i was back 100% pre surg. in 4wks.

you need to force the issue w/ your care provider.

Guru X

I have a shoulder problem as well. When the initial inflammation went away i started massaging it ti keep it fed with blood and free of scar tissue, fully intending to go to a sports physio. No such luck, too much work to do. I think I will ease into it again and build up from super light similar to my first ever powerlifting cycle (before I knew everything…not) plus GPP. Plyometrics will be limited to skipping (Jump rope) etc. etc. I have finally learned that a strong body needs a strong foundation and the body grows much faster than the foundation especially after the cracks have appeared. Hope you can relate. Make sure you get it looked at.

Good answer Guru!

ART

Not that surgery isn’t a possibility, but ART can do wonders in the hand of a good provider. these conditions can often improve if the surrounding muscles are treated properly.

I’d go with Goldberg and say ART, that should help with treatment now.
But what will the future hold for you? If you go back to doing things as you always have, you’ll wind up right back where you started.
When you bench do you elbows flare out? How proportioned are you in the vertical and horizontal pulls compared to horizontal and vertical presses? Do you do any rotator cuff work right now?
These are the questions to ask right now. Keeping the hands medium to narrow grip helps keep the elbows in, avoid placing the hands wide. Do you do any vertical pressing (may want to reduce this for a while too)?, add in cuban presses with dumbbell or barbell, rotator cuff raises and start chinning/pull-ups (focus on keeping the elbows back) and or pull downs, turkish get-ups would probably help too.
Hope this offers some guidance.
Peace,
T-Ren

Thanks for all replies guys. Unfortunatly there’s no ART practicers in norway yet (I think).

Tomorrow I will go to the doc and push him some more.

Is there any exersizes / types of exersizes that can help the shoulder get more resistant to injuries? I’ll admit I’ve done next to none direct shoulder work (thought chest and back workout would be more then enough).

Since my first injury (two years ago) I almost stopped doing presses. So now after 2 years, I can now actually wide-grip-pronated-row more then I can bench press. So this shouldn’t be an issue, except perhaps if my back is the one too strong now.

Turkish get-ups? Hmm… I suppose I’ll find it in the search engine.

They’re in “Top nine exercises for functional strength” or “money exercises” I think. Failing that look at the “Exercises you’ve never tried” series. They are up to volume 9 I think. Good reading.

 You SHOULD have known MUCH BETTER at the time. Heck, when I first started I didnt know shit, but I did know one thing - Im not here to impress the girls, or to show the guys who's the man. Im here to work-out, and most importantly to learn how to do it properly. 
 It should be common sense to always start a new exercise light enough. If youve never done it before what makes you assume how much weight you can handle - especially when you have yet to learn good form?

  I dont think you need a 'shoulder specialist'. No. You need to do what you've been told by now - take a few weeks rest from weightlifting, martial arts, breakdancing, and anything that puts pressure on your soulder joints.

  If you dont do that it wont heal. And trust me, its YOUR shoulder, not ours. You do as you wish and you're the one to live with the consequences. A real T-man wont risk losing it all just because he's stupid enough to take a little break.

  Just my (very rude) take.