Hey guys...

I thought I was taking it easy & working on form tonight, but I seem to have really screwed up my right shoulder. I did weighted chins, seated DB shoulder press, and weighted dips - my guess is I did something to it either raising or lowering the dumbbells while doing the shoulder press.

Any idea what might have done it? I attached a picture of where it hurts - feels like i'm being stabbed with a knife when my elbow is out 90* and my forearms vertical (pointing towards the ceiling - as if i was about to press a DB overhead). It's worse when i get into this position and rotate my shoulder 'up and forwards' (i.e. if you were trying to show off your shoulders, this is how you would move them - like how they're moved when you do a lat spread).

http://photos-291.facebook.com/ip006/v39/10/79/1200056/n1200056_31892291_8600.jpg

I need to get this figured out - my right shoulder is starting to crack and pop, which scares the hell out of me... i'm 21 - this isn't supposed to happen yet! :eek: Tonight I warmed up with 2 sets of 10, using 22.5lb DB's, then moved on to 2 sets of 12 with 40lb DB's. The last set was 10 reps with 45lb DB's.

Thanks for any ideas / advice you might have!,
Manolis

i had shoulder tendonitis (inflammed bicep sheath) and that was kind of where it hurt when i lifted my arm past parallel, might be something like that, or rotator cuff.. not really sure
i really suggest you go to your doctor and see a physio if it doesnt get better in a couple of days, and dont work out through the pain cos it might make it worst and instead of having afew weeks off training itll take even longer..

I tore my labrum and supraspinatus getting DBs into position for incline bench. It was not a dramatic event. I still went on and did military press with no pain.

No way can we diagnose what is wrong. I knew something was wrong because of all the popping and I had trouble extending my arm to close the car door. Not sure what country you are from, but if you can make an appointment directly with an orthropedist. A family practioner is worthless. An otrho can almost immediately diagnose you and get an MRI done immedately to confirm.

Thanks guys... I'm going in for (unrelated) physical therapy today - I'll ask the guy about this too. He's going to flip out - last time I went in there I asked him about my hip, foot, ankle, neck, shin splints...etc. :P

Thanks guys... I'm going in for (unrelated) physical therapy today - I'll ask the guy about this too. He's going to flip out - last time I went in there I asked him about my hip, foot, ankle, neck, shin splints...etc. :P

Good that you are seeing a doctor. Shoulders are complicated. Don't say that it was the DB bench press if you don't know that - it could have been the dips, etc.

Well the physical therapist didn't have much to say ('get a referral'), but the trainer at the gym took one look at it and said "shoulder compression injury"... then I got yelled at for doing weighted dips. Damn.

Looks like i'll be defrosting bags of spinach on my shoulder for the next few days!

Well the physical therapist didn't have much to say ('get a referral'), but the trainer at the gym took one look at it and said "shoulder compression injury"... then I got yelled at for doing weighted dips. Damn.

Looks like i'll be defrosting bags of spinach on my shoulder for the next few days!

Yelled at for doing weighted dips? I'm missing where that makes sense.

Yelled at for doing weighted dips? I'm missing where that makes sense.

Apparently they're a big no-no for shoulders... and, based on how things feel today, i'm inclined to agree.

Hmm, I've never heard of dips being bad for shoulders, but overhead work sure can be. Either way, cool it for a week and see how it feels. Shoulder injuries really, really, suck.

Well the physical therapist didn't have much to say ('get a referral'), but the trainer at the gym took one look at it and said "shoulder compression injury"... then I got yelled at for doing weighted dips. Damn.

Looks like i'll be defrosting bags of spinach on my shoulder for the next few days!

If it continues to hurt, go to the doctor. I would not trust a trainer to critique my routine much less give me a medical diagnosis. If he was a decent trainer he would have told you to go see a doctor.

If it continues to hurt, go to the doctor. I would not trust a trainer to critique my routine much less give me a medical diagnosis. If he was a decent trainer he would have told you to go see a doctor.

Yup, and the labrium tear would have been my best guess from the motion and amount of pain.

I had a similar pain, but not as bad - was still lifting. I wanted to go to the physio, but had to see the doc first for the insurance to cover it and the movement you decsribe had the doc suspicious of a labrium tear. Fortunately the MRI was negative, just mild rotator cuff 'inflamation' - or whatever technical term they use.

Go see a doctor (orthropedist), especially if you have insurance.

The Dip and the Shoulder press both work the anterior/medial delt heads pretty good. Both these ex's are good , in and of themselves...

But your injury could be due to the fact that you are combing both in the same workout, thereby overstressing the area.

From your list you do chins,shoulder press, then dips.

Which would appear that you are pre-fatiguing the delts to some degree.

I would change the order to Chins, Dips, and then Shoulder Press if I had no other choice. But in reality I wouldn't do Dips on the same day as the others.

Warm up before you start by doing some wide-arm rotations in sets of 10 which become incrementally larger in circle, starting out small.

This adds some flexibility to the delt muscle group. When you do shoulder presses (especially straight up, and behind-the -head)and FROM Dips you are putting quite a stretch on the delt muscle group.

Contrary to what the masses say about pre-stretching before a workout, going "cold" on the delt group can get you in trouble.

You may also want to consider doing:-

Cable External Rotations
Side Lying External Rotations
Cuban Presses w/DB's
Traffic Cops
IR Broomstick Stretches


There are numerous ex's that train the internal and external rotators.

Besides taking off a week and resting that shoulder I'd add a few things in (if you aren't seeing a doctor).

1. Don't sleep on it, or do anything with it. Just let it rest.
2. Take a NSAID (Aleve) for the week while you are resting it.

Now, the bad news is your shoulder will probably never be the same, so take care of it, and learn what you can do to rehab your shoulder (external rotators, esp) once the pain is gone.

Pretty much everything done with any force (repetitively) is bad for the shoulders. (That's a totaly non clinical opinion, but true.)

Google "shoulder impingement" & "tendonitis" and you'll get a bunch of ways to proactively work through it. For me, it was consistent ice after shoulder sessions and strengthening of the rear middle back musceles.

This was very helpful - http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=119, and I do this religiously now. Pain drastically minimized.

Sorry to resurect an old thread,but I am having similar problems. Fortunately or unfortunately, I already know what the problem is. In my case it is that old familiar sting of shoulder impingment. I have had previous occurances of shoulder impingment, that is where the Bursis in your shoulder gets imflamed and causes all kind of "wonderful" :blank: things to happen. The scary part for me is I know that recovery time for me usually takes 3-6 weeks before I can resume normal lifting. I am REALLY afraid of losing the progress I have made over the last several months due to inactivity. People dont realize how many exersices that the shoulders are involved in until they cant use their shoulder. Squats, deadlift, bech press, dips, pull-ups, rows, etc...