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Thread: Scapula hurt during press

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    Default Scapula hurt during press

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    On the last day of my fourth week. Started with 45 kg and yesterday attempted 58 kg. On the fourth rep of my first set I got a sharp pain in my left scapula located in my back near the spine, but I finished the rep. Afterwards any shoulder movement hurt as well as sleeping on it. I have to sleep on my side to prevent snoring. It feels a bit better this morning. I don't want to stop training. Scapula also has extreme discomfort while squatting since the first day. I believe this unilateral injury is from arm wrestling left handed only (right elbow was injured) the last 2 years. I also found a few months ago that I could dumbell press significantly more with my right arm than my left. I am 36 and my best press was 200 pounds 16 years ago. I'd like to get back to training as soon as possible with whatever exercises and weights I can manage.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Long Island, NY
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    Hey Raw Power,

    I would take 48-72 hours off of pressing. Start back light and do a bunch of warmup sets with 20 kilos for 5-10 reps. If things are feeling better as you get warm, add 5 kilos and do another a set of 5. Keep repeating this process until you find a weight that's moderate and feels tolerable for the injury and stop there. That is the number you are going to start a linear progression from your next session. Depending on how you are recovering, take 2.5-5 kilo jumps per session until you are back around the 58 kg area and then start taking smaller jumps. Hope this helps!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    59

    Default

    Thanks Nick. I'll give this method a shot. I actually did attempt pressing 57.5 kg on Wednesday (5 days after injury), and I felt no pain in my left shoulder. However I failed again on the 5th rep, this time due to tendonitis in my right elbow, which I got from arm wrestling. I'll press again either tomorrow or monday and try your method of working up to a tolerable working weight.

    Oddly my bench and other lifts have not been affected and continue to progress after each injury.

  4. #4
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    Excellent, keep training the other lifts as you are and implement rehab on the press.

  5. #5
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    Feb 2020
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    I have to confess I went too far today. I warmed up with 20, 40, then 50 kg. It all felt so easy I went straight for 60.5 kg. And that was so easy I added an extra rep on the last set. I'm surprised I recovered so quickly. After my injury I switched to a vegan diet with no grains or legumes, because that always helps me greatly reduce inflammation. So that may have helped.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Long Island, NY
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    starting strength coach development program
    I'm glad you're feeling better! I would not attribute the change specifically to your diet or to lack of inflammation. If these things did play a role, it was probably a small one, with the most significant contributor being time passing. Sometimes these types of situations just clean themselves up over the course of a couple of days/weeks and don't need specific intervention.

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