Shoulder rehab case study

[george_97]

Hello sir! I'm following your shoulder case study and implementing the different function of the shoulder joint in the press, rack pulls and lat pulldown (started pronated, im doing them supine now to involve the biceps more, dynamic stabilizer for the shoulder joint) haven't started to do any barbell row because i feel like i don't have control of my shoulder joint yet but these three movement feels awesome and i have managed to increase the weights by approx 5 lbs (2.5 kgs) each week now for the past 2 month.

My question: I asked the receptionist in my Gym to film me while i press. I noticed that in the lock out position that my arm angle or elbow angle for the right arm is greater than the left side. I've checked that im holding the bar equally on both sides and all. Then i tried the following: at the top of the press i shrugged my left shoulder blade more and it felt wrong because it felt internally like iam tilting the bar down to the right while shrugging my left shoulderblade more than my right. However, doing it while filming this corrected the tilted bar. Should i implement this from now on during the rehab when im training with low weights anyways and "shrug" more with the left shoulderblade at the top to correct the tilted bar or should i just press and shrug at the top without manually adjusting the left shoulderblade and press it "more"? Do you understand my question sir? I've had the same problem with the bench press where the bar tilts and i'm suspecting my shoulderblades are not equal in mobility and that one is tighter than the other, allowing one arm to be longer/shorter than the other during pressing motion, this is my hypothesis, i've no idea really =D what do you think i should do sir in order to correct this problem of mine?

Br
George

[Jason Donaldson]

Sounds like you're addressing Rip, George, but I'll chime in with my thoughts anyway.

Assuming that your arms are the same length, you have your hands equidistant from the center of the bar, and you keep the center of the bar over the centerline of your body, then ensuring that you keep the bar parallel to the ground from start to finish will ensure that you are moving as equally as you can get on both sides, because, well, physics. If you have to feel a certain way to get your body to do that, then the content of that feeling is just a corrective compensation to ensure the right mechanics. This is something to practice from the first rep of the first warmup set all the way to the last rep of the last work set. If you do have any kind of imbalance, this is the way to correct them, and it doesn't matter if the imbalance is technique, strength, flexibility, humours, chakras, chi, or whatever.

Over time, the corrective cue should become less and less necessary as you retrain your perceptions and such.

[george_97]

thank you for your input Jason, i appreciate it. I went and met a physical therapist and he told me that i should stick to whatever feels natural for me without adjusting anything. I mean, if i did not film it i would not have seen it (the tilted bar). I do not train infront of a mirror, i just feel it, if you know what i mean. My thinking was similar to yours, change and adapt over time. However, it did not feel good to adjust and it "impinged" or it hurt my shoulder when i corrected the tilting of the bar. I guess i will just continue to train and with time perhaps the tightness will correct itself =). Im still very observant and i observe how i feel the day after the shoulder/back rehab session. It feels good so far and i've successfully incremented 2.5 kilograms now for 2months+ weekly. I will continue to do so until i no longer can.

I'm wondering what the Masters opinion is on this xD (Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaark rippetoeeeeeee)

[Mark Rippetoe]

You need an MRI of your shoulder, to see if there is a boney impingement interfering with the range of motion.

[george_97]

I did an MRI. Here is the translation to english:

MR Left Shoulder
Normal AC joint. The acromion is laterally sloping, and there is somewhat reduced subacromial space. No subacromial bursitis. No full-thickness cuff tear or signs of obvious tendinopathy. No glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Labrum is unremarkable. No capsulitis. The long head of biceps tendon is unaffected. Normal musculature.
signed 2023-10-03

I have also done a MRI for right shoulder many years ago and they said that the acromion on my right is an "easily type-2 acromion" im guessing both acromions are a little bent on each side

so i guess we can exclude that something is impinging with the ROM? what else can it be

[Mark Rippetoe]

Can you hang from the rack with a supine grip with normal anatomical shoulder position?

[george_97]

Sir i don’t know how to interpret your question. Do you want me to let a friend take a picture of my back while in a supinated hanging position and inform you if my shoulderblade is externally rotated correctly into position?

[george_97]

Oh you’re asking me if i CAN hang in that position while maintaining the shoulderblades in that position , i think?

Yes i can sir. But i feel weak in a hanging supinated position!