Overhead pressing and pull ups causing numbness and pain in left arm.

[Tzal]

My MRI results showed:

C3-C4 Mild osteophytic ridging. The central canal and bilateral neural foramina remain patent.

C4-C5 Mild osteophytic ridging and uncovertebral spurring. The central canal and bilateral rural foramina remain patent.

C5-C6 Left uncovertebral mild ridging. The left neural foramen is mildly narrowed.

As a result of these issues, I sometimes feel a snagging then popping sensation at my neck that causes numbness to run down my left arm and, at times, to my ring finger and pinkie. I also feel pain and numbness without the snagging and popping sensation.

The likelihood of problem occurring increases the further I work with my left hand above my head and away from the center of my body. Overhead presses and pull ups tend to cause the problem. If wanted to demonstrate the problem to someone, I would do wide-grip pull ups.

Snagging and popping is bad enough, but I hope to avoid a snag and snap. Instead of any sort of intervention, my Dr. recommends that I push overhead at an incline with less shoulder rotation, or don't push overhead at all.

Do you recommend an alternative to the overhead press in this situation? An incline bench or modified Arnold Press (with only 90 degrees of rotation) may avoid these issues.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Post a video of your presses and chins.

[Tzal]

Thanks Rip, will do. I should be able to post a video of chins fairly soon. But my gym doesn't like people shooting videos so a press with weight may take a bit. Do you want me to demonstrate with a broomstick or something along those lines?

[Mark Rippetoe]

A broomstick will not show me how you actually press.

[David Kirkham]

I have significant arthritis C3-4 causing severe, unrelenting headaches. I have a bulge C5-6 causing radiculopathy down my left arm. The only way to get the pain to go away is to lift hard. If I don't lift I'm taking 10 Advil a day. Is rather save my liver for bourbon. I suspect you have a form problem.

[Tzal]

A broomstick will not show me how you actually press.

That's what I thought. I will try to get something posted soon. Supinated grip chin ups (like you demonstrate in this video) very rarely bother me. They have not been an issue since starting a powerlifting-based program. I tend to hold my hands closer than you do in the video though. I don't recall hammer grip chins ever bothering me. It's the pronated grip pull up that cause the issue, particularly if I use a wide grip. Do you still want me to post a chin up video?

I suspect you have a form problem.

Maybe. Lifting has helped. That is to say, since I started striving to bench, squat and deadlift with correct form I notice the problem less frequently. That wasn't the case with squatting until I focused on (among other things) bringing my arms in line with my torso and pulling the bar into my back. Before that, I took a wider, sloppier grip, and it tended to exacerbate the problem.

But the overhead press and prontated-grip pull ups still create issues. Thanks for your comment, and I hope it is something I can correct with proper form.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I also suspect you might have a form problem. Post the video.

[Tzal]

Here are some chin up videos. I apologize for not being able to demonstrate more. Poor coordination with the camerawoman necessitated more sets than anticipated.

From the left. The angle is a little tight.

From the back. These may constitute half reps. Let me know if I need to reshoot.

I am pressing tomorrow morning and hope to have more videos to post afterwards.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Half-reps. Did these hurt?

[Tzal]

Half-reps. Did these hurt?

Even the reps in the video taken from the side? I thought those looked good.

They didn't bother me at all. I need to pull or push with a wide grip to trigger the problem.

This is a warm up set. I wanted to show you what my prior press form looked like.

This is my interpretation of Press 2.0.

My left shoulder feels tight. I wouldn't call it painful, but it is uncomfortable. I'd say a 1 or 2 on a ten point scale. I would suck it up but for my history with the shoulder.

I should have added this comment to my post with the pressing videos. Sorry about that.