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Thread: AC joint arthritis considerations?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2022
    Posts
    13

    Default AC joint arthritis considerations?

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    Hey Rip, hope you’re doing well. I’m a 21 year-old male with an AC joint injury. Although I don’t know exactly what the injury is, I consulted with a physiotherapist who ruled out a separation. As a result, I suspect it may be arthritis of the joint or ‘weightlifter’s shoulder’, the product of poorly performed bench pressing/power cleaning early on in my lifting journey (prior to Starting Strength). Whenever I bench with too wide of a grip or too little of an arch, I feel a grinding sensation at the top of my shoulder, and when I perform assisted dips too deep the joint feels very sensitive for a few days. The workaround has been close grip benching and cutting out dips.

    My main concern is about pressing, though. I’ve recently come to greatly appreciate the press and would like to specialize in it, performing it 3-4 times a week and using the bench as an assistance exercise. So far this has resulted in my press #s going up pretty drastically, and my shoulders feel more stable than ever. I was wondering if I should be concerned that this volume of pressing might exacerbate my AC joint symptoms over time? I cut the ROM at the bottom very slightly (the bar is still below chin level) and my AC joint feels fine, but I’m concerned that I might make things worse without even realizing it, until it is too late.

    Do you think pressing will make my symptoms worse, or does the shrug also protect against AC joint irritation? Thanks & happy fourth!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,559

    Default

    There is an illustration in the blue book that deals with the shoulders during a press -- 2 or 3 actually. I see no mechanism by which the properly-performed press can aggravate the shoulder.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2022
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Much appreciated! Now, only 300 or so pounds to go before I can beat Chase…

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Posts
    1,151

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Max W View Post
    Much appreciated! Now, only 300 or so pounds to go before I can beat Chase…
    Your press is 105lbs and you wanna specialize in it?
    How much do you weigh?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Posts
    3

    Default

    Pressing 240 lbs at age 60 while at SS-OKC, and a physical therapist training that day mentioned to Colby, the owner , that there aren’t a lot of 60 y/o that can overhead press because of limited shoulder mobility. Colby said we’ll he has good shoulder mobility because he presses, it’s not the other way around. Lol

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