Shoulder impingement refers to any pain that results from irritation of structures within the shoulder. These structures include the rotator cuff, bursa and other structures. Strength and stretch exercises for these muscles may improve movement while decreasing pain levels and protecting against further injury.
In this video series from InjuryMap app, a physical therapist demonstrates various shoulder impingement exercises designed to address upper back, shoulder and chest muscles and improve shoulder mechanics.
Overhead Arm Raise with Posture
The overhead press is one of the best exercises for shoulder training, and for good reason. It works all three heads of the deltoids simultaneously while increasing mobility while decreasing injury risk. But done incorrectly it can place your shoulders at serious risk – similar to squatting with your back arched forward or deadlifting with flaring elbows, doing an overhead press improperly can result in shoulder pain and injury.
There are various solutions for overhead pressing that will help protect your shoulders from becoming injured. One common error involves bringing your upper back into a slouched position while sliding your arms overhead; this forces shoulders to move into more forward-and upward-position, increasing subacromial space size, stressing out rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles, making keeping head in line with body harder, as well as lessening force when performing exercise.
One way to address this is through wall angels, which strengthen postural muscles of your upper back and reduce how often you need to flex in order to slide your hands overhead. Another solution involves placing both hands on a bench while pressing palms together – this creates more neutral positioning which allows your shoulders to move in a downward and more forward direction, decreasing any unnecessary bending at the cuff and blade.
At the top of each rep, you can reduce shoulder strain by shrugging. Many people press the bar all the way over their heads and stop, which transfers work away from their shoulders to weaker leg muscles and can cause shoulder impingement or prevent you from pushing beyond your maximum press capacity.
Implementing these strategies can help minimize the effects of overhead pressing and maximize its effectiveness. No matter if your goal is hitting a personal record on the barbell or simply looking less like a coat hanger when wearing tank tops, having full range shoulder mobility is vital for performance and quality of life. With full range shoulder mobility comes better posture, avoidance of rotator cuff injuries and safe strength gains while simultaneously increasing shoulder size safely – be sure to always bring along a spotter when lifting heavy objects as well as practicing proper technique!
