› Forums › Shoulder › Shoulder issues with presses getting serious enough it’s affecting other lifts

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    • 07/13/2013 at 11:44 pm #70341
      AvatarBen Cagle
      Participant

        In the past two weeks, anytime we lift anything overhead (very often) I get sharp pains in my shoulder.  Lately when I release my grip from the barbell (rack the weight) I get a sharp pain in my shoulder.  I mentioned the issue to my Chiropractor who said “if it continues we will try the stem machine.”  I don’t know anything about this but from my college baseball days the stem machine was always used for muscle soreness, not joint or tendon issues which is what I’m assuming this is.  

        Any ideas what might issue might be?  
        What should I be looking for as knowledge in a Chiropractor?
        Thanks,
        Mike
      • 07/14/2013 at 10:14 pm #72432
        AvatarAnonymous

          Mike–
          When did you first notice the issue?
          Had you done something different from what you did in the past?
          Where is the pain in your shoulder?

          You need to identify what is causing the pain in your shoulder so it can be fixed. Without identifying the cause the pain will continue.

          Using a stem machine is going after a symptom of the pain not going after the cause of the pain.
          It could be several different things.
          Episode 16: Overhead Squat Prep Part 1
          Episode 17: Shoulders and The Back Squat “Rack”. And Darth
          Episode 18: Free Your Scap, Free Your Mind
          The 500th Video; Great Sub-Scap Shoulder Smash Drill

        • 08/25/2013 at 2:44 am #72655
          AvatarBen Cagle
          Participant

            Thank you, Kaitlin!  Sorry for the extreme delay, simply forgot I asked a question on here  🙁  An update, the issue is gone in my right shoulder but persists on my left shoulder (scapula).  I found a Chiro I have confidence in who uses ‘active release’ method.  He gets the knots out but then they come back in a couple days.  I’ve been hitting the lacrosse ball hard myself with the same results, works for a short period of time.  My left tricep has been tight some as well, I’ve been smashing it with a lacrosse ball and/or barbell as well.  Same for my bicep, long bicep I believe the Dr. said.  So it’s pretty much the entire left side of my upper body

            I think it started when I started working heavily on learning kipping and butterfly pull-ups.  I have a tendency to descent slowly.  I’ve been told doing that, which is almost a negative, is not good for my shoulders
            It hits me with any overhead.  It started with a sharp pain when I would rack the barbell, let’s say from a front squat position.  Then the same pain when I moved the bar from front to back in prep for snatch progression.  
            Yesterday we had a simple 25min WOD:  max rep HSPU’s or Wall Walks with a 400m run when you break.  I did wall walks because I can’t seem to get HSPU (something about upside down, that’s a different topic).  It felt 100% fine during the WOD.  But by the end of the day the knot around my scapula was back.  This morning it was there in full force.  I had a hard time with bench press this morning.  Then I lost all strength at the bottom of DB Incline Bench today, couldn’t do it.
            Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.  And I’ll respond much faster this time 🙂
          • 08/25/2013 at 1:54 pm #72659
            AvatarBen Cagle
            Participant

              Some other details:  I’m 33 years old and while I pitched until I was 20 (2 years in college) I haven’t moved much since then.  Started Crossfit 7 months ago.  I have bad posture….slumped forward my whole life but have been trying to correct it the past couple weeks.  It will take serious time, bad habit.  Also I  sit in front of a computer all day and my posture there is poor as well, working on it as well.  

              Could it be lack of mobility in my chest/front shoulder that’s causing undue stress on my back shoulder/scapula area?  A couple years ago I was more into running and many times when I would run 4+ miles I’d get this same soreness but not nearly as bad.
            • 08/27/2013 at 11:02 am #72666
              AvatarBen Cagle
              Participant

                My Chiro saw me lifting during my afternoon Squat Clean session, working on form.  He pointed out my shoulders are not back, I’m hunched over, creating too much tension in my back and shoulders.  I know that’s the case and it’s something I need to pay closer attention to.  Same thing on Deadlifts.  I also shrug my shoulders when I run.  

                That plus I’m really just getting heavy into CrossFit with some strength sessions.  He thinks it could simply be my body getting acclimated with the stress when I was pretty non-active for 8 years
              • 08/27/2013 at 1:51 pm #72669
                AvatarAnonymous

                  Good to hear you your improvements.
                  The knots come back because the reason you are getting the knots isn’t being addressed.
                  The ART will help the symptom, but not resolve the cause.
                  Until the cause is identified/addressed you will continue to have the knots show up.
                  I would recommend using one of the Yoga Tune Up Therapy Plus balls
                  https://www.yogatuneup.com/product_details?pid=15&cat=thraphy
                  The lacrosse ball may be too hard. I’ve had people switch to using a therapy plus ball and it has really helped get in some areas better.
                  Some could also be technique/positioning when performing the skill.
                  Could originate at your elbow.
                  Have you looked at the front rack episodes?

                  Yes improving your standing position will help the situation.
                  Yes, it can take time to break a habit and rebuild a new movement pattern and have that become a habit.
                  There is not set time on how long this can take. It can vary for several reasons.
                  Yes addressing your chest/pecs can help.

                  You still want to address these things so you are building a strong foundation that does not have any restriction on movement. Taking the time to do this now and correct any technique deviations will prove very beneficial.

                • 08/27/2013 at 10:14 pm #72673
                  AvatarBen Cagle
                  Participant

                    Thanks for recommending the therapy ball, I’ll give it a shot.  

                    I do have a hard time getting my elbows up in the front rack position.  And now that I think about it the past two days during thrusters and squat cleans I had an especially hard time getting elbows up.  I’ll search for some videos on elbows on here and see what I can find.
                  • 08/27/2013 at 11:11 pm #72674
                    AvatarAnonymous

                      Pro Episode # 32 – VooDoo Floss Series #1, Theory and Elbow
                      Pro Episode # 34 – Voodoo Floss Primer: Elbow Part 2.

                      Banish Your Elbow Bench, Dip, Pull Up Pain, You Don’t Really Play Golf or Tennis Do You?
                      Burpee Smoked Elbows? Epicondylitis-ness? Voodoo it.

                      Super Front Rack
                      Building a Better Front Rack: Shoulder and Trunk Stability Relationship
                      Episode 331: Compare Sides and Make Sure You See The Change
                      Episode 304: Improving the Front Rack
                      Episode 223: Fixing Elbow Pain in The Front Rack
                      Episdoe 178: Flexion + External Rotation Analogs
                      Episode 99: Solving Front Rack Problems Part 1
                      Episode 99: Solving Front Rack Problems Part 2
                      Episode 66: A Front Rack Wrist Mob and More!
                      Episode 41: Improving Shoulder Organization & 3 min Challenge

                    • 08/28/2013 at 9:30 am #72675
                      AvatarBen Cagle
                      Participant

                        Wow, that’s some serious homework!  Thanks Kaitlin!!

                      • 09/03/2013 at 1:48 pm #72710
                        AvatarBen Cagle
                        Participant

                          Over the past 3 days when I work the lacrosse ball around my scapula (Episode 18) I feel like I’m hitting a nerve at the top (where he places the lacrosse ball initially in the video).  It sends a shooting pain up my shoulder to to the back of my neck.  My thoughts are:  stop using the lacrosse ball and focus on stretching for a bit.  Correct or incorrect?  Any additional thoughts?

                          Thanks!
                        • 09/03/2013 at 9:13 pm #72711
                          AvatarAnonymous

                            A lacrosse ball may too hard.
                            Have you tried using a different type of ball?
                            Yes you should not repeat it if there is pain.
                            Double check that you have the correct location for the ball.

                          • 09/04/2013 at 9:20 am #72714
                            AvatarBen Cagle
                            Participant

                              Thanks Kaitlin.  Got the yoga balls in the mail yesterday.  Will try them today.

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