Popping in shoulder joints

I

imported_domineaux

Guest
When I do Military presses or most movements where I push the weights above my head I can feel popping in my shoulder joints.
butbut.gif

Currently, I only use Dumbbells because I want my joints to have the flexibility for more natural movement and balance. I've been letting my arms rotate some in exercises as I felt my body naturally wanted to move.
Experimenting with the movements, i.e, I've found that when I tilt my upper body from my mid-section appx 30 degrees to the side while doing standing one arm military presses I do not get the popping. I'm sure it looks awkward, but my joints don't pop.
I know when your joints pop that's not good it's gotta be wearing or working something the wrong way. The popping doesn't hurt, but it concerns me it might in the future.
Anyway thought I'd see if anyone else has noticed similar things, and if so, what have you done about it.
 
The popping you are experiencing isn't popping in the sense that your knuckles pop. The popping you feel is a sign of impingement. Although it doesn’t hurt at the time, it can become inflamed and begin to cause you trouble.

You would be best to avoid it if you want to stay pain-free in the shoulders. My best advice is to use a bench while doing shoulder press and recline it past vertical. This will allow the arms to be raised above the head without the shoulder becoming impinged.
 
I've been wondering if someone has written a book describing the proper way exercises should be performed with weight loading. I saw a book the other day on exercise physiology, but it looked a little too scientific for me.

Thanks for the response.
 
Thanks for these links Sonny, a great help for me since I recently have this problem and hopefully, its gonna help other users also.
 
hey guys.

I just want to let you know that I tried these exercises for rotator cuff, and I think it is doing the job. Now my shoulders are less sensitive. I also experience less popping when I do a strict movement. Give it a try. Just do 2 sets after your hst routine each session.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Sonny @ Nov. 18 2004,11:06)]Here are a few web sites that have some good info on the Rotator Cuff.
I to had a popping RC .
I quit doing upward rows and in a couple of months the popping was gone.
It is sill a little sensitive ,but I can live with that .
Rotator Cuff Exercises
http://familydoctor.org/265.xml
Rotator Cuff Tears
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact....houlder
Thanks
Sonny
I personally stopped doing upright rows a while back for this very reason, also Decline Bench.

Nice Links there Sonny, glad to see you finally dropped the "Idiotic Imbecile" moniker
thumbs-up.gif
 
i hear a click sometimes... i have found that using a bench works well as bryan said also i found that monkey grip helps to.... whether this has anything to do with it or not...
 
I am a student in Chiropractic school and I can tell you guys a really easy shoulder adjustment that anyone can do by themselves. When my shoulder gets that "pop" in it, many times I find that this will alleviate any discomfort I feel. Here is what you do:

Put your hand on your hip on whichever side the shoulder is bothering you. Stand in a doorway and then place your elbow in front of the wall in the opening of the doorway. Get a good stance and pull your elbow back into the wall with a slow steady motion (no sudden jerks here!). You may hear a "pop" when enough pressure is applied to the joint. This may take some pretty strong resistance, but do not apply so much force to the back of your elbow that it becomes painful. If it hurts....stop!!

Some find that they can even get a better ROM after they perform this adjustment.
 
i think i'm going to try what bryan said. i also feel a click when doing military dumbell presses on a 90 degree bench. so.. 80 degrees would be fine? :D

oh and btw, should i stop doing shoulder exercises too and just strengthen the rotator cuff first and maybe stop my inclined bench since it also works the shoulders?

thanks in advanced
thumbs-up.gif
 
I recently started doing military press and expierienced the same popping in my shoulders as discussed above. I was a little alarmed at Bryans response on impingement and widened my grip slightly.
The wider grip stopped the popping and no further problems since.
 
widened your grip? so you're using a barbell?
how about dumbells? anyone ?
crazy.gif

will using a smith machine instead help?
 
Sorry
Didn't notice the dumbells part.
I used to do OHP seated with dumbells and had no problems, rotating hands (facing in at bottom to facing out at top of movement). Only when I switched to barbell did the impingement occur.
All my exercise form is from Stuart McRoberts Insider's Tell-All Handbook on Weight-training Technique.
He would advise against smith machines as they lock you into a plane of motion.
Cheers
Corbu
 
my followup on this...

I quit doing the military press, behind the neck military press and haven't experienced popping in my shoulder joints.

I realize I'm missing a great grouping of exercises, but over the long run I believe I'll be better for it.

-----------
laugh.gif
 
This is an interesting thread, closely related to my question. Alright so here goes, I dont have popping in my shoulders when I'm lifting but they pop all day long when I'm just doing normal stuff. For instance when I reach up in the cabinet to get a can out or something silly like that *pop*. Does anyone know what is causing this or if it is a problem?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (hypercubed @ May 20 2005,11:24)]This is an interesting thread, closely related to my question.  Alright so here goes, I dont have popping in my shoulders when I'm lifting but they pop all day long when I'm just doing normal stuff.  For instance when I reach up in the cabinet to get a can out or something silly like that *pop*.  Does anyone know what is causing this or if it is a problem?
I'm nowhere near an authority on this.

The popping in my joints stopped when I modified the angle of movement for the exercises. I suggest you might try to pinpoint the precise angles where you experience the popping. Then try to do the action that caused the popping from another angle of movement.

The popping as I understand it is a progressive situation that will eventually lead to discomfort or pain. It is supposedly indicating you're movement is causing stress on the respective joints, which inturn causes the joint to not work smoothly.

Wait around there maybe some better responses than this, since there are some sharp people on these boards that understand their physiology very well.
 
Well, I've got an update now. I just finished my workout today and I tried doing some of the rotator cuff exercises. Now I have an exercise that makes my shoulder pop LOL. When I do the third exercise from the rotator cuff link above it makes my shoulder pop like crazy. :confused: The rest of the exercises were fine though. I do military presses on a plate loaded nautilus machine and they give me no problem, although buckling my seatbelt when I got in my car to leave the gym made my shoulder pop LOL. Thanks for the reply Domineaux, but I'm not sure I could change the angle of doing everyday things, though I can fix the angle of that rotator cuff exercise by not doing it :D Maybe, I just need some glucosamine and chondroitin. Anyway, if anyone else has any ideas, let me know.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (hypercubed @ May 20 2005,3:10)]Well, I've got an update now.  I just finished my workout today and I tried doing some of the rotator cuff exercises.  Now I have an exercise that makes my shoulder pop LOL.  When I do the third exercise from the rotator cuff link above it makes my shoulder pop like crazy.  :confused: The rest of the exercises were fine though.  I do military presses on a plate loaded nautilus machine and they give me no problem, although buckling my seatbelt when I got in my car to leave the gym made my shoulder pop LOL.  Thanks for the reply Domineaux, but I'm not sure I could change the angle of doing everyday things, though I can fix the angle of that rotator cuff exercise by not doing it  :D Maybe, I just need some glucosamine and chondroitin.  Anyway, if anyone else has any ideas, let me know.
I don't want to neg you out, since you have such an upbeat attitude.

If you read the first reply from Bryan he mentioned that popping indicated an impingement. THat is serious business, joint problems are disabling and very painful if they are allowed to progress.

I stopped all exercise that caused my joints to pop. THere are so many exercises and devices to enable exercises you can find a workaround for just about anything.

As far as the everyday things...I'd address them as well. Chiropractors are very knowledgeable about skeletal, muscular and neurological issues it might be worth a trip to one for a consulation. I'd look for one that is a bodybuilder or works with a lot of bodybuilders, because there is a knack to working hard bodies over the office types.
 
Alright, I'll check out some chiropractors and see if I can find a good one. Thanks Domineaux
 
Back
Top