cant do shoulder press

[zerowetaust]

Hi there,
I have had a shoulder stabilisation operation and I am not allowed to do over head shoulder work. Can I substitute another exercise for this????
Thanks
Anthony

[atypical1]

I moved this to the "strength" forum.

How long before you can do OHP again?

james

[LiftingNerd]

Can you lift your arm above your head?

[zerowetaust]

Yeah I can lift my arms but the doctor that I cannot lift weights over my head as it will streach the anterior deltoid and result in dislocations.

I might replace the OHP with bench press ???

thanks

[ricepower]

Read all the articles by Eric Cressey, he is a renowned coach/physio and powerlifter who also personally had many problems with his shoulders and has written a lot about shoulder problems and strength training.

Overhead pressing is indeed not suitable for everyone, but you may find that you are not one of those people. The muscles around the shoulder are what keep it stable and overhead pressing is a good way to build muscle.

I have chronic instability and severe impingement in my shoulders, but I have been doing stronglifts for all of 2009 including the press - working through discomfort and dislocations. Most my dislocations occurred during bench pressing (especially with DB's) and push ups. Overhead pressing causes more impingement for me as you are unable to pull scapula back & down in the same way, but have never suffered a dislocation from it.

I have been doing many stability exercises too for the past 3-4months. There is some here, but cressey has some too;

http://www.dieselcrew.com/how-to-shoulder-rehab/

[ricepower]

I might replace the OHP with bench press ???

Not a suitable substitution. Bench press is a heavy intense exercise which will not actually work the shoulders much. It will just lead to overtraining as you are already doing it and have very little effect on shoulders.

If you are really unable to press overhead, focus on other shoulder specific exercises.

[DeadStrength]

Yeah I can lift my arms but the doctor that I cannot lift weights over my head as it will streach the anterior deltoid and result in dislocations.

I might replace the OHP with bench press ???

thanks

I don't know how much you are allowed to stretch your anterior deltoid but bench press is also going to significantly stretch the anterior deltoid in the eccentric portion of the lift. You might want to get clearance for that too.

[Bman1]

Since you recently had surgery, you should be able to get a referral to a qualified physical therapist from your Dr. Find one that works with athletes, particularly one that specializes in shoulder work (e.g. baseball players), if you can find one. A good PT will provide you with a progression of exercises to get your shoulder back to the point where you can OHP and bench press.

I agree with Deadlift that you should get clearance on the bench press also. When I messed up my shoulder the bench press and overhead press were the last exercises introduced in the progression.

[zerowetaust]

Thanks everyone,

The operation is ten years old, but any streach to that muscle feels like it will dislocate, I was doing shoulder presses for a month but it really hurt and I had no power (15 kgs max) I contacted the doctor, and no OHP and BP ok but without full extension, which will limit my weights.

I will give it a go without OHP and replace with front and side arm abductions to shoulder hight.

Again thanks from Australia

[wobbles]

Is there any kind of isometric shoulder work you can do? Front squats perhaps?