Prevent rotator cuff injuries from pull-ups with proper technique

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Prevent rotator cuff injuries from pull-ups with proper technique

If you’re wondering if pull-ups are bad for your shoulders, you may be relieved to learn that this exercise is not inherently dangerous, unlike some upper body exercises that put your shoulders in a compromised position. However, due to the overhead position and movement involved in the pull-up, you could suffer a rotator cuff injury.

Reduce your risk of injury by avoiding certain styles of pull-ups and proactively strengthening your rotator cuff muscles.

Rotator cuff muscles

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles – teres minor, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and subscapularis – located around your shoulder blade. They are responsible for stabilizing the very mobile shoulder joint.

The rotator cuff muscles are active every time you move your shoulder, making them prime candidates for injury. Types of rotator cuff injuries include overuse tendonitis, tears and impingement syndrome, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Are pull-ups bad for your shoulders?

Biological factors, such as the structure of your shoulder joint, can make you more vulnerable to rotator cuff injuries. You can injure your rotator cuff muscles if you fall on your shoulder or experience shoulder trauma.

Other, more subtle causes of rotator cuff injuries include repetitive stress on the shoulder or repetitive movements of the shoulder, especially overhead movements such as the movements that occur during pull-ups.

The pulling movement places the shoulder joint in a compromised position of external rotation with significant load on the rotator cuff muscles.

Make sure you’re performing pull-ups correctly to reduce the risk of injury, as demonstrated by ExRx.net:

Grip the bar with your hands off your shoulders.
Contract your glutes and abs to keep your core engaged throughout the movement.
Bend your elbows and lift your body until your chin is above the bar.
Lower your back until your elbows are fully straightened.

Pullups with rotator cuff injury

If you regularly perform pull-ups, the constant overhead movement can put you at risk for a rotator cuff injury. Replace the pull-up with a different exercise that works the same muscles, such as the bent-over row or seated row.

You can also use different pull-up grips, especially if you’re performing pull-ups with a rotator cuff injury. A neutral-grip pull-up with your palms facing each other reduces stress on the shoulder joint during the movement because your shoulders are not rotating outward.

Certain pullup variations are more likely to result in a rotator cuff injury than others. Avoid behind-the-neck pull-ups or back pull-ups, as demonstrated by the weightlifting site Inspire US. This exercise requires you to raise up until your neck touches the bar, placing your shoulders in extreme external rotation and increasing your risk of injury.

Prevent further injury

To reduce the risk of rotator cuff injury, train proactively to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles. Use light weights to perform a series of shoulder internal and external rotation exercises, as demonstrated by OrthoInfo.

Stop the pulling movements if you feel pain during the exercise. See a doctor if you experience shoulder pain, numbness, or weakness.

ahsan65@gmail.com2 weeks ago

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