Shoulder clicks...

[hjohnstone]

Hi,

I'm a keen lifter and enjoy to keep fit. I don't go very heavy and am unsure as to what the problem is. Basically after a good bicep workout (with dumbbells) doing standing curls i noticed my arm was a bit achy afterwards. In all honesty i probably over did it. The following day my biceps were way more sore than usual and i noticed my shoulder clicked a little more than usual. This is without pain and i think it has always been there, but i noticed it more the day after. The osteopath mentioned the AC joint i do believe, and something about the humerus pulling the joint or something downwards, causing the clicking. The clicking seems to be right on the edge of my shoulder, just before the arm itself begins. The clicks are not painful and tend not to arise during lifting, bar perhaps the warm up sets. The other question i had was regarding the clavicle/collar bone. I noticed this can click too if i pin my shoulders pack from their usual position (although only sometimes). I will go back to the osteo/physio again, but in the mean time i just wanted some advice on what it could be. Is there anything i can do to help the clicking stop (i know stopping weights makes no difference as i take a weeks break every month). The osteopath did mention something about an imbalance, but nothing serious. Is it worth doing some rotator cuff exercises, although my shoulders should already be pretty strong?

Thanks in advance,

Harry

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[alophysio]

Hi Harry,

Could be many things to be honest.

It could be the biceps tendon clunking. This would be due to an imbalance in your shoulder somewhere or even a tight capsule or inferior glenohumeral lig.

It could be your AC joint.

It could be your glenohumeral joint - if it were the GH joint, you might have some cartilage damage - a labral tear. OFten starts with a trauma but can be a gradual degeneration thing as well.

The collar bone clicking is more likely to be the AC joint and likely to be what the osteo was referring to.

Guys and upper body weights are usually based on doing too much! I once saw the FITTEST guy - all shredded and balanced with perfect technique. He came for an unrelated problem. I asked him what his training programme was and how heavy his bicep curls were. He said 12kg was all he did (on each arm, dumbells) and said he just focused on technique. He is my living example of how to do weights properly. A fine specimen indeed!

The advice i have to give is very general (unfortunately for you) - seek help on assessing your restrictions, weaknesses and focus on rehabilitating them properly. In my experience, shoulder imbalance is usually the main problem.

Good luck!

[hjohnstone]

Hi Harry,

Could be many things to be honest.

It could be the biceps tendon clunking. This would be due to an imbalance in your shoulder somewhere or even a tight capsule or inferior glenohumeral lig.

It could be your AC joint.

It could be your glenohumeral joint - if it were the GH joint, you might have some cartilage damage - a labral tear. OFten starts with a trauma but can be a gradual degeneration thing as well.

The collar bone clicking is more likely to be the AC joint and likely to be what the osteo was referring to.

Guys and upper body weights are usually based on doing too much! I once saw the FITTEST guy - all shredded and balanced with perfect technique. He came for an unrelated problem. I asked him what his training programme was and how heavy his bicep curls were. He said 12kg was all he did (on each arm, dumbells) and said he just focused on technique. He is my living example of how to do weights properly. A fine specimen indeed!

The advice i have to give is very general (unfortunately for you) - seek help on assessing your restrictions, weaknesses and focus on rehabilitating them properly. In my experience, shoulder imbalance is usually the main problem.

Good luck!

Hi, thanks for the reply. The osteo did indeed mention something about an 'imbalance'. Is there any way one can actually correct a shoulder crack though (if i flap my arm outwards and upwards it is very loud - although never usually that loud during daily activity, and it only happens every so often without pain)? I am taking glucosamine and joint supplements, but is there any corrective exercise i can do to improve the cracking?

I also agree with the weight issue. I intend to bench no more than 80kg, curl 12-15kg as you said and have a cut and lean physique. I never intend to become a powerlifter/bodybuilder. Furthermore, i don't think its the GH joint as it seems to far down in the shoulder, it is right in the upper and back of the shoulder. Any further advice would be much appreciated.

[hjohnstone]

Also, would it be worth trying to add a light exercise to build up my posterior deltoid considering, as far as i know, my anterior deltoid gets far far far more work. As i said, it was after a dumbbell curl workout that it became more pronounced, presumably because the humerus pulled on something? As i said though, no pain or discomfort yet.

[alophysio]

Hi hArry,

It is very very difficult for a physio to dispense advice without using our 2 main assets - our eyes and hands.

Without assessment - seeing and feeling what is going on, it is hard to tell you how to do an exercise properly.

Also, we can tell you what exercise to do but we might want it done slightly differently because you have a certain need - how do i teach that to you?

I think all of your questions are great and should be made clear during your next session with a physio so you can get good advice.

my *general* rule about weights is - if you push it, you have to pull it. In other words make sure the muscles do equal amounts of work in all the related directions.

Good luck!

[hjohnstone]

Hi hArry,

It is very very difficult for a physio to dispense advice without using our 2 main assets - our eyes and hands.

Without assessment - seeing and feeling what is going on, it is hard to tell you how to do an exercise properly.

Also, we can tell you what exercise to do but we might want it done slightly differently because you have a certain need - how do i teach that to you?

I think all of your questions are great and should be made clear during your next session with a physio so you can get good advice.

my *general* rule about weights is - if you push it, you have to pull it. In other words make sure the muscles do equal amounts of work in all the related directions.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. That's why are was thinking there may be a slight imbalance between anterior and posterior deltoids as my shoulders tend to slope forwards (so i correct that as best i can, but i feel doing some back of shoulder exercises may help also).

[alophysio]

hi hjohnstone,

Anterior and posterior deltoid imbalance aren;t usually the reason why the shoulders tend to slope forwards...it tends to be pec minor overactivity or tightness with a weakness in rhomboids, serratus anterior and traps.

hope you are going well otherwise