joint pain after doing push-ups

[kornphlake]

I started a new work out program to get rid of my moobs, I started doing 10 push-ups (I hate the burning soreness I get when I jump in whole hog) and added 1 push up each day after that. I'm up to 30 push-ups now and my shoulders are getting really sore. My right shoulder was injured when I slipped and fell on some ice a few years ago, if it was sore I wouldn't be too concerned, but my left shoulder is the one that is sore and it's never been injured. It's a joint pain, it hurts when I push on something in certain directions with moderate force, again this is not muscle soreness from exercise, it's joint pain.

I'm 32 years old, 6'2 about 170lbs, I am fairly active, I exercise for 4-5 hours per week, but most of my activity is walking/hiking or cycling. I have a history of joint and bone problems on my mother's side, I'm concerned that I may be predisposed to the same problems my mother has, although her problems didn't start until she was into her late 40's. I'd rather have soft, sexy moobs than live with pain in my shoulders for the rest of my life, but if there's something I can do differently in my exercise and not have pain or moobs I'd rather go that route. Is there something wrong with my technique when I do push-ups? I spread my hands about twice my shoulder width on the floor and lower my body until my elbows form a right angle, then push up, it's how I was taught to do push-ups in junior high school.

 

[repoman0]

Stretch your shoulders out before you do push-ups. Rotate them around a bunch of times with your arm out straight. You also might just need to get stronger shoulders. I've hurt my right shoulder a bunch of times throwing baseballs and other things too hard without a proper warmup, it helped a lot to just work up strength by using the guided overhead press machine at the gym - started at only 40lbs and that hurt sometimes, but now I do 100+ pain free (actually I do the real overhead press now and it's back under 100 pounds). Just make sure to stretch beforehand.

Also, when you do push-ups, don't stop doing down until your nose is just about to the floor!

 

[Exodist]

I spread my hands about twice my shoulder width on the floor and lower my body until my elbows form a right angle, then push up, it's how I was taught to do push-ups in junior high school.

This is also how I was taught in the Navy to do push ups as its less evasive from what I was told on some older worn joints. I am 33 also, so I know about the in-coming old man pains your getting. Just make sure you stretch completely and rotate your joins thoroughly to make sure they are well lubricated before and between each exercise.

I also recommend the 5x5 method for push ups and sit ups. It will help you build the muscle faster and more muscle you build the more support those joints will get.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I can't say for sure, but if you sit and work with forward shoulders a lot, you could just be symptomatic due to your humeral head position. Work on stretching your pec major and minor, then slowly work back into the pushups. Also, don't do such wide pushups. Slightly outside of the shoulders is more than enough, especially if you don't have good retraction.