Study on push-ups-caused injuries in older MAists?

[IcemanSK]

I read somewhere of a study done on older grandmasters about the injuries done to their bodies by many doing only push-ups, but I can't find where I read it. I looked in the Journal of Asian MA, but it didn't appear there. Does anyone know where that article may be found?

Thanks.

 

[JowGaWolf]

That doesn't sound like an accurate study. I know in many Chinese Martial arts the importance is on functional strength and improving muscles in a natural way. I don't know of a single case in Chinese Martial arts where they do only push-ups for conditioning. Depending on the type of martial arts I'm sure there injuries caused by push-ups is the least of the problems.

I know that there are some push up related injuries, but most of those are done to not properly conditioning the shoulders, neck, and other muscles and joints related to push ups.

 

[Jake104]

Maybe this might help?

 

[Danny T]

I am a proponent of push up training but with both shoulders having torn rotator cuffs and shoulder impingement it is rather painful to do push ups. I have attempted numerous variations of hand placement and nothing has helped.

 

[IcemanSK]

I am a proponent of push up training but with both shoulders having torn rotator cuffs and shoulder impingement it is rather painful to do push ups. I have attempted numerous variations of hand placement and nothing has helped.

What I remember from what I read was that idea: that rotator cuff issues were very common among these long-time practioners. I was reminded of it when talking to a buddy (48 years old) who was a body builder & has had several surgeries on his shoulders due to TON of bench pressing he'd done over the years. Push-ups can bring on similar issues.

 

[Danny T]

Up until the last year I was doing 100 to 200 push ups 4-5 days a week. These were full, chest to just off the floor, push ups, Today it is a struggle to to do 20 half push ups due to the pain and inflammation.

 

[JowGaWolf]

What I remember from what I read was that idea: that rotator cuff issues were very common among these long-time practioners. I was reminded of it when talking to a buddy (48 years old) who was a body builder & has had several surgeries on his shoulders due to TON of bench pressing he'd done over the years. Push-ups can bring on similar issues.

The most that I do in one day is about 20 - 40 but it's usually 2 sets of 10 or 4 sets of 10 with a break in between each set to work on a different warm up.

 

[kuniggety]

What I remember from what I read was that idea: that rotator cuff issues were very common among these long-time practioners. I was reminded of it when talking to a buddy (48 years old) who was a body builder & has had several surgeries on his shoulders due to TON of bench pressing he'd done over the years. Push-ups can bring on similar issues.

There is a huge difference in the stress put on your shoulders when pushing less than your body weight (push ups) and more than your body weight (bench press). Form is important with both but more so with bench press. I'll be honest, despite having worked with/trained with hundreds/if not thousands of folks, I've never run into anyone with shoulder issues purely from push ups. Push ups are one of the simplest and best forms of building upper body strength. The only one better is pull ups.

 

[Zero]

Up until the last year I was doing 100 to 200 push ups 4-5 days a week. These were full, chest to just off the floor, push ups, Today it is a struggle to to do 20 half push ups due to the pain and inflammation.

I'm a great one for rehab and pro-active remedial action rather than just pain management or masking. Not saying you are not the same. But have you/are you seeing anyone for your hurt shoulders? I have damaged (minor tear once and bad strain another time on both shoulders through the rotator muscles) shoulders in the past from fighting and from weight training. I have managed to get these fixed in both instances and without surgery (which for the right injury is also a good option).

I am not a fan of steroid injections (as I understand repeated injections can make muscle and ligament brittle over time) but maybe a cortisone injection will take away the inflammation completely in the shoulder, thus removing the impingement so that you can slowly work up to your old level and get back to normal?

The tear happened a long time ago and I fixed this through great patience and a lot of re-hab work with good specialists. The strain in both rotators happened about a year ago while I was maxing out on press in the gym. The impingement never settled down completely and so I got a cortisone injection, that fixed the swelling and allowed the muscles and bone to settle back into free movement without impingement. I am now (almost) back to where I was strength wise and have full movement of the joints now for grappling. I did a lot, and still do, of re-hab and movement work in conjunction.

peace!

 

[Zero]

What I remember from what I read was that idea: that rotator cuff issues were very common among these long-time practioners. I was reminded of it when talking to a buddy (48 years old) who was a body builder & has had several surgeries on his shoulders due to TON of bench pressing he'd done over the years. Push-ups can bring on similar issues.

I never (not yet at least) got any shoulder issues from doing heaps of push ups, it was only from a shoulder lock and then separately from weight lifting. I do not think push ups would have the same effect or risk of damage as barbell bench press...with push ups it is only body weight (unless you have twins sitting on your back...) and you can move to some degree, whereas in bench you can monster up the weight to multiples of body weight and you are locked into the one rigid position and range of motion when using the bar on the bench.

I had expected you were going to say the damage was more with respect to knuckle hand damage, in karate there is a ton of knuckle push ups done on hard floors and I had thought that would be more likely the area of damage...

 

[Danny T]

The problem didn't develop from doing pushups but from shoulder damage. Have had the shoulders repaired over 20 years ago and then injured again. On top of that there is osteoarthritis in both that contributes to the problems.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I've never run into anyone with shoulder issues purely from push ups.

Same here but I've seen many people who have incorrect form when doing push ups causing elbow, wrist, and back injuries from jumping into push ups before they could actually do a correct one.

 

[JowGaWolf]

The problem didn't develop from doing pushups but from shoulder damage. Have had the shoulders repaired over 20 years ago and then injured again. On top of that there is osteoarthritis in both that contributes to the problems.

Sounds like you could use some good ole Tai Chi. Is there anything that helps with the osteoarthritis?