Crunchy Joints...

[WariorGoddess]

Specifically crunchy shoulders.....do any of you experience this? I've always had 'crunchy' joints but it's getting worse! It's not painful just very uncomfortable, not so much when I'm training but when I'm in bed and trying to get comfortable. My shoudlers are the worst....it's to the point where it feels like bone on bone. COuld it be a lubrication issue, maybe not enough fat in my diet I average about 40-45g's a day. A little concerned that the heavier I lift the worse it's geting....I'm currently bulking therefore my lifts are increasing which I would assume would aggravate it?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

[ilovethe80s]

My shoulder snap and crunch all day too. I have occasional impingement too, which I am not sure if it is related or not, but the crunching doesn't actually hurt.. I try and do the 'boring' stuff (band pull aparts and shoulder prehab exercises) to complement all the heavy lifting and that seems to help. The heavier I lift, the more pre-hab I do. I also seem to be a little crunchier if I start concentrating more on horizontal pressing - keeping an even balance of horizontal presses and overhead presses seems to keep the shoulders happier. HTH!

[foresail]

Recommend seeing a doctor whenever a current joint issue becomes worse or a new one suddenly appears. If you feel bones are rubbing, ask for an MRI to check what’s happening inside. Cartilage commonly wears down or degenerates for various reasons—normal aging, repetitive motion, misaligned bones, over training, trauma, excessive body weight, etc.

Weightlifting is very healthy for joints. It won’t be if your routine is causing/increasing cartilage damage, other soft tissue damage, and/or muscle imbalance. After diagnosis, you'll be more knowledgeable to decide what if anything should be changed. You may want to consider being evaluated for muscle imbalance and flexibility. Strong, balanced, and flexible muscles around joints help keep extra pressure off them.

Some folks take supplements such as fish oil, Glucosamine, and/or Chondroitin for joint health or to relieve annoying symptoms. Not a good idea to do this in lieu of proper diagnosis. Better to find out what the problem is now rather than wait until later when you’re in extreme pain.

[mbme]

Specifically crunchy shoulders.....do any of you experience this? I've always had 'crunchy' joints but it's getting worse! It's not painful just very uncomfortable, not so much when I'm training but when I'm in bed and trying to get comfortable. My shoudlers are the worst....it's to the point where it feels like bone on bone. COuld it be a lubrication issue, maybe not enough fat in my diet I average about 40-45g's a day. A little concerned that the heavier I lift the worse it's geting....I'm currently bulking therefore my lifts are increasing which I would assume would aggravate it?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sorry to hear this, but you are experiencing a breakdown within your shoulder joints. Crepitus is the clinical term you are experiencing, and the shoulder pain you mentioned sounds like tendonitis or bursitis. Best to check with your physician. You could be moving into degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis. See an expert!