Finally pain free

[Marvcus]

Hi all,

The past 4 years I've been riddled with costocondritis and shoulder impingement but have recently been pain free

I haven't worked out since 2019 and I'm worried about injuring myself again because it did get me depressed

Are their any real exercises I should avoid?

When I start up again I'll be doing a very basic full body workout

Squats, deadlifts, dumbbell bench, pull-ups no direct arm work

Anything I need to look out for?

[LDARidonot]

I can't address costocondritis because I don't have any experience with or know what it is. But with shoulder impingement, you want to avoid anything that aggravates it - typically when the arm is flexed at least 90 degrees at the shoulder with simultaneous internal rotation.

I would avoid anything that causes pain.

Maybe add rotator cuff strengthening exercises to your routine - where you lay on your side with a light dumbbell, elbow tucked to torso, elbow bent at 90 degrees. Exercises: external rotations (works the infraspinatus, teres minor), internal rotations (works the subscapularis).

The trouble causer is the supraspinatus, because it can get compressed against the acromion of the scapula when the arm is raised. It can be worked by doing lateral raises. Albeit, they need to be pain free.

A risk factor for shoulder impingement is having weak serratus anterior. Part of what the serratus anterior does is upwardly rotates the scapula when the arms are raised overhead. This allows the supraspinatus more room to function in an 'arms overhead' position. Serratus anterior can be worked by scapular pushups - where you have your hands on the ground like the pushup position (arms not bent), and try to push yourself away from the floor by protracting your scapula.

[Marvcus]

I can't address costocondritis because I don't have any experience with or know what it is. But with shoulder impingement, you want to avoid anything that aggravates it - typically when the arm is flexed at least 90 degrees at the shoulder with simultaneous internal rotation.

I would avoid anything that causes pain.

Maybe add rotator cuff strengthening exercises to your routine - where you lay on your side with a light dumbbell, elbow tucked to torso, elbow bent at 90 degrees. Exercises: external rotations (works the infraspinatus, teres minor), internal rotations (works the subscapularis).

The trouble causer is the supraspinatus, because it can get compressed against the acromion of the scapula when the arm is raised. It can be worked by doing lateral raises. Albeit, they need to be pain free.

A risk factor for shoulder impingement is having weak serratus anterior. Part of what the serratus anterior does is upwardly rotates the scapula when the arms are raised overhead. This allows the supraspinatus more room to function in an 'arms overhead' position. Serratus anterior can be worked by scapular pushups - where you have your hands on the ground like the pushup position (arms not bent), and try to push yourself away from the floor by protracting your scapula.

Appreciate it mate

I have no pain in my shoulders at all I'm just worried, appreciate breaking down the movements I need to do rotator cuff wise

I'm currently using resistance bands so I will use them for the exercises you mentioned

Think the main reason I had impingement was poor posture due to an under developed mid trap area between the shoulder blades

[LDARidonot]

I can see how an under developed mid trap could cause problems. I would be careful with the pullups. They've been hit or miss as far as flaring up my shoulder. If any problems occur, maybe neutral grip or supinated grip pull-ups could be an option. Maybe nothing will happen though and everything will go well.

I like deficit romanian deadlifts w/ wide grip for my mid traps. These have aggravated my impingement before, so I let the shoulder heal for a few days and decreased the deficit. I'm back to doing them with less deficit and there haven't been any problems.

Of course, you hope there's not a bone spur or a serious rotator cuff tear causing the issue, if the issue is persistent and resistant to therapeutic exercises.