Increasing Tendon and Ligament Strength

[woda]

I have a history of shoulder problems: 6 dislocatios, surgery 10 years ago. It hasn't gone out since the surgery, but every now and again it feels like it wants to and a sharp, searing pain shoots through the soldier. This happens when I move it without thinking, but not when I have control over it. Lifting is fine.

Does anyone know any exercises specifically designed to target and increase the tendon and ligament strength in this area?

[ebon00]

Increasing tendon strength and elasticity isn't the easiest thign you can do. The best bet is to first really strengthen the surrounding muscles to make sure that's not the problem. (I've had similar problems with partial luxation myself.)

Start out doing rotator cuff work 3 days a week. It sounds much but you won't be doing much volume or intensity since it's such a small group of muscles. Most people have an anterior to posterior strength difference (meaning your front delts are stronger than they need to be realtive to the muscles on the back of the shoulder) so start stretching your front delts and pecs more. Reduce any direct front delt work as well.

To work the tendons and ligaments you need heavy weights and that can be dangerous. The best results are ususally with lockout holds for two exercises: overhead press and bench press. After your regular chest session, load up a supramaximal load (make sure you have a spotter), unrack it and hold it at arms length for 15-30 seconds. 2-3 of these is more than enough. Do the same for overhead presses after your delt workout (if they're separate). You might have some problems getting the weight into position there so either split jerk or push press a fairly heavy weight overhead and hold it there. That's a great exercises to stabilize the shoulder.

[woda]

bump

[Alex(AJ)]

without seeing you and phsyically being able to diagnos it (not that i could if i saw you, lol), i'd say see a physiotherapist and describe your problem to them.

[Streax]

I had a serious dislocation from getting hit by a car and then a subluxation a year later... It has been 2 years now since the original incident. It felt like my tendons and ligaments were really weak as well, and I took it REALLY easy for a while in the gym and made sure that I didn't torque anything too hard. I had a couple pinches and tweaks here and there of the past year, but I have just been gradually bringing the weight up and not trying to push things too hard too fast. One thing that I completely stay away from as the doctor advised me is weighting my arm heavily in excercises where my arm is in the position like I am raising my hand to ask a question in a classroom especially where my arm is bent to 90 degrees. As this will always be a weak position and the most prone to failure for me at least because of the kind of dislocation I had.

I have put on some good mass and strength, and it really has not hurt me all too bad. It has definitely gotten stronger now, and sometimes I tweak my left shoulder before I feel anything in my right (the bad one!)

There is hope, just be slow and deliberate and the strength will come.

-Jim

[woda]

Streax, that's interesting. The shoulder press or military press then is one you would stay away from? Strange, because it doesn't seem to bother me that much, but then we're probably injured in different regions of the shoulder. Although, before the surgery, putting my arm in this position (like putting your hand up to ask a question in class or putting on your jacket) and then pushing it straight back would result in dislocation. This, in fact, is how the doctors would put it back in. After a few dislocations, however, just lunging my arm forward (like going for a loose puck, for example) would dislocate it. The surgery definitely helped and lifting doesn't seem to affect it. The opposite, actually.

Of course, I'd like to avoid anything that will damage the rotator cuff. Would reaaallly sloooowwww push-ups help with the increased tendon and ligament strength?

Been to physio on occassion, but it's too expensive to go to forever. I get an awful lot of grinding in my shoulder and stuff that feels loose, like cartialage just floating around. The best physio and doctors have given me is scar tissue, which the physiotherapist gets rid of with those ultrasound treatments.