Pain when doing Deadlifts... Alternatives?

bla55

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Well, here's the deal; I played football through High School and some college. During that time I busted my shoulder COUNTLESS times, culminating with absolutely blowing my left shoulder and tearing up tons of ligaments and having to have reconstructive surgery. Needless to say, no more football after that for me and long story short they are nowhere near "ideal" right now.

They don't bother me much at all on a day to day basis, I'm able to do everything with certain caution. There are very few things that bother me workout wise, and I always do strengthening exercises for them as well as shoulder overextensions to help as well. But there are a few things that I just can't really do, planks being one of them, and recently, deadlifts.

Here's the thing; my back / legs don't have much of a problem with the weights that I deadlift, but my shoulders start giving in before I really get to my breaking points. My grip as well (can get a strap to fix that, but shoulder is the where the problem really lies) but specially since I do DC workout it becomes a big problem as on the widowmaker set I have so much more to give but am giving up on the 12th or so because my shoulders hurt.

Any thoughts on solutions or is it just gonna have to be something I will have to deal with and pick another exercise?
 
AZMIDLYF

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For starters, do away with the straps. I find that they tend to just let the shoulders hang there and come forward instead of staying back and more involved in the lift. I'm sure you have been doing Rotator cuff support exercises. If not then get on that.
 
bla55

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Giving in just in a manner of speech. It will just start being really painful and I start losing arm strength as if I am unable to hold the bar anymore and almost some numbness in my arms, which is the point I tend to quit the exercise and call it a wrap. But while the arms are giving in and shoulders are hurting, my legs and back still have plenty of gas to go, which is the frustrating part.

As far as rotator cuff exercises, yes, I hit it from all angles, inwards, outwards, upwards and downwards. I haven't gotten a strap yet, that was just one of my thoughts to fix the lack of grip that seems to hit me midways.
 
808rebel

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For starters, do away with the straps. I find that they tend to just let the shoulders hang there and come forward instead of staying back and more involved in the lift. I'm sure you have been doing Rotator cuff support exercises. If not then get on that.
i was just about to say the same thing. get some chaulk, it'll change ur life. Eventually ur grip will get so good that u only need chaulk on heavy sets.
 
bla55

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What do you do for traps?
Traps I will do behind the back shrugs, dumbbell shrugs or smith shrugs, but I usually focus on considerably lower weights than when I'm deadliftings and focus mostly on a very very slow and steady movement, hitting all around and resting on top for a bit. Usually rest pause as well so as the sequence goes it becomes easier as the reps diminish.

The biggest problem on the deadlifts is the longer sets, the widowmakers and whatnot. For 6 - 10 I can endure the pain and keep trucking (although the pain is present) but for deadlifts I finish up way sooner than I should because of shoulder.

Also, it's not even as much about the grip as in the bar is slipping but more as in my forearms and shoulders are starting to fail.
 
ZiR RED

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Giving in just in a manner of speech. It will just start being really painful and I start losing arm strength as if I am unable to hold the bar anymore and almost some numbness in my arms, which is the point I tend to quit the exercise and call it a wrap. But while the arms are giving in and shoulders are hurting, my legs and back still have plenty of gas to go, which is the frustrating part.

As far as rotator cuff exercises, yes, I hit it from all angles, inwards, outwards, upwards and downwards. I haven't gotten a strap yet, that was just one of my thoughts to fix the lack of grip that seems to hit me midways.
That would indicate some form of nerve impingement. Describe better where you feel the pain and numbness, and we may be able to narrow it down to a few nerves of the brachial plexus.

On the RC exercises. No need to do any internal rotations. Do external, and make sure you squeeze a pad or towell roll between your arm and side when doing them.

Br
 
bla55

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Well, it is usually goes and starts on the shoulder cup itself, like the deltoids, and spreads to the biceps and upper side of the forearms. Then once I let go of the bar it just starts tingling all over.

But that usually comes after my shoulder is hurting a few reps in, it would be, I guess the best way I can explain is as if I was doing one of the extreme stretches for my shoulders in the DC routine, a pain as what I would feel about 40 seconds into the stretch.
 
ZiR RED

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Ok, that would lead me to think that there is some impingement of the axillary, radial, and musculotaneous nerves (c5-c7). Of course, thats a guess, not a diagnosis.

The next question would be where and why. Do you keep your shoulders pulled back when deadlifting? If not, try that. Also, flex your wrists at the bottom to improve lat recruitment.
 
Rodja

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About 2 months ago, I had an impingement in my upper trap/neck are that radiated down my right arm and I had partial numbness in my index and middle fingers. The things that I did to help it was to do scapula restrations on an incline bench (mainly to stretch the fascia of the traps), multiple session per day with my Rumble Roller, taking some time off from heavy squats, and get a couple of adjustments at my chiropractor.
 
bla55

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Will give those a try, including the scapula exercises and the back arching for my shoulders.

I know there isn't much as far as an as complete exercise as deadlifts, but is there anything that I can sub in to see how it goes if it continues?
 
Rodja

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Will give those a try, including the scapula exercises and the back arching for my shoulders.

I know there isn't much as far as an as complete exercise as deadlifts, but is there anything that I can sub in to see how it goes if it continues?
It's not as demanding on the CNS and requires a lot of time to get down the technique, but the Good Morning is the best lift to build both the Squat and the Deadlift.
 

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