Although rest is the best thing you can do when you have a shoulder injury, you may still have the desire to exercise your chest during your recovery. Seek your doctor's permission before continuing your workout program and always use an extended warm-up to protect your muscles from further discomfort. With a few adjustments to traditional exercises, you should be able to build your chest and protect your shoulder.
Shoulder Anatomy
Your shoulder is involved in almost all of your upper body movements. The shoulder is a combination of four joints. The connections are between your chest and collar bone, shoulder blade and collar bone, shoulder blade and upper arm, and shoulder blade and chest. These groupings lead to a very unstable shoulder area that is prone to injury. To aid in shoulder stabilization, your body uses the muscles of your chest, back and shoulder. Injuries can include breaks, tears or dislocations and may require physical therapy, rest or surgery in order to repair your shoulder.
Lightweight Resistance
You can modify your workout program to include chest flye movements when you have a shoulder injury. An exercise resistance band is a lightweight tool that you can secure to a door frame and using a straight arm, pull one end towards the mid-line of your body. You can also use the band wrapped around your back and held in both hands as you open and close your straightened arms.
Modifications
As your strength progresses and your injury begins to improve you can use the weight of your body to strengthen your chest. A push-up can be modified by performing it against a wall. Your hands should be placed at your shoulder width. Stand close to the wall when first attempting the exercise and evaluate your level of shoulder pain. If your pain is not too high, you can move your feet further from the wall for increased challenge.
Free Weights
After using your resistance band and your own body's weight for exercise and your shoulder continues to improve, you can advance to using dumbbells. A chest flye can be performed by lying on your back and holding a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms straight out towards the ceiling, but keep a slight bend in your elbows. The flye movement is executed by lowering your arms out to your sides and then returning them to the starting position.
Contraindicated Exercises
Some chest exercises place stress on your shoulder joint. Until your injury is healed, you should avoid the wide grip bench press. Placing your hands too far apart on a barbell activates the rotator deep within your shoulder. Also avoid a bench press where the bar comes down too high on your chest. This press movement is difficult no matter which shoulder injury you have. You should not do full body dips as most of your weight is being supported by your shoulders for this exercise in which you bend and straighten your elbows to raise and lower your body. A dumbbell pullover, where you are on your back and reach the dumbbell over your head, will also aggravate any shoulder condition.
