Kipping pull-ups are a method of jerking and bouncing your way through a pull-up instead of using the actual strength and power of your muscles to get your chin over the bar. This can subject your elbow and shoulder joints to a great deal of stress. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.
The Shoulder Joint
The shoulder joint itself is a ball joint, which means that the round end of one bone, in this case the humerus, or upper arm, fits neatly into a socket-type depression. This is a fairly shallow depression, resulting in an inherent instability of the shoulder joint. There is, however, a cup of cartilage that surrounds the end of your humerus called the labrum, which serves to stabilize the shoulder a bit more. The labrum allows the shoulder, or the arm, to rotate through a greater range of motion than any other joint in the body.
SLAP Tears
Superior labrum from anterior to posterior, or SLAP tear is when a tear occurs in your labrum. The muscle of your biceps narrows down into a tendon which inserts into the labrum. This area is predisposed to injury secondary to trauma when the joint is subject to sudden stress, such as bouncing out of the bottom of a pull-up. The area of your labrum where the biceps tendon inserts does not have as much blood flow as other areas, and is at greater risk of injury when the biceps is fully stretched.
Recognizing and Dealing With a SLAP Tear
If you have pain in your shoulder joint, it may not be a SLAP tear, but if you have problems moving your arm overhead, throwing anything, or a catching or pinching sensation in your shoulder, you should consult a physician. Never attempt to self-diagnose, as proper recognition of a SLAP tear usually requires a contrast MRI. If you have one, your treatment may range from physical therapy to anti-inflammatory medications to more aggressive medications. If these do not work, surgery may be indicated.
Avoiding a SLAP Tear
Do not bounce out of the bottom of a pull-up. Do not knee kick, throw yourself over the bar, attempt to turn cartwheels or dance the Paso Doble. The exercise is called a pull-up for a reason, and if you do it correctly by smoothing pulling yourself up and lowering yourself in a controlled manner, you will avoid SLAP tears. You can also avoid elbow pain by not risking elbow hyper-extension.
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