Planche pushups are named after the gymnastics move where an athlete supports himself in a horizontal position using only his hands on the floor. It's obviously a difficult pushup to perform and one that can lead to stress on the shoulders and the wrists. Shoulder pain should initially be treated with rest, though if it's serious, you should seek medical attention.
The Basics
A planche pushup takes plenty of practice and is one athletes must work up to, rather than dropping to the floor and knocking out 20 without ever trying one. In "Crossfit Journal," professional trainer Jeff Tucker suggests starting out by doing a traditional pushup and then turning your hands outward. Continue to do more pushups, but work your hands back toward your midsection. When you're ready, lift up your legs so you're just balancing on your hands.
Shoulder Trouble
If you've already been doing planche pushups and are feeling pain, the discomfort may fall into the category of injury/instability. If the bones in the shoulder joint feel as though they have been moved out of their ordinary position, the result can be instability that turns into dislocation. If you move your arm above your head and it feels as though your shoulder may slip out of its joint, you may be experiencing the beginnings of a dislocation. If not, your planche pushups may have simply strained the ligaments, tendons or muscles in the shoulder joint, a problem that may be treated with rest and ice.
Responding to Injury
If you experience mild pain after doing planche push-ups, rest your shoulder a couple of days, apply ice for 15 or 20 minutes a few times a day and see how you feel a few days later. If you're pain-free, try planche pushups again, but pay attention to your shoulders and try to not to overextend or strain your muscles. If you start to feel the same discomfort, stop and look for another exercise. If you feel a very sharp pain, stop immediately and see medical attention. If you have strained muscles, ligaments or tendons in your shoulders, you may want to try less rigorous pushups and strengthening exercises, such as wall pushups.
Conditioning
To take some of the pressure off your shoulders when doing planche push-ups, strengthen your core muscles with planks, lunges, back extensions, squats and a variety of other types of pushups. Your shoulder soreness may be the result of not yet being in the physical condition necessary to handle planche pushups. Taking a break for a while and strengthening the other muscle groups may make your next attempts at planche push-ups a little easier.
