Push-ups: Tips to Avoid Shoulder Injuries

Push-ups are one of the most popular strength training exercises, especially for home workouts. They work multiple muscle groups, including the chest, triceps, abs, and of course, the shoulders. However, without the correct technique, they can cause shoulder injuries , a common problem among those who do them.

If you’re trying to improve your performance or include push-ups in your workout routine, it’s essential to learn how to avoid injuries . Here are some important tips for protecting your shoulders during push-ups.

Further Reading: The Best Home Exercises for Beginners

1. Proper Warm-up

Before you start doing push-ups, it's important to warm up your shoulder and upper body muscles . Arm rotations, shoulder raises, and dynamic stretches can help increase circulation and prepare your muscles for the effort.

2. Correct Hand Positioning

The position of your hands during push-ups has a big impact on the pressure placed on your shoulders. To protect your shoulders:

• Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your fingers pointing forward.
• Avoid placing your hands too far apart or too close together, which can put strain on your shoulder joints.

3. Body Posture

Maintaining correct posture during exercise is essential:

• Keep your body in a straight line, from your head to your heels.
• Avoid letting your hips drop or rise too much. Body misalignment increases pressure on your shoulders.
• Activates the core (abdomen and lower back) to support posture and reduce impact on the shoulders.

4. Controlled Movement

One of the most common mistakes is to do push-ups quickly and uncontrollably. This can cause sudden movements that put strain on your shoulders. Instead:

• Lower yourself slowly , until your chest is almost touching the floor.
• Keep your elbows slightly bent at the end of the upward movement (do not lock them) so as not to overload your joints.
• Control the movement throughout the exercise to avoid injuries.

5. Elbow in a Safe Position

Shoulders can suffer a lot if the elbows are poorly positioned. During push-ups:

• Keep your elbows close to your body, forming an angle of about 45 degrees.
• Avoid letting your elbows flare out too far to the sides, as this puts excessive pressure on your shoulders.

6. Gradual Progression

If you’re a beginner or recovering from an injury, it’s important to start gradually. You can start with incline push-ups (with your hands on a bench or raised surface), which reduces the load on your shoulders. As you gain strength, you can lower the incline until you can do push-ups on the floor.

7. Strengthening the Shoulder Muscles

Having strong muscles in your shoulders and around your shoulder blades is crucial to avoiding injuries. Include exercises that target your deltoids , trapezius, and rotator cuff muscles in your routine. Exercises like lateral raises, external rotations, and planks help strengthen and stabilize your shoulders.

8. Listen to the Body

Pain is a sign that something is wrong. If you feel pain in your shoulders during or after doing push-ups, stop and reevaluate your technique. Don't ignore the pain, as it could be a warning sign of a more serious injury. Give your body time to recover and, if necessary, seek professional help.

Conclusion

Push-ups are a great upper-body strengthening exercise, but like any other movement, it’s crucial to perform them with proper technique to avoid shoulder injuries. By following these tips, you can continue to perform push-ups safely and efficiently, maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks.

Remember: preventing injuries is key to achieving your goals in a sustainable and healthy way. Train smart, respect your limits and keep your technique first.