Dr. Armin Tehrany helps weightlifters recognize and prevent shoulder impingement

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The leading platform for everything fitness, written and designed for all active women, Muscle & Fitness Hers, has introduced the fall issue of the magazine. In addition to providing informative and educational articles on how to build the right body curves, the fall issue also teaches women how to protect their shoulders while enjoying their time at the gym lifting weights. One of the stories on this topic focuses on the shoulder discomfort and soreness experienced by weightlifters. In the article, titled “Help for Sore Muscles”, the editor Kristin Mahoney specifically focuses on shoulder impingement, a shoulder condition commonly seen in gym enthusiasts. shoulder impingement For the purpose of the story, Kristin asked Dr. Armin Tehrany, New York’s top shoulder and knee doctor, to contribute with his professional opinion, and share expert recommendations for healthy shoulders in weightlifters. As one of the most mobile joints in the body, the shoulder is exceptionally susceptible to injuries and severe shoulder conditions. Shoulder impingement is a particularly common injury in weightlifters. The condition, which can be extremely painful, is usually caused by performing repetitive motions of the arms above the shoulders. Such movements are common in sports such as swimming, golf, and softball, as well as in overhead exercises such as military presses or lat pulldowns. According to Dr. Tehrany, genes can also put the shoulder at risk for an impingement injury.
“Some people are naturally more loose-jointed than others, which can put them at greater risk of impingement and instability,” noted Dr. Tehrany.
“If you have more movement in the shoulder, the joints will have a greater tendency to shift in and out during exercise, which increases the chances of developing an impingement.”
When asked how a person can recognize shoulder impingement, Dr. Tehrany explained that it usually manifests as “a sharp, stabbing pain near the surface of your skin, rather than from deep within the joint.” The first symptom of shoulder impingement is a dull pain near the shoulder blade. If that pain is left untreated, it has the potential to progress, and more severe symptoms can be experienced, such as difficulty raising the arm forward or to the side, or pain in the affected side during the night. In addition to the symptoms of an impinged shoulder, the article also covers the treatment options. If this shoulder condition is caught at its early stages, a combination of anti-inflammatory medications with rest and physical therapy can smooth out the pain and enable the shoulder to gain back its strength. Unlike mild impingement injuries, the severe ones may require a cortisone injection to release the inflammation.
“Even more advanced cases may require surgery, which may involve removing of the inflamed bursa along with smoothing out the acromion to prevent future impingement issues,” noted Dr. Tehrany.
In conclusion, Dr. Tehrany clarifies that, even though physical therapy may ease down the pain and stabilize the shoulder musculature, the root of the problem may remain active despite the treatment, and it may cause serious problems in the future.
“Unfortunately, even if you start to feel better, the bone spur that causes the impingement is still there, so you remain at risk for recurrence and a possible rotator cuff as you get older,” Dr. Tehrany concluded.
The fall issue of the Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine that features Dr. Tehrany is already available on the newsstands.