Protect Your Shoulders: How to Avoid Impingement When Weight Training

Lateral Raise

Shoulder impingement occurs when soft tissue structures between the upper arm bone and the shoulder blades become compressed. This is quite commonly experienced when performing side raises to stimulate the middle portion of the shoulder muscles.                                                                                            

To reduce irritation caused by shoulder impingement, we can perform side raises about 30–45 degrees forward of the torso (scapular plane) instead of directly out to the side (frontal plane) (see Fig 1). This angle aligns the upper arm bone with the natural resting angle of the shoulder blade, which helps prevent shoulder impingement.

When doing side raises straight out to the side, it tends to cause the upper arm bone to push against the shoulder blade, compressing the soft tissue structures between them, causing shoulder impingement. Whereas lateral raises done at the 30–45 degree angle help maintain the natural spacing between the upper arm bone and shoulder blade, allowing pain-free movement.

Another key benefit of doing side raises at a 30-45 degree angle is that it allows the shoulder blade to rotate upward freely. This upward rotation elevates and opens space between the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade, further reducing compression of the soft tissue structures between them.

The shoulder raise done at the 30-45 degree angle respects the natural orientation of the shoulder and gives vulnerable structures the room they need to move without irritation.

For more information on how to train effectively and avoid injury, contact us to book a one-on-one session with our all-star personal training team. Call 403 263-3113 or email at personaltraining@heavensacademy.com