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Thepush-upis one of my favorite exercises.
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But there was a time when just a few reps left my shoulders and wrists aching.
Turns out, shoulder and wrist pain during push-ups have different causes and, therefore, different solutions.
Push-ups should be regarded as a total-body exercise, not a chest or shoulder exercise.
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This means yourcore has to work overtimeto keep everything aligned throughout the motion.
This creates an angle that loads the shoulders with a lot of stress, Matheny says.
According to Kechijian, experiencing shoulder pain during push-ups doesnt necessarily mean youve caused damage.
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It could just be a warning sign, he says.
Its kind of like your bodys way of saying, Hey chill out.
Dont do as many of these, or do it in a different way.
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Or, modify the push-up to make it more manageable.
A short-term fix is to perform push-ups with closed fists or on parallel bars.
Long-term, youll want to improve your wrist mobility so that extension is no longer painful, says Kechijian.
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Ease into push-ups and back off a bit if the mobility drill doesnt resolve your wrist pain.
If pain still persists, it might be worth seeing a physical therapist to see what’s up.
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