What can I use as a substitute for pushups?

Question

I have a bad shoulder and can no longer do pushups without great pain. Do you have any suggestions what I might do instead of pushups?

Answer 1

swimming does less stress on your arms but you have to vigorously do it for you to feel  the workout.

Answer 2

a push up is really just a combination of several different lifts.  To supplemtent for push ups, try:

bench press, military press, lat pull, weighted rowing, tricep press, hammer bicep curl.

most of these are gonna be pretty labor intense on your shoulder.  So make sure to start of very light and work your way up.  If you experience pain or discomfort, STOP! and then lighten your load.

Answer 3

I, too, have a bad shoulder. I have found more specific excercises in a gym that don't hurt as much as pushups. Try pec flys, tricep extensions and shoulder shrugs, at first with very light weight. If anything hurts bad, stop and let it heal before you try anything new. Other than that, we are bound to suffer for eternity it seems. If pushups hurt that bad, a doc might even recommend surgury- see one if you haven't already. It could just be a fluid sac inside the joint that takes months to heal with ibuprofen. I had one of those in high school, very painful. Hope this helps, good luck

Answer 4

You could use resistance bands and/or light weights.

Answer 5

If it gives you great pain as you stated then you need to give that shoulder a rest. If it doesn't get better in a couple weeks then you need to see an orthopedic MD. You could have a bad sprain or strain whichever you want to call it or it could be something more serious like a tear in the muscle or tendon. If it hurts -- don't do it!