Doing certain shoulder exercises like behind-the-neck pulldowns or military presses might increase your risk of shoulder instability, but strengthening the external rotator muscles could help protect your shoulders.

37

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

37

Community contributions welcome

37

Characteristics of Anterior Shoulder Instability and Hyperlaxity in the Weight-Training Population

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2013 May

The study found that weight-training moves where you reach behind your head, like certain pulldowns and shoulder presses, are linked to shoulder instability, while strengthening the external rotators helps protect against it—just like the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

0

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Characteristics of Anterior Shoulder Instability and Hyperlaxity in the Weight-Training Population

Score: 37

DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e318269f776

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Guys who lift weights are more likely to show signs of loose shoulders—even if they don’t feel any pain—compared to guys who don’t lift.

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If you're used to lifting weights and do shoulder presses sitting down, using an unstable weight or an unstable surface means you won't be able to lift as much weight.

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