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Originally Posted by RubyCamaro
Just the person I need. I have done weight training on & off most of my life. I took weight training in college (and kinesiology which I might add was the hardest undergraduate course I ever took!) so I basicly know correct form. I just re-started doing some weight training just using dumbells & ankle weights. I expect muscle soreness, without it I am not working hard enough. But this time I noticed it was hurting a little in my elbows & sholders. I have avoided using resistance bands for several years in exercize classes because they felt like they were putting strain on my joints. No problem, I just substituted equivalent moves with dumbells & all was well. I am 53 yo. The discomfort was not bad & was gone in a day or 2 but is there something different I need to do now that I am .........Okay I'll say it........old :( ?
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First off, I commend you for resistance training, as many people as they age completely leave it out of there regimen. They tend to focus on cardiovascular work (most of the time because they try to use it as their sole means of weight loss, but it should be primarily used for a healthier cardiovascular system), but they neglect resistance training. It's also a huge benefit that you've taken a Kinesiology course in College because you now have a great idea about exercise movements and proper technique. I can relate to you saying Kinesiology courses can be tough, ha-ha. Some of mine were definitely packed with studying non stop, but I love it, so it eased the mental pain.
As for the joint pain (shoulders and elbows), how long have you been resistance training consistently? Or, in other words, how long was your break from resistance training and how many workouts have you performed since your return to it? Joint pain can be associated with many different aspects, so it's hard to know what the true issue is especially when I haven't worked with you or know your health background and previous injuries (especially in those joints). Many times, the pain is felt in the musculotendinous junction (area where the muscle meets the tendon), and sometimes it's deeper in the joint itself. Since I just read your new post that the pain seems to have subsided, it's seems that it was a minor issue thankfully
. From the sound of it, the pain could have been associated with your return to resistance training, and possibly how your performed your resistance training (not necessarily your exercise technique, as you said you feel confident it the movements), but more associated with the repetition range used, sets, overall volume, etc. So, what repetition range did you use (and did you go to muscular fatigue, and how fast were the sets performed while the muscle was under load), and how many sets per muscle group were performed, as well as the range of motion (ROM) performed in the movements (an excessive ROM can be hazardous since the small protein fibers/cells responsible for cross-bridging (in essence, muscle shortening/lengthening) don't have sufficient overlap to actually contract. Think of it like this, they are trying to connect to each other, but they are just too far apart, so this leads to increased risk of muscle strain).
Many times, when introducing resistance training back into an exercise routine after too long of a break, especially if the load used during training is relatively heavy and total volume was high, joint pain will be common. The muscles will definitely be sore from resistance training (also remember, you don't necessarily haveeee to be sore to produce results
). However, the tendons and ligaments take a particularly large beating during training when it's introduced after a break. Tendons take longer to recover than muscles do from a bout of resistance training, since they have a poor blood supply in comparison to muscles. Keep in mind that the tendons are what's carrying tensile forces from muscle to bone. This is one major reason why resistance training is critical as aging occurs. A loaded (from resistance of any sort) muscle will have these loads carried to the tendons, followed by the bone structure. This loading (medium and high intensity resistance only) will help activate beneficial bone cells called osteoblasts, which help build bone density. Osteoclasts are opposing bone cells used to break down and remove bone. Estrogen in females actually inhibits osteoclast activity to help maintain bone mineral density. As females age, and estrogen levels take a hit, they don't have as much of this added benefit they once had. Resistance training has also been shown to be of great benefit to individuals with Osteoarthritis (OA) So, resistance training makes even more sense to help retain as much bone density as possible, as this also provides a great base for an individual to build upon their muscular structure, as well as stabilize joints and reduce the chance of injury.