Skip to content

My right shoulder is acting up today.

Created 2026-04-03
Type forum-topic
Status publish
Tags forum-topiccommunityauto-synced

Group: Author: James Murray | Posted: 2026-04-03


I compensated by bending my right arm so there was only half the weight pulling on the shoulder. Is this the best way to modify?


Hi, James, thank you for your question.

In Baseworks, the rule of thumb is: if you have a limitation on one side that prevents you from performing a particular movement, you adjust the execution on the other (healthy/more capable/better ROM) side to perform “the same movements” on both sides.

This follows from the principles of Intensity Modification and Gridlines & Symmetry.

Bending elbows is acceptable (if performed on both sides), although we would typically recommend keeping the elbows straight but not lifting the arms to the height that causes tension/compression/pain in the shoulder.