Orthopaedic surgeon reveals 1 common exercise that destroys your shoulders; shares alternative workout to protect joints

Exercise is great for health but should not come at the cost of your bones and joints. Dr Denard shares a shoulder movement that strengthens and protects them.

Exercise is essential for strength, mobility, and long-term health - but pushing your body at the expense of your joints can do more harm than good. While regular workouts are widely encouraged, certain popular gym movements, especially when performed incorrectly or without adequate mobility, can quietly place excessive stress on the shoulders and lead to gradual damage over time. That’s why choosing the right exercises - ones that build strength while protecting your bones and joints - matters just as much as staying consistent.

Dr Patrick Denard, an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in shoulder instability, dislocations and shoulder arthritis, has flagged a widely performed gym exercise that is often believed to build shoulder strength - but may, in reality, be actively damaging the shoulders when done routinely or incorrectly.

In an Instagram video shared on January 30, the orthopaedic surgeon explains why overhead military presses should be approached with caution, and offers smarter exercise swaps that build shoulder strength while better protecting long-term shoulder health.

This exercise is destroying your shoulders

Dr Denard highlights a widely performed gym exercise that may be quietly wreaking havoc on shoulder health. He explains that the overhead military press, in particular, can be problematic as it places excessive and often unnecessary strain on the shoulder joint - especially when performed with poor mobility or improper form - increasing the risk of long-term wear and injury.

The orthopaedic surgeon states, “I repair shoulders for a living and here's my least favorite exercise that I see people doing in the gym that's destroying their shoulders. The overhead military press. This exercise places a ton of stress on your shoulders.”

What works better?

Dr Denard recommends a safer, more joint-friendly alternative that protects the rotator cuff while still effectively strengthening the shoulders: arm abduction exercises performed with light weights. He demonstrates the movement using small dumbbells in each hand, emphasising controlled lifts, proper alignment, and gradual loading - an approach that builds shoulder strength without placing excessive stress on the joints.

The surgeon highlights, “If you want to protect your rotator cuff but still strengthen your shoulders, I'm a much bigger fan of abduction exercises, especially eccentric with very light weight. So, taking a light weight going in the plane of the scapula and then just going very slowly down. You're still going to get the effect of muscle activation. But here I'm much more protected, my rotator cuff being in the plane of the scapula.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.