Do pendlay rows require the same adjustments as bench presses to avoid shoulder impingement?
When doing bench presses, it is commonly advised not to touch the barbell high on the chest (near the clavicle) but lower, at the bottom of the sternum. This avoids having the arms out at a 90° angle to the side of the torso, which can lead to shoulder impingement. The problem there is that at the bottom of the movement, the acromion runs into the rotator cuff muscles, leading to irritation and possible damage. Touching lower on the chest makes the arms move more towards a 45° angle, avoiding shoulder impingement.
My question is, do similar concerns play a role in barbell rows? I'm thinking more specifically strict rows that keep the upper body entirely or at least quite a bit horizontal, such as pendlay rows. Intuitively I would think that it's also best not to flare the upper arms out to 90° (or close to it) and keep them more around a 45° angle with the upper body, since otherwise at the top of the movement, when the barbell touches the chest, the same shoulder impingement could occur. But maybe the nature of the movement is different enough that this is not the case. I know a vertical push such as an overhead press does not cause shoulder impingement because the scapulae are kept mobile, while on a bench they're locked in place. On a row, they also get some freedom of movement, so maybe that avoids impingement.
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No, there is a fundamental difference between the Pendlay row and the bent-over barbell row. Neither of which, if you execute proper form, put your shoulders in a position to impinge.
The Pendlay Row has your torso, more or less, parallel with the ground and you pull the bar to your sternum (or just below) from the ground. You can pull a barbell to sternum without having your shoulders perpendicular to your torso. Your arms are typically between 45 and 75 degrees depending on your anthropometry and bio mechanics.
The Bent-over Row is where your torso is at 45 degrees, plus or minus a little, and you pull the barbell to your hips. Also, you continue holding the barbell during the exercise as opposed to starting each rep from the floor like the Pendlay Row.
The stabilizer muscles that are engaged are pretty much the same, the difference might be which ones have more stress on them. This is a result of the differences in how these similar exercises are executed.
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