Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below I have just recently started getting a bad pain in my left shoulder. It is triggered after I do chest....intially from close grip presses. I have trnded to sway away from BB work for the plain fact of the stress I feel on my shoulders, and stayed with DB work. Now it seems as if DB is aggrevating it as well. any idea what is causing this? My form is good! Should I lay off pressing excercises for awhile or work through it?
Shoulder Pain?
- Thread starter beastboy
- Start date
I noticed that no one has responded to your query yet, so I thought I'd put in my two cents. I'm no doctor, but have dealt with a shoulder injury. It seems to me that the shoulder is the area causing the most problems for weightlifters/bodybuilders, and can become chronic due to poor blood circulation in the area. From what I know, it could be caused from a musculature imbalance between the front and the back of your shoulder girdle (e.g., training chest more than back). It could be tendonitis/bursitis from an impingement in the rotator cuff (i.e., there’s not an adequate amount of room for the uppermost tendon of the rotator cuff to pass beneath the bone on the top of the shoulder, called the acromion ). It could be an instability problem...loose tendons and ligaments (previous shoulder dislocations can cause this). You may also have torn a rotator cuff tendon. With all this said, only a doctor can tell you for sure.
If you see a doctor he/she will probably first recommend that you modify your training routine (rest)...temporarily laying off those things that cause pain...and use ice and take anti-inflammatories as needed until the shoulder is healed. For the long-term, you may want to incorporate some light strengthening and stretching exercises before workouts to prevent future shoulder problems. If the problem persists, you should seek advice from an orthopedist. My biggest fear when I injured my shoulder was the potential need for surgery. However, a good specialist will want to first try every viable non-evasive option available.
There are some good recommendations in other discussion threads on this site. Just play around with the search engine. I have personally had good success with therapy from a good PT. I can now do some light bench pressing and normal shoulder work that I previously could not do without pain. I am now trying a treatment called Active Release Technique. I don't know if I'll be able to bench 450 again, but am optimistic that I can get back to good mass and strength regimen without surgery.
Anyway, I hope everything works out for you. Just use common sense and do whatever it takes (with help from trained medical professionals...if needed) to heal your shoulder. You definitely don't want to do something that makes it worse. A small, temporary drop in your bench max now may pay-off big time in the long run in terms of a strong, healthy shoulder.
Good luck!!
If you see a doctor he/she will probably first recommend that you modify your training routine (rest)...temporarily laying off those things that cause pain...and use ice and take anti-inflammatories as needed until the shoulder is healed. For the long-term, you may want to incorporate some light strengthening and stretching exercises before workouts to prevent future shoulder problems. If the problem persists, you should seek advice from an orthopedist. My biggest fear when I injured my shoulder was the potential need for surgery. However, a good specialist will want to first try every viable non-evasive option available.
There are some good recommendations in other discussion threads on this site. Just play around with the search engine. I have personally had good success with therapy from a good PT. I can now do some light bench pressing and normal shoulder work that I previously could not do without pain. I am now trying a treatment called Active Release Technique. I don't know if I'll be able to bench 450 again, but am optimistic that I can get back to good mass and strength regimen without surgery.
Anyway, I hope everything works out for you. Just use common sense and do whatever it takes (with help from trained medical professionals...if needed) to heal your shoulder. You definitely don't want to do something that makes it worse. A small, temporary drop in your bench max now may pay-off big time in the long run in terms of a strong, healthy shoulder.
Good luck!!
cymric_knight
New member
I just got back into the gym from a 1 1/2 year layoff due to shoulder problems. Ennded up seeing 3 doctors (General, Ortho and Pain Specileist). It was the third doctor that helped (after researching on my own). Let me short cut some of your troubles. Do a search on "Prolotherapy". I had the pain killers and the cort shots and always ended back in pain. That was until I read an article on Prolo. It may sound strange but they inject an eritant into the joint. It causes inflamation big time. More inflamation, more blood flow, more blood flow, faster healing. Made sense to me! But be warned - It hurts like Hell and very sore for 2 days! But in the end I think it was worth it. I'm now back in the gym pumping iron! I'm not up to my 'normal' weights yet but working on it!
P.S. - Don't take any cort shots!! It's the wrong way to go!
P.S. - Don't take any cort shots!! It's the wrong way to go!
TEXgrl
New member
i've had clicking and popping in my shoulders for quite some time and pain after chest and tricep workouts and finally had one mri's a couple weeks ago. they found two tears and that i have a bone in my shoulder that slopes downward (probably born with it) and i am now going thru a second mri and seeing a surgeon. i would suggest seeing a doctor if you have pain in your shoulders after working out. You never know what is going on inside.
my husband recently had shoulder surgery for a bone spur and he is 5 months out post surgery and back where he was before the surgery with no problems.
regarding the cortisone shots: they worked for my husband, temporarily. really all they do is buy you time before you go to surgery.
good luck!
my husband recently had shoulder surgery for a bone spur and he is 5 months out post surgery and back where he was before the surgery with no problems.
regarding the cortisone shots: they worked for my husband, temporarily. really all they do is buy you time before you go to surgery.
good luck!
The Dude
New member
In the past year, I've had an injury to each shoulder. First of all, take 2-4 weeks off from all presses. Then come back light with dumbbells and be careful. If it doesn't feel right, lay off another week or two. Then pre-exhaust your chest workouts with a couple sets on the pec-dec. When doing barbell presses, stop short of the chest (2-3" short). You'll notice that this is the same range of motion that you get with the bottom portion on dumbbell presses.
For shoulders, warm up with a couple LIGHT sets to work your external rotator cuff. Then do 2-3 sets of lateral raises before hitting your military presses.
My shoulder injuries were two different kinds of injuries and I've been able to come back quite well from them. In fact, doing lateral raises and pec-decs first have done great things for my shoulders and pecs (was a delt bencher I guess, but I've learned from the pre-exhaust). I still do 'em today. I did chest today and started with a little heavier pec-dec (8-15 reps vs 12-20 I've been doing) and after my presses, my chest ballooned up and felt awesome. I can't lift as much, but my chest looks like I can.
The key to any shoulder injury is caution...from here on out. The back is the same way. I've got an injury there that I haven't shown the same caution with and I've paid the price. It's still nagging me after nine months. I'm giving it the respect I gave my shoulders now.
For shoulders, warm up with a couple LIGHT sets to work your external rotator cuff. Then do 2-3 sets of lateral raises before hitting your military presses.
My shoulder injuries were two different kinds of injuries and I've been able to come back quite well from them. In fact, doing lateral raises and pec-decs first have done great things for my shoulders and pecs (was a delt bencher I guess, but I've learned from the pre-exhaust). I still do 'em today. I did chest today and started with a little heavier pec-dec (8-15 reps vs 12-20 I've been doing) and after my presses, my chest ballooned up and felt awesome. I can't lift as much, but my chest looks like I can.
The key to any shoulder injury is caution...from here on out. The back is the same way. I've got an injury there that I haven't shown the same caution with and I've paid the price. It's still nagging me after nine months. I'm giving it the respect I gave my shoulders now.
Never work through the pain. If you feel pain in your shoulders...you need to fix it. Work your rotators 2x a week, maybe bring your grip in when doing presses, you can also tuck your elbows in a little closer too. Make sure your shoulder blades are tucked WAY back when doing your pressing too..
B True
B True
Well I talked to my doc.....besides being a quack, he told me that it is dislocated (which he may be right)....my left shoulder does have a bone protruding where the pain is.... My doc was talking about pinning it.....is that necessary or should I go see a chiropractor first?? This f-ing sucks. Just when I feel like I am making really good gains......
