Shoulder pain while doing chest

[Rail]

My one shoulder started hurting while benching this past winter. I took about two months off of all chest exercises and it still hurt. So lately I have been just doin light workouts and puttin up with a little pain. The strange thing is this injury has not effected my shoulder workouts. I am shoulder pressing more than ever. Anyone ever have a shoulder injury that only hurts during chest workouts?

[HRK (herb)]

more details....

does it hurt if you do push ups? how about incline presses?
can you make it act up by just moving your arm through full range of motion(ROM)?
where is the pain?
sharp and concentrate? or duller and diffuse?
any idea on possible causes? trauma?


details man details

[Roke]

Perhaps it's your rotator cuff you injured, and not the deltoid muscle.

I noticed that my shoulder hurts more when I do bench press, and that is attributed to a rotator cuff injury.

[Russ130]

Have the same problem myself and yes oddly shoulder press are not affected. Here is what the deal was for me I was straining my rotator cuff which was causing all my pain. Remedy - Simple! Start off by narrowing your bench grip I'm 6'1" and I now keep all fingers inside the ring on the bar. Next strengthen up the rotator cuff muscles with exercises you can find on this site that are specifically for the rotator cuff. Finally warm up your rotator cuffs by putting your arms straight out to your sides and moving your hands in little 6" circles in both directions. Football players do this little warm up to protect there rotator cuffs as well. I should also note that in my case rest did not help at all. I took several years off and when I started back up the pain was still there. Only after doing what I described above did I start to get relief from the pain. It will not happen instantly but over a short period of time you will be able to bench pain free again.

[Dr Clay]

The BB bench press is notorious for causing shoulder pain, often in the AC joint. Bicipital tendonitis is another condition that will often hurt (in the front of the shoulder) doing chest. So yes, it's not uncommon for shoulder exercises to be relatively pain free while chest stuff hurts.

[skuat_king]

The BB bench press is notorious for causing shoulder pain, often in the AC joint. Bicipital tendonitis is another condition that will often hurt (in the front of the shoulder) doing chest. So yes, it's not uncommon for shoulder exercises to be relatively pain free while chest stuff hurts.

i have the same problem in my right shoulder, i got hurt when doing incline bench, i finshed the set and kind of missed the hook on the smith machine when securing the bar, i had 160 lbs on it. but i controlled it very good and secured it properly but i felt a little jerk in my upper chest muscle and fron t deltoid, i ve taken celebrex and two cortisone shots and two months of rest, the pain has got down a little but it still hurts when i do push ups, and try to raise my arm over head, its the front deltoid that bothers me, its not severe, but it will keep me off from the gym, i dont wanna see the doc again coz he will give me a shot which will not do anything.
should i see an orthopedic surgeon? i dont think i have any broken bones or torn muscles, my physician told me its tendonitis, but if that was the case it should have healed already.
should i get an MRI or X ray and see whats going on? or should i just change my physician and see a new one?

[Bickham84]

hey this thread is interesting. i have a similar misfortune. i used to get the same pain with bench press. always the right shoulder. its the same with push ups etc. its the anterior deltoid (the front one) of the three. but it does not hurt doing deltoid exercises. it hurts when i do pushups. and if i write with a pen after a while it hurts in the shoulder. it hurts when i stand erect and put my palm on my abdominals and push. also causes pain to touch back of my palm to spine. if these things cause you pain then you, like me have a rotator cuff problem. i saw a osteopath. told me to take glucosamine for 6 months and it didnt help at all. that was a year ago and i lost my job. I have only had a new one for about 4 weeks so untill i get paid i cannot get treatments. any recommendations?

[buffmanjohnson]

tuck ur elbows in more, rather than having them flared out. helped stop the shoulder pain for me.

[skuat_king]

tuck ur elbows in more, rather than having them flared out. helped stop the shoulder pain for me.

do you mean closer towards the ribs and not flare out during bench press, will give it a shot.

[buffmanjohnson]

do you mean closer towards the ribs and not flare out during bench press, will give it a shot.

yeah thats it

[patilla]

im in the club guys

[IamJames]

same problem here. Been going through therapy for it and researched like crazy on this for months. From what it sounds like your RC is weak and needs to be stronger before you start back on the bench. Basically its best to stay away from all upper body lifting, specially compound pressing movements until you build strenght in your RC. If you HAVE to bench, then its best to not flare out your elbows but keeping them closer to your body. Yes, it involves triceps more if you do this and involves the pecs less but leaves the tension off your shoulders and your RC. I know it sucks and I want to go back to what I was doing but its better to fix the poroblem before you tear your RC/AC and have to undergo surgery.

I'm not just coming up with this info, its from all the questions I've been asking to doctors, chiropractors, PT, numerous articles, and members on this awesome forum. I'm just relaying what I've learned and what I am currently going through as well. Not everyone has this same type of issue but this is the most common of all shoulder injuries.

Also, does it hurt if you raise your arms above your shoulders, lateral raises? Specially external rotations pinches the RC for me.

[patilla]

so the solution is doing rotator cuff strenghting up movements? even if at the end of the session there is a dull pain in the area?

[cgh]

I had this same problem you guys are explaining. Been going to the chiropractor and it's 1000x better now.

[Mako241]

Same problem...

I have been to my ortho 2x, first time diag was impinged RC, 8 weeks PT, my shoulder feels stronger, but can't bench (can't push) without pain in the mid delt area. Back to the doc, he is not sure, wants to wait a few weeks before MRI.

I hope someone has some advice on this, for all of us. I am continuing my RC exercises.

[melmoth]

I have the exact same problem, I sprained my left shoulder not too long ago and my left shoulder has been screwed since then. Tried doing some light DB presses, but my left shoulder was so weak, I had major problems trying to get the DB into place. Even when I'm done with my half-a$$ed set, I had problems laying down the DB, once I get back up to sitting position, my left shoulder was hurting and the pain was more pronounced when I released my grip on the DB.

The pain was evident in all pressing exercises, except for Decline Hammer Strength, where I could go heavy and not experience much pain.

[Frank784]

I have the exact same problem, I sprained my left shoulder not too long ago and my left shoulder has been screwed since then. Tried doing some light DB presses, but my left shoulder was so weak, I had major problems trying to get the DB into place. Even when I'm done with my half-a$$ed set, I had problems laying down the DB, once I get back up to sitting position, my left shoulder was hurting and the pain was more pronounced when I released my grip on the DB.

The pain was evident in all pressing exercises, except for Decline Hammer Strength, where I could go heavy and not experience much pain.

I think thats exactly it. The pain was more pronounced after each set. I'm not totally sure if I still had trouble with DB press as well. I'd assume so, but not 100%. Do you still have this problem? I don't think its as bad as going to the doctor for, as I don't even feel it until I'm doing Bench press. I'd rather not take time off as I'm progressing so well either.

Edit: I made the exact same topic and saw your response thinking it was a reply to my thread.

[melmoth]

cool, seems like both of us are troubled by this pressing issue (no pun). Frank784, now that DB exercises are out, what do you do for chest? I'm currently taking Supercissus Rx and doing some rotator cuff work, just hoping that time will heal my injury, it really sucks not being able to do any pressing movements.

[Frank784]

cool, seems like both of us are troubled by this pressing issue (no pun). Frank784, now that DB exercises are out, what do you do for chest? I'm currently taking Supercissus Rx and doing some rotator cuff work, just hoping that time will heal my injury, it really sucks not being able to do any pressing movements.

I really have no idea what I'll be doing. I just started happening this pain in my last two workouts. I thought it was a one-time thing, but was there in my second workout. I've been making great progress on Rippetoes and really don't want to stop, but it looks like I may have to. I only feel the pain after doing a set, after that I'm fine, so it looks like I'm lucky it isn't worse.

[Bickham84]

wow. im glad i checked this thread out. looks like ill be going to the chiropractor/orthopedic/physiotherapist/doctor!

thought i was the only one going through this. we have a national health service here in england but its **** :P

how much is private health care in US cus here its EXPENSIVE. the last time i went to see an orthopedic it cost me ?60.00 that is $120 just to get a first time consultation!!!!!!

well good luck everyone.

[TheSlash]

Same thing... Weight lifters shoulder. Its the diskbetween the clavicle and the AC joint. Follow the top of your collar bone out till you feel a bump up right before your delt. Push down right where your collar bone meets that bump, you should feel a tenderness. Even though the pain feels more in front of the shoulder.

If you got this pain from benching, there's a good chance its from wide grip, and too much weight for your shoulder area...

I have gone through therapy, rest, nsaids, sonar, iontophoresis, and recently a cortisone shot.... nothing yet. I also tried super cissus, but felt it was masking the pain.

I Iced it, I took 6 months off, I stretched etc.. nothing.

So the doc wants surgery now, but they shave off the end of the clavicle and reattach the tendon! Forget that! Long recovery.

Going to try a dedicated shoulder routine that involves rotator cuff exercises and stretches and very light (10#) max weight routine and try to strengthen it... I'll try to update.

[garn]

Have the problem too, but it was injured while throwing.

Like mentioned, I have found that keeping elbows in and narrowing the grip helps immensely.

Also, before you do raises or benches of any sort, do rotator cuff exercies like:

-raising arm from side to parallel
-lay on side and rotate forearm while keeping elbow to side

use around 5 lb weight. I do this about 30 reps each until the burn is pretty bad.

Then I have no pain when doing bench work etc..

I have the toughest time doing raises..

[patilla]

The BB bench press is notorious for causing shoulder pain, often in the AC joint. Bicipital tendonitis is another condition that will often hurt (in the front of the shoulder) doing chest. So yes, it's not uncommon for shoulder exercises to be relatively pain free while chest stuff hurts.

if im painless in shoulder and flat bench and i feel a dull ache in incline bench press, is that bicipital?

[jermag27]

Same thing... Weight lifters shoulder. Its the diskbetween the clavicle and the AC joint. Follow the top of your collar bone out till you feel a bump up right before your delt. Push down right where your collar bone meets that bump, you should feel a tenderness. Even though the pain feels more in front of the shoulder.

If you got this pain from benching, there's a good chance its from wide grip, and too much weight for your shoulder area...

I have gone through therapy, rest, nsaids, sonar, iontophoresis, and recently a cortisone shot.... nothing yet. I also tried super cissus, but felt it was masking the pain.

I Iced it, I took 6 months off, I stretched etc.. nothing.

So the doc wants surgery now, but they shave off the end of the clavicle and reattach the tendon! Forget that! Long recovery.

Going to try a dedicated shoulder routine that involves rotator cuff exercises and stretches and very light (10#) max weight routine and try to strengthen it... I'll try to update.

Wow, my problem exactly. I seem to keep going to doctors/therapists who only have one idea to fix it, then shrug when it doesn't help. I had orthroscopic surgery last December to "create more room" for my left shoulder joint. I'm well past the 6 month healing mark, not a remarkable improvement (still can't press) but feels a bit better than my right shoulder.

Please post an update soon!

[Bickham84]

hey, im gonna try these excercises. for those of you who have had no luck (like me) with dodgy physiothereapists etc.

to strenghten the rotator cuff you have do do excercises for it, obviously.
most workouts do not incorporate excercises that "target" the rotator cuff.
any one who benches for a long period of time without strenghtening their cuff is either going to get injured or certainly will not be lifting the amount they could be if they put in the effort of doing a couple of excercises for this unique body part.

-external rotator cuff extension. this is an ad-ductive movement (away from the body). lie flat on your side with a DB in your hand. place elbow on your hips/ribs. next put your arm at 90 degrees. and rotate the dumbell away from your body.

ab ductive rotator cuff extension. same as above but lie the opposite way round and lie on a bench so you have room to move your arm.

this excercise i am about to describe has no name. so ill call it a rotator cuff lift. seems to be a fitting name.

step one. hold arms by sides, grasping dumbells like you were going to do a front dumbell raise. now raise arms about 90 degrees. parallel to floor.
turn your wrists IN. you shold have the TOPS of your hands facing inwards.
now lift! this sounds weird but its a good excercise and hits the shoudlers and most importantly the rotator cuff in a way nothing else does.

finally the cuban press. you can do this will barbell or dumbell.

basically hold the DBs by sides and raise your arms up. from shoulder to elbow they should now be parrallel to floor with the wrists pointing down. like a monkey! now rotate the dumbells up so that they are straight in front of you. but keep the elbows parrallel.

do about 30 reps. this routine should gradually bring back strength. balance, and mobility to shoulder. for pics see the link.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/criticalbench24.htm

[aheineken]

I'm in the club too. I go through periods of time where I have shoulder pain after chest day. My left shoulder always starts hurting about 2-3 hours after a day of bench pressing. Starting this week, I'm going to swap out weights for several variations of push ups to see if the lighter weight will help out, and add in some rotator cuff exercises.

[alpha-romeo]

My one shoulder started hurting while benching this past winter. I took about two months off of all chest exercises and it still hurt. So lately I have been just doin light workouts and puttin up with a little pain. The strange thing is this injury has not effected my shoulder workouts. I am shoulder pressing more than ever. Anyone ever have a shoulder injury that only hurts during chest workouts?

its a rotator cuff injury
i am currently suffering from it
it used to pain while doing overhead press and bench press
but now it does't .only for shoulder exersices i have pain
i will be going 4 a MRI scan to know how much is the injury
and how much time will it take to recover....

[patilla]

I'm in the club too. I go through periods of time where I have shoulder pain after chest day. My left shoulder always starts hurting about 2-3 hours after a day of bench pressing. Starting this week, I'm going to swap out weights for several variations of push ups to see if the lighter weight will help out, and add in some rotator cuff exercises.

well that happends to me too but i never gave it any care

but imagine you lying in bed, and that weird feeling there.. is that yours? not a pain, a weird feeling

[taseal]

add me to the club as well.... any type of workout related to the shoulder is killing me now. I had little too much weight on the chest press (actually I was able to do the weight, but my ant deltoid didn't like it so much) and I think it just ripped or something there... its pretty bad now. I can't even help myself up from the chair

[Heiber]

damn, i recently injured my shoulder doin to much on the bench and prob too wide of grip/arms flared out... i hope it heals... this sucks

i get pain with pushups now in my shoulder joint that i didnt have before