Sudden loss in bench strength

[swsu123]

I have recently lost significant strength on bench. I visited a orthopedic surgeon and he couldnt conclude on what the issue was. However he said it was not worth my money to get an MRI because he thought rest and physical therapy will end up being the solution.

Here is the decrease in the strength I experienced:
6/18 - 225 5x
6/21 - 205 3x (I stopped benching because I felt something weird in my left shoulder)
6/24 - 185 3x (I stopped benching because I felt something weird in my left shoulder)
Took about two weeks off from bench. Continued doing squats, deadlifts, and rows with no issues.
7/7 - 185 1x (almost failed) (I stopped and did military press. This made my shoulder feel better but I only went up to 115 3x. I also did 95 10x)

My shoulder is not painful but it feels odd. The tenderness feeling was always near my chest/armpit but it is now above the bicep. Also when I grab the benchpress barbell I can immediately tell the power is not there. On a machine I was able to push 3 plates with my right hand for 10x but only 2 plates for 3x with my left hand.

What do you think is going on?

[tanksoldier]

No idea what the underlying problem is, but you could try a chiropractor. Sometimes they can help when traditional medicine is stuck.

[swsu123]

Orthopedic surgeon was pretty confident it was not a rotator cuff tear. I saw PT yesterday and he could not figure it out either but he said I should be back to normal in a month. Seeing a chiropractor today.

[Vandeman17]

What kind of pain is it? Sharp, dull, pinching, throbbing?

[swsu123]

it is not really painful. If I would have to pick a choice then dull/pinching. PT said I have full range of motion. I tried shoulder press yesterday and my left side could only do about 50% of my right. Prior to losing my strength, after my last few chest workouts I felt like my shoulders were really sore and drained. I started working out chest every 48 hours versus my normal 72 hours. I am still working out legs and back every 48 hours and they are able to recover.

[lsiberian]

Are you having any other health issues like dropping weight, fatigue, ED, etc?

[swsu123]

No other issues. I am staying around 200 pounds. When I try to do a dip there is a slight discomfort in my left shoulder but the main thing I notice is that I have minimal strength. My squats, rows, and deadlifts have all slightly increased during the last 3 weeks. I am seeing a chiropractor tonight and another orthopedic surgeon tomorrow. I may go ahead and get the MRI tomorrow depending on what the second orthopedic surgeon says.

[swsu123]

Had a adjustment yesterday on my back and neck but it didnt help my shoulder. Neck and back feel great after adjustment. Chiropractor thought it may be a impingement from too much wide grip bench pressing.

[AbleBonus]

How is your left tricep? I had a similar issue a couple of years ago and it was a pinched nerve in my neck. If the vertebrae are pinching the nerve for whatever reason you can lose the ability or some of the ability to contract your tricep/pec. My bench went down rapidly over a few weeks, my orthopedic knew what to do. Had a titanium plate put in my neck to keep my vertebrae separated (cartilage gone from being old/hard use), the nerve grew back 1" per month (7 inches from neck to tricep), in 7 months I had use of everything back and my bench was back to normal after 2 years.

The issue with nerves is if they are damaged or pinched for too long they won't grow back at all. My personal trainer had that problem with his left calf and he let it go too long and it never came back after surgery on lower back.

I am not a doctor.

[swsu123]

Left tricep seems fine. I saw another orthopedic yesterday and he said it was one of the following (Listed by likeliness). I am scheduling a MRI.
1. Torn Laberum
2. Nerve Issue
3. Rotator cuff tendonitis
4. Rotator cuff tear

[tanksoldier]

The issue with nerves is if they are damaged or pinched for too long they won't grow back at all. My personal trainer had that problem with his left calf and he let it go too long and it never came back after surgery on lower back.

Had this very issue with my back injury. Despite surgery almost immediately some of the nerves going to my lower right leg never repaired. My right calf is obviously atrophied compared to my left since only some of the muscles work.

Wouldn't be surprised if this was a pinched nerve in your lower cervical. Good decision to get the MRI.

[swsu123]

I just noticed last friday that my tricep is really tight. I also cannot fully contract my left tricep/pec.

[adidaseveryday]

I have a left shoulder issue that I am recovering from. I went from a drop to about 30% strength with sharp pains back to about 90% strength and no pain in about two months. I found YouTube videos from athleanx and Omar? something on shoulder issues to be very helpful. The main issue for me was unevenly balanced muscle strength and tightness. I needed to do more rows and face pulls to strengthen lats that were lagging behind. I also did all of the stretching, foam rolling and mobility exercises mentioned in those videos.

[swsu123]

Got my MRI back and the doctor said my shoulder is perfect. I have been doing therapy for about a month as well and that is not helping. He is now saying try getting a cortisone shot because the only thing the MRI detected was minor inflammation.

[YoelDovid]

My dad and younger brother experienced the same thing as you.
Have you by any chance noticed a difference in your shoulder rotation, or could you post a video of your bench press?
In both their cases, it was a rolling shoulder where rather than normal rotation in the joint, the head of the numerous rolls forward.

[swsu123]

I havent noticed any difference in the shoulder rotation. My left shoulder does point out a bit more than my right. However its been like that for a long time. I also pointed this out to the orthopedic surgeon but he didnt think this was the cause. The cortisone shot is scheduled for monday. However some of my strength is starting to return. About two weeks ago I was barely able to do 135 for 1X and now I can do it for 6X.

[swsu123]

The orthopedic surgeon didnt want to give me a cortisone shot because I am slowly recovering. Also he said that I likely would not benefit from it. My therapist mentioned that my left trap seems to be constantly firing. I dont know if this is related.