Shoulder pain after gym.

[Manks]

Hi All,

Last week after training (as I recall it was guillotine bench press and arms) I got a sore shoulder. It didn't come on straight away but became sore over 24 hrs. It recovered over a week but last night I did bench again and again my shoulder has become painful over 24 hours.

I cannot decide whether the pain is in the joint or deep in the deltoid muscles, all I know is that it came on gradually over the sort of timeframe that muscles usually become slightly sore when they have been worked hard. It hurts if I so much as lift a pencil from the shoulder.

Usually I find thar injuries hurt quickly, but this is taking time to emerge. Any suggestions what it may be please?

[325Ti]

I've no idea why but apparently bench pressing gives alot of people shoulder problems

A suggested remedy is to use a reverse grip - palms facing towards you, thumbs outwards

Haven't tried it personally but google search brings up a number of articles on it .

[smiffy180]

Manks said:

Hi All,

Last week after training (as I recall it was guillotine bench press and arms) I got a sore shoulder. It didn't come on straight away but became sore over 24 hrs. It recovered over a week but last night I did bench again and again my shoulder has become painful over 24 hours.

I cannot decide whether the pain is in the joint or deep in the deltoid muscles, all I know is that it came on gradually over the sort of timeframe that muscles usually become slightly sore when they have been worked hard. It hurts if I so much as lift a pencil from the shoulder.

Usually I find thar injuries hurt quickly, but this is taking time to emerge. Any suggestions what it may be please?

try gripping closer to take strain of your shoulders and onto your chest; thats a common one.

[GBDG]

Your form is probably a bit wrong, watch some YouTube vids and check. Most probably the bar will too high up your chest with your arms out too straight.

[ali4390]

I've always struggled with a sore left shoulder at the gym, mine comes from a rugby injury when I was in my teens.

Not found a solution yet, I just don't try and do anything that is too painful but would be good to know if there was a 'cure'.

[boothy1987]

I've decided to just sack off bench press and use dumbells instead along with weighted dips

[CHIEF]

Flat bench can put a lot of pressure and a risk of injury to the rotator cuff muscle. It's a real swine as it can take ages to heal but it's relatively easy to injure.

I watched an interesting vid on You Tube where Dorian Yates was training someone and he did a couple of little exercises to warm up and strengthen the rotator cuff before blasting the chest.

[bigunit00]

Have had this as well. Tends to be bicep tendon rubbing up on the shoulder joint due to too much pressing and not enough rowing. I would switch to doing 2 rowing exercises for every press and things should improve. Also a neutral grip can help a lot as well.

[Manks]

bigunit00 said:

Have had this as well. Tends to be bicep tendon rubbing up on the shoulder joint due to too much pressing and not enough rowing. I would switch to doing 2 rowing exercises for every press and things should improve. Also a neutral grip can help a lot as well.

Interesting. Whilst I try to do a "pull" exercise for every "push" I may have been a little remiss on it lately.

Still quite stiff, do I give it all a miss this week?

[Manks]

This has taken a marked turn for the worse today, due to of all things moving a computer mouse. I yelped when it happened and have been yelping all day since. Reaching backwards for a seatbelt is very painful, pushing open a car door with my elbow sends a bolt of pain fizzing through my deltoids and has me swearing.

I also have significant soreness if I press the muscle slightly to the rear of my shoulder bone. It can be difficult to find an arm position where my shoulder doesn't hurt.

I have taken a handful of ibuprofen and paracetamol now in the hope of getting some relief. I am reluctant to go see a doc or physio because I strongly suspect the advice will just be to rest it, which is what I propose to do anyway through lack of choice.

I note that my other shoulder is a bit stiff. I don't recall doing any exercise that I haven't done many times before, and probably much heavier. But something has sure messed me up.

[LordGrover]

Get it checked out properly by physio or GP then learn to bench press properly.

[Manks]

LordGrover said:

Get it checked out properly by physio or GP then learn to bench press properly.

I am not saying that it wasn't poor BP form that did it, but I would be surprised. I have been benching for about 25 years and not had a problem before.

Of course it might be that I am becoming old and knackered. Or perhaps I need to warm up and stretch more.

[LordGrover]

Doctor Internet agrees: old and knackered.

Advice still stands: get it checked by physio and check form.

[2.5pi]

Manks said:

Hi All,

Last week after training (as I recall it was guillotine bench press and arms) I got a sore shoulder. It didn't come on straight away but became sore over 24 hrs. It recovered over a week but last night I did bench again and again my shoulder has become painful over 24 hours.

I cannot decide whether the pain is in the joint or deep in the deltoid muscles, all I know is that it came on gradually over the sort of timeframe that muscles usually become slightly sore when they have been worked hard. It hurts if I so much as lift a pencil from the shoulder.

Usually I find thar injuries hurt quickly, but this is taking time to emerge. Any suggestions what it may be please?

Hi Manks

I had a similar injury some 4 years ago , I believe I damaged my rotator cuff and destabilised my shoulder, after various consultations with physio I ignored their suggestion of key hole surgery to reattach tendons (iirc) I elected to work.around it gently and progressively. I'm in my forties and have been training for the thick end of thirty years so reckon I can generally "listen" to what my body is telling me.

In my case it was saying my days of big weights on a bench press were over, I've since got fitter and stronger in other disciplines.

The pain reduced and 90% of the strength has subsequently returned

Best of luck

[Manks]

2.5pi said:

Hi Manks

I had a similar injury some 4 years ago , I believe I damaged my rotator cuff and destabilised my shoulder, after various consultations with physio I ignored their suggestion of key hole surgery to reattach tendons (iirc) I elected to work.around it gently and progressively. I'm in my forties and have been training for the thick end of thirty years so reckon I can generally "listen" to what my body is telling me.

In my case it was saying my days of big weights on a bench press were over, I've since got fitter and stronger in other disciplines.

The pain reduced and 90% of the strength has subsequently returned

Best of luck

Thanks 2.5pi. How long did it take you to recover (do I want to hear this?)

[2.5pi]

Manks said:

Thanks 2.5pi. How long did it take you to recover (do I want to hear this?)

I'm still very aware of a 'weakness' in that area and occasionally get stabs of pain but it is more a case of learning to adapt your training to strengthen the areas around the painful bits.

What it has taught me is to be much more self aware about what I'm doing and how it feels

...plus I'm now way better on technique . Overall I spent 6 months kicking myself for being a careless tt and the last few years grateful that I have found a way to move my fitness forward by being more technically aware.

[mybrainhurts]

Don't do anything that'll screw a rotator cuff.

Buggered mine lifting golf clubs from a roof box.

It is Not Fun...

[LordGrover]

Once you pass 183 years old these things matter, eh MBU?

[mybrainhurts]

:wheeze:

[LordGrover]

:like: