Maybe your pain doesn't affect the front of the shoulder. You may feel pain in your shoulder blade or between the shoulder blades. This is sometimes mentionedinterscapular pain.
This pain appears in the upper back, between the shoulder blades, and can feel like:
Stretching can also help relieve shoulder pain.
How to Treat Shoulder Pain After Bench Press
Maybe your shoulder feels fine while you bench press.
Maybe the paindon't start until you've sat on the couch, and you're already home from the gym. You may not experience the pain until the next morning.
If so, you should consider these things:
- Mechanics of the bench press
- How much weight you lift
- Bench press form
The goal is to eliminate shoulder pain after bench pressing.
Look at the action of the shoulder during the bench press
Follow these basic bench press instructions:
- Lie on a flat bench, face up, holding the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Focus on rolling your shoulders back and down and pull your shoulder blades back by squeezing them.
- Press your feet into the floor and your hips into the bench as you lift the barbell off the rack.
- Slowly lower the barbell to your chest and bend your elbows.
- When the barbell reaches chest height and your elbows drop slightly below the bench, press your heels into the floor to raise the barbell back up.
- Return the barbell to the starting position, with the elbows extended but not locked.
When identifying the source of shoulder pain, it is necessary to look at the mechanics of the shoulder, specifically the scapula during the bench press exercise.
As you prepare to lift the bar, the scapula (shoulder blade) should be retracted. Think of the shoulder blades being pressed together, as if you were trying to touch them.Retracting the scapula provides stability to the shoulder.
How much weight is used?
- How much weight do you lift?
- If you become too focused on “making a profit,” you can set yourself back.
- Don't fall into the trap of trying to impress others with big numbers.More is not the same as better when it comes to lifting.
- Don't push aside proper form and technique to lift heavier weights.
Lifting weights that are too heavy can cause serious muscle and joint damage.
It's safer and more effective to lift a lighter weight and focus on form.
Bench press form
Speaking of which, if you've ever spent time in a weight room, you've probably heard trainers preach about the importance of proper form. You may even have noticed blatantly bad form.
Personal trainers and physiotherapists place so much emphasis on proper form because it helps to:
Prevent injuries
Improve efficiency
Increase efficiency
There are a fewcommon mistakeslifters make when they bench press. These include:
The elbows stuck out
- Incorrect grip width (too wide or too narrow)
- Wrist rolls back
- Rest the bar on your chest
- Let the bar fall to the side
- Elevation of the body (neck, head, feet, buttocks) while lifting
Fitness coaches and certified physiotherapists at In Motion O.C. can ensure you use proper form and posture and help you bench press without shoulder pain.
In addition to preventing pain and injury, follow proper form instructionsthe professionals at In Motion OC can help you take your strength to new heights (or weights).
After all, if you're going to spend your time and energy lifting weights, you might as well get the most bang for your buck.
3 Common Causes of Shoulder Pain Bench press
There are some common causes of shoulder pain during or after bench pressing:
AC-led malfunction
Labrum irritation
Rotatormanchetdisfunctie
If you're not in the health or fitness industry, these words may not mean much to you. That's why we're going to explain exactly what each medical term means and how these specific injuries and irritations are often caused.
AC-led malfunction
AC stands for Acromioclavical. AC joint dysfunction is an injury to the top of the shoulder. More specifically, this is where the shoulder blade (acromion) meets the collarbone (clavicle).
There are two common causes of these types of injuries:
Traumatic AC joint injury
This is also called a shoulder separation and is usually caused by falling directly on the shoulder or receiving a direct blow to the shoulder.
Overuse of AC joint damage
This type of injury is common in people who lift heavy weights (especially during bench presses or military press exercises) and in people with jobs that require physical labor and lifting the arms overhead.
Labrum irritation
Do you feel (and even hear) a click or pop when you raise your arms above your head? Chances are it's irritation of your labrum, possibly even a tear.
What does it mean?
Don't worry if you don't recognize the term "labrum" from your high school anatomy class. Here's a refresher: The labrum is a piece of fibrocartilage or tissue attached to the edge of your shoulder socket. Its job is to hold the ball of the joint in place.
Labral irritation or a labral tear is usually accompanied by significant pain.Symptoms to look out for include:
- Deep, aching pain
- Pain during movements above the head
- Popping, clicking or grinding in your shoulder
- Shoulder weakness
- Decline in athletic performance
Rotatormanchetdisfunctie
Your rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint and allow you to lift and rotate your arms.
Mostrotator cuff tearsis the result of wear and tear of the shoulder joint over time.
Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury may include:
- A dull pain deep in the shoulder
- Pain that disturbs sleep
- Difficulty lifting arms/reduced range of motion
- Weakness of the arms
How to cure bench press shoulder pain
Shoulder pain is common, affecting 18-26% of adults at some point.
Treatment for shoulder pain depends on the severity of the injury.
Although surgery is sometimes necessary,doctors will usually recommend more conservative relief methods if possible. These methods may include:
Rest
When shoulder pain develops, it is a good idea to take a few days off and avoid lifting the upper body.
Cold compression
Periodic icing or cold compresses help reduce swelling and numbing sharp pain.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
Using ibuprofen-naproxen can provide pain relief for mild injuries.
Scope
A shoulder-focused stretching routine can:
- Relieves pain and tightness
- Improve flexibility
- Increase range of motion
Physiotherapy- Many people with shoulder pain can find relief, control their symptoms, and prevent future pain when they return to their activities with physical therapy. Highly trained physical therapists can create an exercise routine that will help improve the flexibility and strength of the muscles around the shoulder joint.
In addition to healing your current shoulder pain, you want to prevent future injuries.
This can be achieved by getting help from a certified physiotherapist.
Give in motion O.C. A call
No pain no gain? That's not a phrase we believe in at In Motion O.C. Shoulder painis a sign that something is wrong and needs to be fixed.
If you experience pain,Don't try to diagnose yourself or wait to see if the pain goes away on its own.
It is important to address the pain, find out exactly what is causing it and see how you can improve it.
The professionals at In Motion O.C. can help you all with it. In Movement offers an intimate alternative to large, impersonal gyms. We value and prioritize our relationships with our members.
We focus on teaching members how to maximize their exercise routines to improve their overall health and wellness, rather than just “getting those gains.”
The specialists at In Motion O.C. include fitness trainers and physiotherapists working together to create the best possible course to treat and prevent injuries AND improve personal performance.Contact us today for a free consultation.
There is no need to push yourself through the pain. Before you know it, you'll be bench pressing pain-free!
