Do you experience shoulder pain during bench press?
Bench press is undeniably a good workout that engages muscles in your pectorals, shoulders, and arms.
It’s the king of upper body strength that gives bodybuilders that glamorous, large, and strong appearance most of you yearn for. However, what happens if you start experiencing shoulder pain during bench press?
It may come as a no-brainer to you that shoulder pain is a complaint common to many people, including professional bodybuilders.
If you experience it, this article gives an insight into everything you need to know about this pain (and how to fix it)
REASONS YOU EXPERIENCE SHOULDER PAIN DURING BENCH PRESS
1. MUSCLE IMBALANCE
According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, muscle imbalance is the most common possible reason you experience shoulder pain during bench press.
Muscle imbalance may appear either between the anterior chest and shoulder muscles or the posterior shoulder and back muscles.
It is caused by the shoulders pushing more weights than the amount it’s pulling. As a result, there’s no balance and coordination between the two. Work tasks and improper posture also heighten the risk of getting muscle imbalance.
According to this study, symptoms of muscle imbalance include Pain in the shoulder joint during press exercises, stiffness, numbness on the shoulder, swelling, and reduced range of motion.
The same study recommends the following treatment to fix muscle imbalance, physiotherapy, taping, postural realignment, and acupuncture.
2. IMPROPER RECOVERY
Improper recovery may be the reason you experience shoulder pain during bench press. Injuries causing pain breaks down muscle fibers in your shoulder.
Therefore, giving the shoulder ample time to rest after injury allows your muscles to repair and grow. This helps avoid shoulder pain during bench press.
The best way to fix and avoid shoulder pain caused by improper recovery is by taking enough rest and eat proper nutrition consisting of proteins to facilitate quick muscle recovery.
Also, proper hydration and enough sleep facilitate quick muscle recovery.
3. SHOULDER ARTHRITIS
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, shoulder arthritis may be why you experience shoulder pain during bench press.
Shoulder arthritis is caused by the wear and tear of the cartilage. It can also be caused by the tearing of the socket sides of the shoulder joint.
Symptoms that may indicate that your shoulders may be affected by arthritis include Pain in the shoulder joint, stiffness, and reduced range of motion on the shoulder.
The following are ways to fix shoulder arthritis at home: Stretches, icing of the shoulders, and taking pain killers to reduce pain. If these don’t work, you can opt for surgery.
4. SHOULDER FRACTURE
A fractured shoulder is where the clavicle of the shoulder gets broken. It may result from a sudden fall on the shoulder, injury during contact sports, or motor vehicle accident.
Clavicle fracture, scapula fracture, and proximal humerus fracture are the three types of fracture associated with the shoulder.
Symptoms related to shoulder fracture include pain in the shoulder, swelling, bruising, and arm weakness.
To fix a shoulder fracture, wear a sling for 3 to 8 weeks, take pain relievers to reduce pain and inflammation caused by shoulder fracture, icing, and physical, orthopedic rehabilitation therapy.
5. DISLOCATION OF THE SHOULDER
Maybe the reason you are getting that shoulder pain during bench press is that you dislocated your shoulder. When your shoulder is dislocated, the upper arm bone gets displaced out of the cup-shaped socket.
Dislocation is caused by sports-related injuries, trauma, and falling on your shoulder.
A dislocated shoulder’s symptoms include intense pain when working out, inability to move your shoulders, swelling, deformed shoulder, numbness, and stiffness.
According to the mayo clinic, the best way to fix dislocation of the shoulder is by icing the shoulder and having adequate rest.
Mayo Clinic also recommends measures such as wearing protective gear and exercising regularly to maintain strength, stability, and flexibility in the muscles and joints.
6. BURSITIS
Bursitis is the inflammation of a sac filled with fluid that is found around your shoulder joint.
The bursa’s function is to help the tendons in your shoulder slide smoothly around your bones, and if this condition inflames it, you get symptoms like pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Causes of bursitis include trauma, overuse of the shoulder joint, or other conditions such as arthritis. If it’s not treated on time, it can interfere with your daily workout routine.
Mild bursitis can be fixed at home by little rest, taking anti-inflammatory medications, and icing. If the case is severe, visit the doctor to acquire a steroid injection.
7. ROTATOR CUFF TEAR
Another reason you experience shoulder pain during bench press is that your rotator cuff is torn.
According to Comprehensive Orthopaedics, over lifting weights can tear the tendons in your shoulders, leading to pain. This is because when the rotator cuffed is torn, the muscles and tendons responsible for covering your arms are interfered with.
The following symptoms indicate your rotator cuff is torn due to heavy lifting: Irritating pain, especially when the arms are raised, limited shoulder movement, and pain even when asleep.
To prevent rotator cuff tear, do low resistance exercises to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles, avoid sleeping on the side of the shoulder that is sore to facilitate quick healing, and go to doctors for diagnosis.
IS BENCH PRESS BAD FOR YOUR SHOULDER?
Bench press is a good workout that builds your upper body strength, grows your biceps, and improves your bone health.
However, some people report shoulder problems and some side effects that force them to quit working out with bench press.
Do these injuries imply that the bench press is bad for your shoulder? Definitely not.
You shouldn’t stop enjoying the benefits accrued by using bench press due to injuries. This article will cover various ways in which you can prevent shoulder pain during bench press.
The strategies include:
TAKE YOUR TIME TO LEARN HOW TO DO BENCH PRESS PROPERLY
It will come as a no-brainer that many people don’t know how to do bench press in the required and appropriate manner.
To do a proper bench press, ensure you tuck your elbows when doing bench press. Reach lower on the chest to protect your shoulders when bench pressing. Then, only decide to flare your elbows slightly as you press up to avoid injuries.
AVOID LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHTS ALL THE TIME WHEN DOING BENCH PRESS
Avoid carrying heavy weights all the time. Incorporate a mixture of small, medium, and heavyweights to avoid injuries caused by a sudden blow of heavyweight on the body.
DO VARIETY OF PUSHING AND PULLING WORKOUTS
To avoid being hurt, include incline and do the various pull and push workouts to coordinate and balance your muscles appropriately.
TAKE AWAY
Bench press is an effective workout. It builds your shoulder muscles, arms, and chest and improves muscle endurance.
To avoid shoulder pain during bench press, do bench press workouts only twice or thrice a week to give your shoulder muscles time to recover.
If you’re new to this workout, work with a fitness trainer to ensure you’re lifting the correct amount of weight that suits your fitness level.
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