Inflammation in shoulder

Hi. I listen to the podcast and have been following the startingstrength forums for quite a few years. I`m from Norway so please excuse my poor english.

Im 34 years old, 187cm tall and I weigh 95 kilos. My best lifts are bench 140kilos, deadlift 220kilos, 170 kilos and 77,5 kilos in the press. Dunno if its relevant to my question tho…

For about a year now my shoulder has been bothering me alot, and I haven`t benched anything really since may 2017. Any pressing motion like benchpress and push ups hurt alot. I have been pressing overhead because that does not bother me as much.

I got an MR and my doctor says I have an inflammation in my clavicula near the shoulderjoint and in the supraspinatus?muscle which lies underneath the clavicula. Today I got a cortison injection in my shoulder and my doctor told me to go to a physical therapist so I can get some isometric excercises to somehow work out the inflammation or somesuch.

I live in a tiny Island far from coaches and physical therapists with experience with athIetes, and I just wanna ask you guys what you think about how I should train now. My first thought is to get after it on the benchpress, but I really don`t wanna fuck up my shoulder anymore. Does isometric training in this context have any merit at all? Or should I do some progressive overload benchpress starting with low weights.

Thanks

Are you able to press pain-free?

I guess pain is relative. I can press relatively pain free, but as I get closer to my max it hurts more.

For the time being, I’d suggest sticking with lifts and loads that don’t cause worsening pain.

Take a listen to our two podcasts on pain and injury management (I think 19 and 20? something like that) for more information that should help!