My pain started about 8 months ago not too long after I started lifting, i first noticed the pain from barbell ohp, at the time it was just the press that hurt however over time most upper body movements including bicep curls started to aggrevate the shoulder. I trained through the discomfort for many months but eventually it got a little worse and started to piss me off, I saw a PT in December who didn’t help, I did no lifting at all for 5 weeks just stretching and massage which was a stupid idea and didn’t work, over the past couple of months for the upper body I’ve mainly relied on back work e.g chin ups and rows which have felt ok for the most part on the shoulder, every time I attempt to bench press even with the empty bar or do some push ups regardless of how good my form is I feel a deep pinch in the delt. The issue is that the shoulder pain is constant, all day everyday I have felt the discomfort for months, it’s not a bad pain, probably a 3/10 but it’s always there. The only times my shoulder is not bothering me is when I’m asleep or in a hot bath or shower which helps. I occasionally feel discomfort in the bicep, normally I feel the pain on the back of the shoulder, maybe the infraspinatus? I’m an 18 year old male, the discomfort sometimes gets a little worse during everyday activities such as driving for long periods.Maybe the issue is partly psychological, I can’t get through a single day without thinking about my shoulder or worrying if I feel pain when I lift. I’m guessing my shoulder needs appropriately dosed loading through movements such as ohp and bench press with light weights? As well as the fact I need to man up and try and stop overthinking every bit of discomfort i feel.
Thanks
Hey @Dunn1203 ,
Thanks for the questions. Sorry to hear about the shoulder issue.
Have you had any recent traumas to the area? Any prior dislocations?
You are correct that you likely need to find tolerable loading to the area to progress towards your goals. However, our stance isn’t “Just man up”. Instead we prefer individuals to self-reflect on their thought process and belief system about pain and their learned responses so we can re-frame the discussion and instill new behaviors. This takes time and effort but has little to nothing to do with ego.
I really think you would benefit from a consult with us so we can address some of your concerns and collaboratively create a game plan to move you towards your goals. Contact Us | Barbell Medicine