Hi Doctors
I have been experiencing pain for about 3 months which has now become too intense to ignore. I am signed up for a meet in late September, but I am thinking of cancelling it because of the pain.
About me:
M/27/175lbs
1.5 years barbell training history
Full time work, kids, part-time university studies
No medical issues aside from mild sleep apnoea, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic anxiety and depression
No surgeries or major injuries in the pasts
PRs from May 2018 (180lbs bodyweight)
Squat 195kg
Bench 113kg
Deadlift 210kg
Where does it hurt?
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Right bicep, tricep, anterior shoulder and posterior shoulder
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Left tricep (occasionally)
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Localised, does not radiate anywhere else
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No pins and needles down the arm/hands
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Pain scale of 7/10 during movement and 0-3/10 at rest
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Normal range of movement. Although hurts my right shoulder when I make circular motions with my arm. When does it hurt?
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During low bar squat and high bar squat (including belted, beltless, pin, paused), sometimes on front squat
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During bench (including comp, slingshot, floor press, tng bench) except bench to high pins
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During the day: occasional dull, throbbing pain
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Eccentric and concentric, hurts as soon as I unrack anything except front squat What does it feel like?
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Sharp
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Burning My programming
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Currently not receiving any coaching
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2nd run through a program from a BBM coach which produced great results the first tim Level of pain
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Varies by lift
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Bench - All variants as above hurt at least 5/10. Least painful is pin bench at 1” above chest, but this still hurts
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Press - Empty bar hurts 7/10
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Squat - Low bar most painful at 8/10 with empty bar, front squat least painful at 3/10. No access to leg press, SSB or belt squat
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Deadlift - no pain. Some pain on barbell rows only
Chronicity
- Most recent bout of pain: since early June, a week or two after I tested my 1RMs (about 10-12 weeks)
- It’s come back here and there over the years, for no particular reason History
- Pain initially felt during 10 years of baseball up to 2008 and some rugby
- Significant anterior shoulder pain in 2008 during baseball season. No treatment or medical consultation Form checks
- Spoke with a BBM coach who said my elbows were jacked up too high in the squat. I fixed this somewhat but the pain hasn’t improved (I’m guessing it’s very sensitised at the moment) Attempts to fix it
- I tried a few shoulder rehab exercises from Adam Meakins’ website, but I ended up getting pain in other places like my right pec. I was probably doing them wrong.
- I also spent a week or so doing tempo work to see if that would help a bit, but it didn’t make much difference.
- Ive taken anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen) as needed and also tried topical anti-inflammatory with no effect.
- I have not seen a physio or GP to review my condition I’m at a loose end and would love your advice. It’s really affecting my motivation to train because I expect pain and just get more frustrated as each session goes on. I’ve never considered giving up training until the past few weeks and I’d like to do something about the pain.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated, including any doctors or other health professionals who may be able to help. I am in Sydney, Australia.
Thank you!