Thread: Strange Shoulder Pain

Lately I've been getting really bad pain after doing lateral raises. However, this ONLY happens after doing some type of shoulder press (above the head). Though its fine doing it after bench (flat or incline) or any other exercise for that matter.

The pain is strange too, its not an accute snap or anything, it just slowly kicks in. Like I'd do the first set no probs, and sometimes a second set however its when I'm resting that the pain starts to slowly kick in and intensifies to the point of excruciating pain and it feels like my shoulders are about to tear out of my sockets causing me to have to stop my workout for 10 mins or so until it subsides. Oh, and the pain feels like its kinda between the front delt and the chest but it spreads throughout the front and side delt, dunno can be a bit hard to pinpoint. Stretching (chest and anterior delt) doesn't offer any immediate help and makes the pain worse. However the pain does subside in 10 mins or so every time and I feel good to go.

So what I've been doing to avoid the problem is either doing lateral raises first or doing another body part in between shoulder presses and lateral raises. Or I just do lateral raises after chest.

Originally Posted by KromTromeggadom

Lately I've been getting really bad pain after doing lateral raises. However, this ONLY happens after doing some type of shoulder press (above the head). Though its fine doing it after bench (flat or incline) or any other exercise for that matter.

The pain is strange too, its not an accute snap or anything, it just slowly kicks in. Like I'd do the first set no probs, and sometimes a second set however its when I'm resting that the pain starts to slowly kick in and intensifies to the point of excruciating pain and it feels like my shoulders are about to tear out of my sockets causing me to have to stop my workout for 10 mins or so until it subsides. Oh, and the pain feels like its kinda between the front delt and the chest but it spreads throughout the front and side delt, dunno can be a bit hard to pinpoint. Stretching (chest and anterior delt) doesn't offer any immediate help and makes the pain worse. However the pain does subside in 10 mins or so every time and I feel good to go.

So what I've been doing to avoid the problem is either doing lateral raises first or doing another body part in between shoulder presses and lateral raises. Or I just do lateral raises after chest.

I've had running issues with my shoulder (r) for some time now, and whilst it's not as extreme as yours sounds, it certainly is/was painful and was getting in the way of my training. I spend a lot more time now warming up the shoulder before I train, and I've a done series of acupuncture sessions to manage the pain. So far so good.

I'm sure BodyDoc will have some solid input on your particular probs.

Good luck with it.

Shoulders are such a common cause of angst, due to the unstable nature of the joint.

Work on your rotator cuff endurance as a matter of priority. There are plenty of threads about this, or even google rotator cuff strengthening exercises. You may have an endurance problem which results in a change of the rotation moment in the joint, placing adverse strain on other muscles and structures.

Try substituting lateral raise for cable lateral raise, lower the weight and watch your form. At the end of range of abduction (the raising part) pull your shoulder back horizontally and squeeze the rear delts, making sure the hand does not rise higher than your elbow.

Another exercise I personally do is lateral raise on the incline bench. Set the bench about 60-70 degrees incline, (this will vary so make sure you can see your middle delt being hit during the exercise), kneel on the seat pad and place your chest against the back rest. Lower the weight of your dumbbells and do your lat raises this way, making sure you keep your chest against the back rest at all times. Biomechanically, this hits the middle delt more and helps prevent external rotation of the shoulder - the biggest cheat move, and stops you using momentum to get the weights up there!

Keen to hear your feedback.

BD