How to Avoid Shoulder Pain While Weight Lifting

Whether you lift weights in a gym or participate in crossfit workouts, shoulder pain might be something you have had or have heard a fellow weightlifter complain about.  I know it is important for these people to be able to continue with training, so I compiled a list of preventative measures to help my fellow gym goers stay healthy while lifting.  

WARM UP!

If your gym is equipped with an arm bike, this is a great way to get the muscles primed for a workout.  Try cycling backward (pulling the handles toward you), this will help activate those pulling muscles a.k.a the back.  If you don’t have an arm bike, try a light resistance band warm up including band pull aparts (arms straight out in front and separate arms, bringing the band to your chest); shoulder extensions; forearm wall slides (place forearms on wall with band between hands, pull band apart slightly and slide arms up the wall).  I typically recommend 1 set until fatigue.   

Prioritize the Back and Back off the Chest

Emphasizing back and rotator cuff strengthening helps facilitate proper positioning of the shoulder during weight lifting.  These muscles improve our trunk posture which will decrease the likelihood of shoulder pain or injury.  The chest typically is overworked and the back underworked which leads to asymmetry or imbalance between the back body and front body.  Too much activation in the chest can create poor posture at the shoulder joint and lead to pain during lifting.     

Elbow positioning is important

When performing chest and shoulder exercises try and maintain the elbows in front of the shoulders.  For example in an overhead press when pressing the weight up, try and make sure that your elbow and wrist stays slightly in front of your shoulder.  Similarly while performing a bench press keep the elbows parallel to the ground, don’t let them go past your body.  A deeper range of motion here puts extra strain on the shoulder and could lead to injury or pain.

Try dumbbells 

Asymmetry is one key factor that can lead to injury or pain while lifting.  If you normally use a barbell for exercising your chest/back/shoulders try using dumbbells.  You might find that one arm is easier than the other, if this is true then there’s a good chance that while you are using your barbell, that stronger arm is doing more of the work.   

Stretch

Just like the warm-up, stretching post-work out is important. Grab a foam roller and roll out your lats and upper back.  Perform a cross body stretch and doorway pect stretch just as a few examples.  

If your pain persists or you just don’t think these tips are specific enough to address your concerns, contact me at Elevate PTR by calling or submitting a form!  I can help to analyze your movement while lifting and design a rehab program appropriate for you specifically! 

April 28, 2020