The bench press can build strength and size in your chest, shoulders and triceps, but it can also be risky. One common complaint from people who bench press regularly is shoulder pain. This can become uncomfortable and cause distress not only when exercising but also when doing everyday tasks. However if you check with you doctor to find out the cause and appropriate treatment for your shoulder pain, you can probably become pain free.
Causes
Shoulder pain on the bench press is usually caused by one of two factors, or both: poor technique and weak unbalanced muscles. Bench pressing with your elbows flared out to the sides puts your shoulder joint under a lot more stress and at a greater risk of injury, as does bouncing the bar off your chest and using poor form in general. If the pain is caused by a muscular weakness or imbalance, it will most likely be in the muscles that support your shoulders, your rotator cuffs, or in the shoulder joint itself.
Treatment
The best thing you can do when pain strikes is to completely rest your shoulder. Refrain from any upper-body lifting, and apply ice to the area twice per day. If the pain is the same or worse after 72 hours, consult a doctor or physiotherapist, who will administer an appropriate treatments.
Exercises
Once the pain has subsided, strengthen the weak areas so that they do not cause any further imbalances, which can increase the chances of more shoulder pain. Work your rotator cuffs by attaching a resistance band around a vertical pole. Hold the resistance band in your right hand, with your arm across your body and your elbow tucked into your side.
Rotate the band as far as you can to the right while still keeping your elbow tucked in, then return to the start position. Perform three sets of 15 repetitions every other day. Train your shoulders with moderately heavy single-arm dumbbell presses, done twice per week for five sets of five reps.
Form
When you bench press, hold your body as rigid as possible. Press down into the bench with your upper back and glutes, and forcefully grip the bar. Lower the bar to your chest under control, and keep your elbows tucked in. When the bar barely touches your chest, pause for half a second, then explode upward with it. Do heavy bench presses no more than twice a week to reduce the stress on your shoulders, and take a week off from upper-body training once every six weeks.
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