Bench Press & Shoulder Pain

Bigger Stronger Leaner Injuries and Rehab
1

Hi guys,

I have a question about shoulder pain and the bench press. I read everywhere that when you bench with you elbows flared, this can lead to shoulder pain and injury.

When I bench, I get that pain on the side of my shoulder (the right one), but I get it only when my right elbow is NOT flared to the side. As my elbow is at a 45 degree angle or less with my body, I feel the pain and something grinding in my shoulder, but when I flare the elbow to about 90 degrees, the grinding stops, and so does the pain.

This happens only with my right shoulder, the left one doesn’t hurt nor grind when I place it at a 45 degree angle or less. It does that grinding thing when it’s placed at a 90 degree angle though, the opposite of my right shoulder.

Any thoughts? Should I keep benching with my right elbow flared at 90 degree and keep the left one at 45?

2

You mean you get pain in your right shoulder where the deltoid inserts into your humerus? Holding your arms at 45 degrees recruits more deltoid, so this may be a factor.

Where is the grinding, is it where the pain is or “inside” the shoulder? Give more details.

3

Have tried CT’s slight decline bench press from pins?

I’d also suggest experimenting w/ reverse bands, and or fat gripz…or all of the above

I think using unsymmetrical form is a very bad idea

If it gets worse neutral grip db press is friendly on shoulders…but bench is always king if you can do it

4

I have a pretty large bone spur in my shoulder and I have the same pain when I bench. I just started doing Tib’s slight decline bench, by putting a 25lb plate under the bench, and it does help the pain.