Shoulder Pain With Lateral Raises

Yes, another shoulder pain post.

what is the common cause and fix of shoulder pain? specifically i have a slight pain when i do lateral raises and i go above shoulder.
any links or suggestions would help.

also, what can and can’t i do?

If it hurts, stop doing them.

I had to. I only do overhead presses, and only when my shoulders are feeling okay.

Go see a therapist as well.

Well, the shoulder is one of the most complex joints in your body so the cause of pain is hard to nail down by your description. The big thing is that you don’t want a minor pain to become a chronic injury.

When my shoulder acts up, I simply lay off it for a week. If it is really bothering me, I make a conscious effort to not move my shoulder joint at all during the day (mentally “pin” your elbow to your side). Sometimes I’ll even wrap it under my clothes - that helps me remember to keep that arm still.

I managed to get my shoulder(s) healthy by really focusing on good form in the gym - especially on exercises like lateral raises. I would recommend putting your ego aside and using some of the lightest dumbells you can find, even if they’re (gasp!) rubber coated (trust me this sucks, but it works). Concentrate on slow, deliberate movements. To increase intensity, don’t increase the weight, simply add static holds at the top of the motion. THis will eventually strengthen any weak points in your shoulder joint. Also, you’ll probably notice gains in other lifts, especially your bench.

Nick