Shoulder Pain from Lifting Weights: Causes, Treatment, Prevention

When you lift weights over time, the shoulder group muscles can become stiff and tight due to repeated muscular contraction and overuse. These tight muscles can lead to overstretching, strain, and inflammation of the shoulder tendons and surrounding tissue.

This issue causes joint, muscle, and tendon discomfort during exercises like the bench press, overhead press, deadlift, tricep dip, and lateral raise. Shoulder issues are common among athletes and those involved in weight training.

The root causes of this condition include:

1. Chronic Inflammation
2. Magnesium Deficiency
3. Muscle Restriction

Weight training builds and strengthens muscles, but it also inflames tendons, ligaments, and joints in the body. When the workout target or involve the shoulders, (e.g. bench press, overhead press, pull-ups, push-ups, bar dips), it inflames the shoulder tendons and joint.

Inflammation of the shoulder tendons causes a "burning" sensation of pain in and around the shoulder joint. The condition is known as shoulder tendonitis, or more specifically rotator cuff tendonitis.

The burning feeling and pain around the shoulder are signs of acute inflammation – meaning the pain is temporary. With time, the body heals the shoulder tendons, and the pain goes away. But, when the shoulder tendons cannot heal and recover, and the inflamed tendon pain continues for three months or more, it becomes a chronic inflammatory condition.

Chronic inflammation is a state where the inflammatory process that enables the body to heal injured muscle, tendon and ligament is not working, and the body is no longer able to heal on its own. In this case, it leads to chronic tendonitis.

Left untreated, chronic inflammation in the shoulder becomes degenerative and leads to irreversible deterioration of the shoulder joint.

Weightlifters experience discomfort in the shoulder during the following:

• Bench Press
• Chest Flys
• Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Dips
• Overhead Press
• Cable Rows
• Deadlifts
• Lateral Raises, Front Raises
• Power Snatch, Cleans, Jerks
• Upright Rows
• Shoulder Shrugs

Calcium helps muscles contract. Magnesium helps muscles relax. When the body has excess calcium (which is often the case), muscles cannot relax and remain tense. When a muscle is tense, it pulls and puts tension on the tendons and joints, which inflames the tendons and causes pain, in this case – shoulder pain.

Magnesium also dissolves calcium and prevents the calcification of soft tissues. Calcification occurs when there is excess calcium in the body. Calcification hardens soft tissues like tendons and muscles.

In this case, calcification of the rotator cuff and deltoid muscles leads to rotator cuff and tendonitis in the shoulder, respectively.

According to The Magnesium Miracle (which is a scientific reference on the health effects of magnesium on the body), heavy exercise, physical activity, and factors such as caffeine, stimulants, diuretics, stress, and dehydration, deplete magnesium in athletes.

As such, it is crucial for athletes and those involved in weight training to actively replenish magnesium in the body.

When you lift weights and perform exercises that target or involve the shoulders, the shoulder group muscles (deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids, and rotator cuff) muscles contract, become stiff and tight, and after some time, lose their elasticity.

Muscle restriction occurs when inelastic fibers become shortened and unable to release and lengthen back to their normal relaxed state.

In this case, lifting a weight too heavy, or using bad form overstretches the shoulder muscles and causes them to become restricted. This is usually the trigger that initiates pain. When the deltoids and rotator cuffs get restricted, they become shortened and get tighter.

Tight deltoids and rotator cuffs pull and put tension on the shoulder tendons. As a result, it inflames the tendons and joint. Further, it causes discomfort during exercise - and in some cases, instability and a feeling of weakness in the shoulder.

Weightlifters with restricted shoulder muscles experience:

• Sharp or severe pain in shoulder
• Burning pain in shoulder joint
• Instability and a feeling of weakness
• Shoulder AC joint pain and swelling
• Difficulty and pain moving the shoulder
• Clicking and popping of shoulder AC joint 

The shoulder is a dynamic joint. Multiple muscles support and stabilize the shoulder to enable a wide range of motion in the shoulder. These collective group of muscles, the shoulder group muscles, include the following: trapezius, deltoids, rotator cuff (infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor), teres major, rhomboids, and serratus posterior superior.

In addition to the shoulder group muscles, the following muscles influence shoulder mobility: latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, serratus anterior, levator scapulae, triceps, and biceps.

When one of these muscles becomes injured or restricted, the remaining muscles compensate by working harder. Ultimately, this causes the entire shoulder muscle group to become dysfunctional – meaning they don’t function as intended. This circumstance leads to a series of degenerative shoulder injuries and conditions.

This section of the article will cover the types of shoulder injuries and conditions athletes experience, including:

1. Frozen Shoulder
2. Rotator Cuff Injury
3. Shoulder Impingement
4. Shoulder Blade Pain
5. AC Joint Pain
6. Biceps Tendonitis
7. Shoulder Tendonitis
8. Shoulder Bursitis
9. Deltoid Pain

Muscle Anatomy Chart of the Shoulder and Arm. Key muscles highlighted on the chart include the deltoids, and rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis), trapezius, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, triceps brachii, rhomboids, and lavetor scapulae. The shoulder, arm, neck, and back muscles contribute to tendonitis, pain, weakness, and instability.

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is indicated by stiffness and restricted mobility in the shoulder joint. It is often associated with aging. However, in weightlifters, it develops after an injury, surgery, or sudden trauma to the shoulder that immobilizes the shoulder for an extended time. The condition often develops gradually and can be linked to inflammation and thickening of the shoulder capsule. Individuals experience pain and difficulty lifting their arms.

Rotator cuff (RC) injuries involve damage to the muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff comprises four key muscles—supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis—each playing a crucial role in shoulder stability and function. These collective muscles not only facilitate various shoulder movements but also serve to support and stabilize the scapula. When these rotator cuff muscles become restricted or injured, it can result in pain, weakness, instability, and limited shoulder mobility.

Push, Pull, and overhead exercises that overload the rotator cuff can cause RC injuries. These exercises include bench presses, overhead presses, push-ups, pull-ups, rows, or lat pulldowns.

Inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons leads to the thickening of the tendon. Shoulder impingement occurs when the inflamed and thickened rotator cuff tendons get trapped and squeezed under the acromion (where the scapula and the head of the humerus intersect). This condition can lead to pain, inflammation, and reduced function. Shoulder impingement is a degenerative shoulder condition that indicates the shoulder group muscle is dysfunctional.

In athletes, shoulder impingement interferes with overhead exercises such as shoulder press, tricep dip, snatch, overhead squat, clean and press, upright row, and front or lateral raise.

Shoulder blade pain, or scapula pain, is indicated by a sharp or dull ache between the shoulder blades. The dynamic movements of the scapula involve several muscles, including the rhomboids, serratus anterior, teres major, trapezius, the long head of the triceps muscle, levator scapulae, and the rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis).

When any of these muscles become restricted, it can lead to pain between and around the scapula. However, the primary culprits contributing to pain between the shoulder blades are often the rhomboids, serratus anterior, and trapezius. Conditions like nerve compression in the spine may also contribute to discomfort near the scapula.

Pull exercises that overload the rhomboids, serratus anterior, and trapezius can trigger scapula pain. These exercises include lat pulldowns, pull-ups, deadlifts, shoulder shrugs, rows (cable, bent-over, T-bar), and dumbbell flys.

AC joint pain involves discomfort at the acromioclavicular joint, where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade. It is due to irritation, inflammation, tear, or stretching of the ligaments that attach the acromion to the clavicle (called the acromioclavicular ligament).

It can occur as a result of trauma, such as a direct impact to the shoulder. In athletes, it is often a degenerative shoulder condition, indicating dysfunction in the shoulder group and surrounding muscles. This condition can result in pain, weakness, swelling, and AC joint separation. Depending on the level of the injury, it can cause mild to severe pain, weakness, swelling, separation, and a visible lump or bump on top of the shoulder at the AC joint.

Any muscle that attaches to the clavicle or scapula can contribute to the development of AC joint pain and separation. The primary muscles involved include the pectoral, trapezius, and deltoid.

AC joint pain can interfere with chest, back, and shoulder exercises, including overhead presses, dips, push-ups, snatch, bench press, clean and press, front or lateral raises, rows, chest fly, and lat pulldowns.

Biceps tendonitis is inflammation of the long biceps tendon, leading to pain and swelling in the front of the shoulder. For athletes, it is often a result of restricted biceps muscles that strain the biceps tendon at the attachment in front of the shoulder joints. This condition can lead to minor tears or complete rupture of the bicep tendons and contribute to degenerative shoulder problems.

Bicep tendonitis can interfere with chest, bicep, tricep, back, and shoulder exercises, including bicep curls, overhead presses, push-ups, bench presses, front or lateral raises, rows, and lat pulldowns.

This condition, also known as rotator cuff tendinopathy, is inflammation of the tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. Tendinopathy of the shoulder refers to a collective group of shoulder issues, including bicep tendonitis, bursitis, impingement syndrome, rotator cuff injury, and tears. The affected tendons, including the rotator cuff and biceps, play crucial roles in shoulder movement and stability.

Athletes with tendonitis can experience mild to severe pain during exercises that involve the shoulder, such as bench presses, shoulder presses, bicep curls, push-ups, pull-ups, and upright rows.

Shoulder bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa sacs surrounding the shoulder joint. 

Tendonitis or inflammation of the biceps and rotator cuff tendon often leads to this condition. In weight training, exercises that require frequent overhead reaching may lead to impingement and bursitis. This condition causes pain when the arm is overhead, resulting in limited mobility. Shoulder bursitis is a degenerative condition indicating the shoulder group muscle is dysfunctional.

Shoulder bursitis can interfere with chest and shoulder workouts, including overhead presses, front or lateral raises, rows, lat pulldowns, tricep dips, snatches, clean and press, and upright rows.

Deltoid pain occurs from restriction in the deltoid muscles. The muscles that cause this pain include the front, middle, and posterior deltoids. Athletes may experience strain and pain during shoulder and chest exercises that excessively strain the deltoids. These exercises include bench press, front or lateral raise, upright row, cable row, lat pulldown, overhead squat, and shoulder press. This condition can lead to degenerative shoulder injuries and conditions.

I perform barbell bench press during chest workout at gym (2019).

I perform seated barbell shoulder press at gym (2019). 

I perform Clean and Press exercise at gym (2020).

I perform variations of pull-ups and chin-ups at gym (2020).

I perform standard push-ups at gym (2020).

What is TitaniumPhysique? It is a fast and effective way to fix and counteract chronic tendonitis and muscles injuries, including:

1. Sharp or severe pain in the shoulder
   
2. Burning pain in the shoulder
3. Instability and a feeling of weakness
4. Shoulder AC joint pain and swelling
5. Difficulty and pain when moving shoulder
6. Clicking and popping of shoulder AC joint 

It is based on current and extensive scientific research relating to the following: tendinopathy, sports medicine and sports injury, musculoskeletal pain treatment and management, nutrition, supplementation, and, strength therapy and conditioning.

As a bodybuilder, I created the TitaniumPhysique Program for anyone involved in physical activity like weight training.

I've combined these scientific studies and nine years of experience as a personal trainer, nutritionist, bodybuilder, physique athlete, and wellness coach to create the program.

Here is an overview of how to fix shoulder problems using the program:

1. Reduce chronic inflammation in the body. When you reduce chronic inflammation, injured and inflamed shoulder tendons heal and recover faster.
2. Supplement with magnesium to replenish muscle magnesium levels. Magnesium reduces inflammation and pain, relaxes tense shoulder muscles, and decalcifies the shoulder tendons and shoulder joints.
3. Massage the shoulder group muscles. You can use myofascial pain relief tools, like a massage ball, to massage and release the shoulder muscles (trapezius, deltoids, rotator cuffs, rhomboids, serratus posterior, erectors).

Restricted muscles in the shoulder develop over many years. As such, it is necessary to use the correct treatment technique to get the best results. During this process, it is also vital to strengthen the shoulder, by doing mobility and strengthening exercises for the shoulder joint.

Strengthening exercises are therapeutic and can help the shoulder tendons heal faster and regain full strength for maximum performance. Mobility exercises include:

• Scapula Retraction Exercise (targets the rhomboids to stabilize the shoulder blade)
• Open Book Exercise
• Standing or Side-Lying External Rotator (targets the infraspinatus to stabilize the shoulder)

The TitaniumPhysique Program consists of videos to release restricted shoulder muscles and mobility exercises to strengthen and stabilize the shoulder joint.

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