Sudden bilateral shoulder pain

[Zio Di Roma]

Hi All

Age 60, have been lifting weights for 40 years with little time off. Don't lift heavy now, but do 3 days a week, plus 2 of cardio.

I am careful to match push with pull and haven't had issues since my 20s (too much benching). Any joint pain or injuries have been transient. Until three months ago, when I started getting shoulder pain when benching.

It started as medial deltoid pain but moved about. A month or so later and my left shoulder was the same.

Now, the pain is mainly rear deltoid on the right, but it still moves about. Left less sore but still noticeable.

I have dropped the weights right back and am doing external rotations with the pulley, rear deltoid raises, side lateral raises, light flys. My rear delts feel undeniably weak.

Thing is, I cannot decide whether what I am feeling is joint or muscle pain. It's odd. It could be either.

Ibuprofen provides some relief.

Anyone any idea what is going on and why the sudden onset?

Many thanks.

[Tom8]

Perhaps time to not do it anymore?

[MXRod]

Could you put that in simpler terms , it sounds similar to what I am experiencing just now .
Both my shoulders have pain and restricted movement , I can push pass the pain to have full mobility, the doctor put it down to age (77)
Paracetamol barely touches it ,due to other meds ,I can't take ibuprofen.
I am wondering it is early stage , arthritis

[Patrick Star]

57 here,but background virtually the same (plus contact sports/MA)

Have a similar problem,but pain is more like dull ache,which improves with movement. I've spent a long time on Youtube,watching videos on shoulder problems,plus training tips for the 'mature' lifter.

One thing I've picked up which I recommend to all,is the deadhang from a chin-up bar. Do it on your cardio days, 1 - 3 times until failure (takes a while to build up to over a minute). Not a miracle cure,but will help!

Good Luck.

And it's never time to stop!!

[Zio Di Roma]

Patrick Star said:

57 here,but background virtually the same (plus contact sports/MA)

Have a similar problem,but pain is more like dull ache,which improves with movement. I've spent a long time on Youtube,watching videos on shoulder problems,plus training tips for the 'mature' lifter.

One thing I've picked up which I recommend to all,is the deadhang from a chin-up bar. Do it on your cardio days, 1 - 3 times until failure (takes a while to build up to over a minute). Not a miracle cure,but will help!

Good Luck.

And it's never time to stop!!

Yep, do dead hangs, but not to failure. Perhaps I should try!

[Zio Di Roma]

MXRod said:

Could you put that in simpler terms , it sounds similar to what I am experiencing just now .
Both my shoulders have pain and restricted movement , I can push pass the pain to have full mobility, the doctor put it down to age (77)
Paracetamol barely touches it ,due to other meds ,I can't take ibuprofen.
I am wondering it is early stage , arthritis

Reaching up hurts. Lifting laterally hurts. So if I open my car door by lifting my right elbow it hurts. I can apply very little force outwards for someone of 14.5 stone.

External rotations are a challenge. I used 1.25kg and even then my rear deltoids feel it.

What is weird is how suddenly it has come on.

[MXRod]

That is pretty much what I am feeling at present , came on about 5 weeks ago , did some googling and it appears once shoulder pain starts ,it is difficult to resolve , in my case the doc said he could hear a few click and creaks as he manipulated my joints , he told me to visit a physiotherapist to see about exercises to keep joints mobile.

[Somebody]

Sorry to hear that, OP

I had shoulder pain affecting me not being able to put an arm up my back.

GP practice asked me to do these videos: https://tinyurl.com/2az449nk

Started as per videos then moved to doing the same but with light dumbbells.

Don't bother with putting your elbow on the table with video (chapter) 5. It wasn't until I did the arm motion with a dumbbell standing up that I felt any real improvement.

Good luck.

[Bill]

The BESS exercises are worth doing. If you're also getting neck stiffness particularly in the morning then it's worth being aware of PMR: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/polymyalgia-rheumati... and talking to your GP if the symptoms match.

[popeyewhite]

Zio Di Roma said:

Anyone any idea what is going on and why the sudden onset?

Bench press with a bar is inherently risky for the shoulders as the elbow position (flared) places huge torque on the ant deltoid and RC as a whole in the bottom half of the movement. Like other posters I've been lifting for several decades. and had my fair share of chronic shoulder injuries. About 8 years ago I switched to dumbbell bench press and have had no injuries since. elbows narrower is much kinder! Also don't forget if you're doing a lot for shoulders as well the injury could just as easily be overuse... .