Before anyone recommends going to the doctor and/or going to an ART specialist, I have already done those. The doctor just did tests on the rotator cuff which caused no pain so he concluded it wasn’t the rotator cuff and gave me a cortisone shot to see if it helped.
I have been told it could be impingement. It hurts to do horizontal pressing and that’s mainly it. It also hurt REALLY bad one time when I threw a set of keys to someone underhanded. The best I can describe it is that it feels like something is sliding over something else and it causes pain.
I think its either a torn labrum or bicep tendinitis. I am hoping I can rehab it on my own by cutting out on any horizontal pushing movements and focusing on horizontal pulling type movements where I squeeze my shoulder blades together.
I don’t have the answer to your question, but thought this might be of interest. I’ve been having trouble with an almost identical issue - pain in my left shoulder when I bench. It’s been bugging me for a while and have been hunting for an answer myself.
I was reading Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson’s article “Push-Ups, Face Pulls and Shrugs” here…
It may be of interest if you are considering lots of horizontal rowing to fix the problem. I’ve been banging away at that method for a while and it hasn’t exactly solved my problem (although admittedly, I should probably stop benching for a while completely too, which I have not done). Anyway, here’s a quote from that article…
"Question: What’s the most effective scapular position to maximize bench press performance?
Answer: Retraction and depression
Question: What scapular position is achieved in the contracted phase of a rowing movement?
Answer: Retraction and depression
thank you, I definitely think its more of a scapula issue. I am cutting out any pressing movements whatsoever until I get this shoulder problem sorted out.