Are your elbows painful after you bench press? While some stress is natural, having constant pain is a sign that you have an injury. Know that bench press elbow pain is more common than you think—and you can both prevent and treat it. In this guide, we’ll go through how bench pressing affects your elbow and the various kinds of elbow pains. You’ll also learn how to best prevent this in the future and manage ongoing elbow pain!
Understanding the Basis of Bench Press Pain:
Nothing quite like an elbow with throbbing pain, stiffness, and even clicking to put you off your gym routine!
Whether you are an athlete in training or a professional weightlifter, bench press elbow pain can be quite the test. While there are a couple of common reasons behind the ache, many factors come into play in the elbow pain.
The most common issue is the strain repeated one at that—on the tendons of your elbow. When you bench press, three muscle groups work to make it happen, and these muscles take the impact:
Triceps: The muscles located on the back side of the upper arm
Wrist Flexors: Muscles on your forearm that help bend it down
Wrist Extensors: Muscles that help bend your forearm back
Tendon overuse, pain, and bench press injury usually happen when you lift incorrectly—a usual habit when you increase training. The good news is that you can both prevent impact and pain and improve any current elbow issues too.
The simple solution includes hanging how you position your elbow and going for rehab. However, it is vital you know the details and the main cause of the pain. The site of pain in your elbow can show which part needs attention.
Types and Symptoms of Bench Press Elbow Pain:
Several factors could be causing elbow pain during bench pressing. That being said, the most likely culprit is lifter’s elbow—also called golfer’s elbow, and medically known as epicondyle tendinopathy. Here is what you need to know:
- Tendinopathy is a type of overuse injury. It affects the tendons of your wrist flexor muscles.
- These become inflamed due to improper lifting moves—and frequent ones too.
- Basically, various causes do more damage to your tendon than it can heal from.
- Incorrect lifting puts strain on the tendons. Excess force does the same. Regular lifting (with no rest) repeats strain before total healing.
In case both occur—just imagine how much stress your elbows take and how severe bench press pain can be!
In the case of lifter’s elbow, you will feel pain where your wrist flexor tendons connect to the inner elbow. Not only will you not be able to lift properly, but you will also face difficulty in daily chores. Medical experts in sports and gym injuries report that lifter’s elbow is in fact one of the common musculoskeletal issues.
While tendinopathy is the first guess with bench press elbow pain, there are other conditions you should take into account.
Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) and Triceps Tendonitis (Inflammation):
Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis is the next common reason for bench press elbow pain. This issue stems from your tendon—that links forearm muscles to the outer part of the elbow—becoming inflamed. When you lift again and again, you end up putting strain on these tendons, causing tiny tears and pain.
The basics facts about tennis elbow you need to know are:
- Bad form, lifting heavier weights, and weak muscles are key risk factors for tennis elbow.
- Tennis elbow often presents as discomfort and tenderness on the outer side of the elbow.
- Due to tennis elbow, you may also feel a weak grip, and pain while doing bench press exercises.
Triceps Tendonitis is another cause of bench press pain. This condition occurs when the tendons in your triceps—the muscles that link your triceps to your elbow joint—receive stress. Watch out for the signs of triceps tendonitis for proper recovery:
- Your tendons become inflamed—and thus hurt a lot.
- The pain is present at the back of the elbow.
- Along with discomfort is also swelling, limiting your range of motion.
This issue is not uncommon if you are someone who does heavy lifting and is committed to the gym.
Elbow Pain from Other Gym Injuries:
What seems to be bench press elbow pain can actually be a result of pain stemming from another injury you have. The likely ‘original’ pains are due to rotator cuff or shoulder injuries. You can also have elbow pain when it is in fact your forearm or wrist where the injury is.
The shoulder joint and rotator cuff keep your upper body stable as you bench press. If these muscles are weak or you have poor balance, they hinder proper movement. The result? Extra strain on the elbow joint, causing pain. Thus, pay attention to the strength of your shoulder muscles if you end up with elbow pain every time you bench press.
When it comes to elbow pain which happens when the wrist and forearm are hurt, grip and muscle integrity do matter. After all, a strong grip and healthy muscle mass are both crucial for great form and stability when you lift.
If you face weakness or strain in these areas, then you end up moving incorrectly to make up for it. Moreover, you end up putting extra stress on your elbow joint—and getting bench press elbow pain. To prevent and reduce elbow pain during bench presses, include forearm and wrist strengthening exercises in your routine.
Prevention for Bench Press Elbow Pain:
If you want to prevent bench press pain, then start with a review of your workouts. You will need to do this when you first start feeling pain in your elbows following bench press exercises. And no, we are not talking about the exhaustion—that ‘jelly’ feeling in your arms. This pain is extreme and takes time to go.
The main factor you need to revisit is if you have made any recent changes to your training. See if you can check off any of the following:
- Increased your bench press workouts. This can be in terms of duration or sessions.
- Pushing yourself to lift more even when you feel pain since your usual set is not over.
- Increased the weight you lift, in a rapid way rather than slowly getting used to pressure.
- Have a new form or method of lifting especially one that strains your tendons.
If you can say yes to even one of these changes in your bench press routine and are troubled by bench press elbow pain, then it is time to revisit your workout. You do not have to revert, but even improving
bench presses can help.
Employ Correct Ways to Bench Press:
The first and foremost preventative care technique for pain and bench press injury is doing your workout in a way that does not put excess strain and involves a stable form. Here are three expert tips
for proper bench pressing:
- Maintain Proper Form: Go for the form and grip as per your physique and bench press style. Ideally, keep your wrists neutral and your forearms at 45 degrees to the barbell, while your feet are flat on the floor, under or a little behind your knees.
- Tap Into Core and Legs: Engage your core and legs aside from the upper body for stability. This helps lessen the strain, avoiding bench press elbow pain Meanwhile, keep your elbows tucked at about a 45-degree angle to your body to prevent needless stress.
- Adjust Bench Press Grip: Try a new grip. Widen your hold on the weights if you feel elbow strain. A narrow grip can put extra pressure on the triceps, while a wider grip can shift the focus to the pectorals.
If you are unsure if your form and grip are correct, then ask for advice from a pro. In fact, before you start bench pressing, or try new styles, always have an expert guide you!
Don’t Forget Warm-Ups, Stretching and Compression!
First, a warm-up before bench pressing can reduce the risk of injury. It increases blood flow to the muscles and joints, preparing them for the workout ahead.
Go for stretches that target your shoulders, chest, and triceps. These are ‘activation’ exercises, and often include a light resistance band to help you mimic bench press movements to prep the muscles.
Compression sleeves are your best friends! These offer a plethora of benefits:
- Support to the elbow joint, tendon, and muscles.
- Ensure proper form and lifting technique.
- Help ease pain and speed up the healing process.
- Aid inflamed joints, especially after overuse injuries like tendonitis.
- Stimuli from wearing the sleeves helps you be more aware of elbow position.
All in all, compression sleeves aid your bench press. You feel less of a challenge in keeping a neutral grip and the right grip width. As a result, there is less strain on the elbow and shoulder joints—and less risk of chronic elbow pain.
Note: Talk to a physical therapist before you purchase your compression sleeves for lifting. They can help you choose a suitable elbow sleeve for your needs.
Treatment for Bench Press Injury:
We’ve covered what it takes to prevent elbow pain from bench pressing. What do you do when you are afflicted by debilitating pain and discomfort?
- Sign Up for Physical Therapy: Always go for therapy for bench press pain with a licensed physical therapist. Moreover, choose someone who specializes in workout and sports-related injury. They will assess your issue, figure out underlying causes, and personalize a therapy plan. Make sure that you stick to these exercises only to minimize your pain and strengthen your muscles.
- Cut Yourself Some Slack: Your elbow will take time to heal! Physical therapy for bench press pain will take time too. Typically, you need 2-3 months for your elbow to heal well with rehabilitation. Know that pain from tendinopathy will take as long as six months to a year if you do not follow rest and rehab properly.
- Adjust Your Training: Once you are completely healed (or on your way to healing with permission to continue some workouts), work with a pro to modify your bench press exercises. Use a wider grip for your bench press, limit your range of motion, and prioritize the dumbbell bench press over high-impact moves like JM Press and skull crushers.
In addition to the above methods, also focus on regaining your strength. Yes, eliminating your elbow pain is the crucial part you also need to enhance your muscles once your symptoms have lessened. about website
Final Thoughts: Achieve the Trifecta of Workout, Style, and Rest!
Prevention is certainly better than cure, so the verdict is to focus on avoiding bench press elbow pain in the first place. It’s quite simple:
- Lift with proper form and grip. Professional training is the best investment.
- Remember to relax and take a break, especially when you feel more stress.
- When injured, take your recovery and strength plan seriously.
Elbow pain from bench pressing can be a major issue for weightlifters and athletes alike. Learn to spot the common reasons for elbow pain, and how it relates to any other joint and muscle problems. Don’t forget to keep up with pain and injury prevention techniques. Overuse injuries deserve attention, so it’s wise to gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts.
Lastly, do not underestimate the value of expert guidance. Follow your trainer, whether we’re talking about proper form or recovery exercises. Your goal is to stick to a safe and effective bench press routine. And voila—you constantly reap the rewards of bench pressing while reducing the likelihood of elbow injuries for years to come!