Shoulder pain with bench or overhead press: when to see a physio?

What if you felt a pop during bench press?

Stop lifting and seek prompt medical assessment if a painful pop or tearing sensation is followed by chest or inner-arm bruising, marked weakness, or a change in the chest or armpit contour. A pectoralis tendon injury is one possibility, especially while lowering a heavy bar. These signs cannot be diagnosed online, and testing another heavy set could delay appropriate care.

Reference: AAOS OrthoInfo — Pectoralis tendon tear

Can you adjust training first, or is it time to book?

If discomfort is mild, improving and unaccompanied by warning signs, temporarily reduce the movements that provoke it while keeping comfortable daily activity. Watch the response later that day and the next morning, rather than judging only the last repetition. Worsening pain or declining movement is a reason to stop testing the exercise and seek advice.

Book an assessment if the same problem keeps returning, everyday tasks or sleep are affected, or you cannot progress back to training. If symptoms are worsening or have not begun to improve after about two weeks, contact a healthcare professional. You can ask for help sooner when you are uncertain; two weeks is not a required waiting period.

Reference: NHS Dorset — Rotator cuff related shoulder pain · NHS My Joint Health Hub — Shoulder strain · NHS — Shoulder pain

What would a shoulder assessment check?

Assessment combines your injury and health history with shoulder movement and strength testing, and neck or neurological screening when relevant. Your training demands and goals matter too. For rotator cuff tendinopathy, the 2025 clinical guideline supports individual education and active rehabilitation; that diagnosis should not be assumed from a painful press alone.

Reference: JOSPT (2025) — Rotator cuff tendinopathy clinical practice guideline

Bring these training notes to your appointment

A short note on your phone can make the conversation more specific. Record what you already experienced; you do not need to reproduce a painful lift for the appointment.

• Which exercise, equipment and part of the movement bothered you?
• What were the weight, sets and repetitions? What had recently changed?
• What happened afterwards, overnight and the following morning?
• What would a useful return look like: a comfortable workout, a work task or a particular lift?

How do you work back towards normal lifting?

A return plan should rebuild movement and strength before demanding full training again. Your clinician may start with a tolerable version of the task and gradually increase its demands. Sharp or increasing pain, renewed swelling or loss of strength calls for reassessment, not pushing through the set.

The Bern shoulder consensus recommends an individual, principle-based approach to return to sport. Discuss how progress will be judged, including confidence and the demands of your own activity. A calendar date alone cannot tell you whether your previous working weight is appropriate.

Reference: Leeds Community Healthcare NHS — Return to activity or sport after injury · JOSPT (2022) — Bern consensus on shoulder rehabilitation and return to sport

Where can you book a shoulder assessment with Harrison?

Harrison Zhang, MScPT, is a Registered Physiotherapist offering care in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. At Space Wellness in Markham, an initial assessment and treatment appointment is 60 minutes and costs C$145. Use the form below to request a time, or call +1 (942) 380-2599 for availability; a submitted form still needs appointment confirmation.

North York appointments are available through NTO's own booking system, with its fees and policies. If you live in Richmond Hill, compare the Markham and North York addresses below and choose the journey that suits you.