It happened again
Another professional pitcher, another shoulder issue, another press conference with the classic “don’t worry, it’s just inflammation” tone.
The lucky guy? Pablo López, pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.
The problem? The same cursed shoulder.
And before you say “well yeah, but I don’t play baseball,” hold up a second.
Because if someone making millions, with private physios, personal biomechanists, and Star Trek recovery machines can land on the injured list…
You—with your rushed shoulder press after bench day and a warm-up that consists of shrugging in front of a mirror—are a lot closer to disaster than you think.
What actually happened to Pablo López?
Officially: “right shoulder inflammation.”
Translation: his throwing arm said “I’m out.”
It’s not yet clear if there’s a serious injury, but when a pitcher starts missing games and they mention “lingering discomfort,” it’s never a good sign.
And it’s not even news: baseball is a joint injury factory.
Only this time, instead of saying “poor guy,” maybe we should ask, “wait… am I risking the same thing?”
You don’t have to be a pitcher to wreck your shoulder
The biggest mistake is thinking: “but I don’t do overhead throwing.”
Too bad that in the gym, there are at least 5 classic movements that put your shoulder at as much risk as a 90 mph fastball:
- Bench press with flared elbows and ego-lifting weights
- Overhead press with locked scapulae and a torso stiff as a board
- Rows pulled too high and pull-ups done like you’re trying to get Wi-Fi from the ceiling
- Lateral raises with absurd weights and flailing arms
- Dips that sink way past your safe joint range
All “normal” things… until your rotator cuff hands in its resignation letter.
The shoulder is like a touchy friend: it needs constant attention
It’s the joint with the most mobility in the human body—but also the least stability.
You’ve heard the golf ball on a tee metaphor, right?
Welcome to the glenohumeral joint.
Without balance between stabilizing muscles and the big movers, every rep becomes a risk.
If you think just “being strong” is enough to be protected, you’re already in trouble.
The truth is that strength without control is a fast track to injury.
The invisible mistakes that hurt (even when you feel “fine”)
The thing with shoulders is they give you the illusion of being invincible… until they’re not.
Here are some sneaky mistakes that quietly cause damage:
- Zero rotator cuff work: nope, lat pulldowns don’t count. You need real external rotation, with bands, light dumbbells, and precision.
- Too much pressing, not enough pulling: if you’re doing 3 push exercises and one random row “for your back,” you’re creating a structural imbalance.
- Ignoring scapular control: frozen, locked, or misaligned scapulae = guaranteed crash.
- Skipping activation: not stretching, but turning on the right muscles before loading (like the serratus anterior, rear delts, and deep stabilizers).
- Training chest and shoulders back-to-back: two days of anterior overload? Your rotator cuff says thanks (with pain).
How to save your shoulders before they bail on you
We’re not talking about becoming a physio—just using some common sense and strategy.
Here’s what I’ve done for years after collecting shoulder inflammations like Pokémon:
- Scapular push-ups, face pulls, and band pull-aparts weekly, like breakfast
- Rear delt work twice a week, even just with 10 lbs and slow 15–20 reps
- Smart splits: never chest and shoulders on the same day (or consecutive days), ever again
- Total control on overhead pressing: no behind-the-head pressing, no cheating—if I can’t control the weight, I don’t lift it
- Targeted stretching and scapular decompression: even just 5 minutes of dead hang or shoulder dislocates post-workout makes a huge difference
These things aren’t optional if you want to lift long-term.
How to tell if your shoulder is already in trouble (before the MRI says so)
Not all shoulder problems start with sharp pain.
Often, the signs are sneaky and gradual—and you ignore them because they feel “normal”:
- A small click during pressing or fly movements
- The shoulder doesn’t “glide” smoothly when you lift your arm sideways
- Range of motion differs from one side to the other, but you only notice it in certain moves
- Post-workout, you feel a vague heaviness—not pain, but something’s off
- You start avoiding certain exercises or doing them more cautiously, without realizing it
These are warning signs.
It doesn’t mean you’re broken—but it means you need a reset before things get serious.
And no, Voltaren or “just resting” won’t fix it.
Post-workout checklist: 3 things to do if your shoulder feels off
If your shoulder feels “weird” after an upper session, don’t wait.
Do this quick 10-minute shoulder fix strategy:
- 1 minute of passive dead hang: decompresses the joint and stretches the lats
- 2×15 face pulls + banded external rotation: controlled, low-resistance activation to “clean up” the area
- Foam roller stretch for pec and anterior deltoid: releases leftover tension
Not a miracle cure—but it’s the difference between getting worse and bouncing back.
What to absolutely avoid if you have a history of shoulder issues
Okay, you’re already in the “sometimes it pinches” stage, but you want to keep training.
That’s fair.
But here’s what you should avoid like the plague:
- Heavy incline dumbbell press with full ROM
→ Reduce range or use lighter weights with controlled tempo - Heavy lateral raises above shoulder height
→ Stop at 90°—beyond that, the risk spikes - Pull-ups with a super narrow grip
→ Widen your grip and focus on pulling with your back, not your arms - Deep and forced dips, especially cold
→ Go for close-grip bench or limited-ROM parallel pulls - Any move that forces you to “push through” pain
→ If a spot is inflamed, it doesn’t need to be “toughened”—it needs respect
Training through pain isn’t training.
It’s a bad investment.
Some shoulder injuries won’t sideline you for a month—they’ll change your training forever
Let’s be honest.
When you hear “shoulder injury,” most people think:
“I’ll rest, maybe ice it, and in two weeks I’ll be pushing even harder.”
But nope.
Because the shoulder isn’t like an ankle:
if something inside breaks, you might not be the same even in six months.
Some injuries stick with you for years.
And even when the pain goes away, limitations remain.
The most dangerous ones for lifters?
1. Rotator cuff tear (partial or full)
The classic trauma from overload or poor repeated movement.
The supraspinatus or infraspinatus tendons get inflamed, fray, and tear.
If it happens to you:
- You lose strength in lateral or overhead lifts
- You can’t stabilize your humerus during pressing movements
- Weights feel unpredictable: one rep feels light, the next jams your shoulder
Exercises you may have to abandon:
- Overhead presses (military, Arnold, push press)
- Flat and incline barbell bench press
- Full-range lateral raises
- Parallel bar dips
- Snatch or jerk (if you do functional training)
2. Glenohumeral dislocation and chronic instability
This is when the humerus literally pops out of the socket.
Maybe it happened just once and popped back in… but things are never the same.
Shoulder stability becomes a gamble.
Every time you push or pull overhead or behind your body, the joint wobbles.
Exercises you might have to avoid forever:
- Any Olympic or functional lifts (snatch, jerk, muscle-up)
- Wide-grip pull-ups
- Behind-the-head presses
- Chest fly with full ROM
- Intense passive stretches (like pullovers)
Even “innocent” moves get dangerous, like:
barbell front raises, high rows, wide-grip bench.
3. SLAP tear (superior labrum anterior to posterior)
The glenoid labrum is like a gasket keeping the humeral head stable in the socket.
When it tears, you lose stability, control, and precision in fast or explosive movements.
Typical of overhead athletes… but also of gym bros doing flyes like they’re throwing javelins.
If you get a SLAP tear:
- You’ll feel an internal “click” during pressing or fly movements
- Certain angles will feel unstable or like they might give out
- The front of the shoulder may keep flaring up even with light weights
Exercises to ditch:
- Dips
- Arnold press (that rotation is a nightmare)
- Dumbbell pullovers
- Flailing raises with neutral grip dumbbells
- Ball throws, wall balls, or med ball slams
4. Subacromial bursitis or impingement syndrome
This one’s sneaky.
Feels like “just inflammation,” but every time you lift your arm overhead, something rubs and swells.
The bursa gets inflamed, the supraspinatus tendon gets trapped under the acromion, and your shoulder locks up.
The result?
Even 6 lbs overhead feels like a jackhammer.
On bad days, you can’t even fasten your sports bra or scratch your back.
Exercises to avoid:
- Overhead press (especially with barbell)
- Front raises above shoulder height
- Any overhead kettlebell work
- Upright rows
- CrossFit-style snatch / swing / muscle-up
And no, this isn’t “fear mongering.” It’s reality. Better to know what you risk losing forever
A lot of people say: “yeah okay, but I warm up properly.”
Great.
But if you don’t strengthen the deep structures, and don’t let soft tissues recover, even warming up becomes false security.
If you end up in the chronic injury tunnel, your training changes forever.
You won’t do what you want.
You’ll do what your shoulder allows.
And every exercise will come with one thought: “will my shoulder hold up?”
Weekly “shoulder-saving” routine you can plug into any program
No time for a full rehab plan?
I get it.
But this 15-minute-a-week micro-routine fits into any program—even if you train 5 days a week:
Day 1 – Pre push day
- 2×20 band pull-aparts
- 2×12 external rotations with dumbbell or band
- 2×10 scapular wall slides
Day 3 – Light day or active rest
- 2×15 prone Y and T on incline bench
- 2×15 scaption raises
- 30s dead hang + 5 slow dislocates
Day 5 – Post pull or full body
- 2×15 face pulls
- 30s pec and lat stretch
- 2 minutes dynamic mobility (e.g., “thread the needle,” “cat-cow”)
It’s not much, but it’ll keep you lifting for years.
Do you really want to press heavy for years? Then invest in this
Let’s put it this way: the shoulder is the only joint you need for everything.
Pressing, pulling, holding, even front squats.
Want to train for the next 10–20 years?
Then get these 3 tools and thank me later:
- Medium-resistance band with handles or loop: for all activation drills
- Mini foam roller or massage ball: for myofascial release, even between the shoulder blades
- PVC stick or broomstick: for dislocates, wall slides, symmetry tests
You don’t need 10 physio machines.
You need consistency and a plan.
Conclusion
Every time you hear “shoulder inflammation” from a pro athlete, ask yourself what you’re doing to avoid the same fate.
It’s not about luck.
It’s about programming, awareness, and learning to listen to signals.
If you want to push hard, go for it.
But do it smart.
Because when you get injured, it’s not just one muscle that stops.
Your motivation stops.
Your progress stops.
And your routine becomes a list of “things I could’ve prevented.”
Better to give up 10 more pounds on the bench today than pop painkillers just to zip your jacket.
Shoulders aren’t indestructible.
But with the right care, they can stick with you through years of intense—but smart—training.
And if Pablo López can get back to pitching heat, you can get back to lifting heavy.
But only if you stop acting tough and start thinking like a real athlete.