Why Do I Feel Squats In My Shoulders? Everything You Need To Know For Better Results
If you’re wondering why you feel squats in your shoulders, it’s probably because you’re not doing them correctly.
While squats are primarily a leg exercise, if they’re not performed correctly, they can place undue stress on the shoulders. This can lead to pain and even injury.
Here are some tips on where you might be going wrong and also ways to do squats correctly…
Why do I feel squats in my shoulders?
There are a few reasons why you may feel squats in your shoulders. First, if you are not used to squatting with proper form, you may be putting unnecessary stress on your shoulders. Second, if you are using too much weight, your body may be compensating by shifting the load to your shoulders. Third, if your shoulder muscles are tight, they may be causing your body to compensate by shifting the load to your shoulders. Lastly, if you have weak glutes, your body may again be compensating by shifting the load to your shoulders. To avoid these issues, make sure to squat with proper form, use a manageable weight, and stretch your shoulder muscles regularly.
Grip position and thumb placement
How wide or narrow you grip the bar can have a massive bearing on how much shoulder involvement there is when squatting. A narrower grip, with the hands inside shoulder-width, tends to be far more shoulder friendly. This position takes some of the load off your shoulders and places it more on your back muscles.
On the other hand, a wide grip (outside shoulder-width) puts more emphasis on the shoulders and less on the back. This can be a good thing if you’re trying to build up your shoulder muscles, but it’s not so good if you’re trying to avoid shoulder pain.
To find the grip width that’s right for you, experiment with different grip positions until you find one that feels comfortable and doesn’t cause any pain in your shoulders.
Have you thought about removing your thumb when gripping the bar? As weird as it sounds, this can actually help to take some of the strain off your shoulders. When you grip the bar with your thumb, your muscles have to work harder to keep the bar in place. This can lead to fatigue and pain in your shoulders.
To try this, simply grip the bar without placing your thumb on top of it. You may find that this feels more comfortable and causes less pain in your shoulders.
Bar position – high or low on the back
Where you place the bar on your back also has an effect on how much shoulder involvement there is when squatting.
If you place the bar high on your traps (upper back), it will take some of the load off your shoulders and place it more on your legs and hips. This can be a good thing if you’re trying to avoid shoulder pain.
On the other hand, if you place the bar low on your back (near your glutes), it will place more emphasis on your shoulders and less on your legs and hips.
This can be a good thing if you’re trying to build up your shoulder muscles, but it’s not so good if you’re trying to avoid shoulder pain.
To find the bar position that’s right for you, experiment with different positions until you find one that feels comfortable and doesn’t cause any pain in your shoulders.
Weight
If you’re using too much weight, your body may be compensating by shifting the load to your shoulders or another part on your back that makes it easier for you to handle. This can lead to pain and even injury.
To avoid this, make sure to use a weight that you can handle without having to sacrifice your form.
If you’re not sure how much weight to use, start light and by light, I mean just use the bar to get your technique down with the right bar placement, then gradually increase the amount as you get stronger and more competent with the movement.
When you go too heavy, your technique can be jeopardized, and you risk getting hurt. When you begin, keep the weight lighter than usual.
Shoulder mobility and stretching
If your shoulders are tense, your body might be forced to shift the burden to your shoulders as a result of this. This can cause discomfort and even harm.
To prevent this, ensure that you stretch your shoulder muscles frequently. This will assist with keeping them loose and will diminish the pressure on your shoulders when squatting.
Regular mobility work and stretching before and after your session will help to keep your shoulders healthy and pain-free.
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, which means it has a large range of motion. However, this doesn’t mean that you should just go crazy and try to force your shoulders into positions that they’re not used to going into.
Stretching and mobility work should be done gradually and with caution. If you force your shoulders into positions that they’re not ready for, you could do more harm than good.
Squatting is a great exercise for building strength and muscle, but it’s not worth sacrificing your health for. If you experience any pain in your shoulders, make sure to stop and seek medical help.
Range of motion issues
There are a few things that can cause you to lose range of motion in your shoulders, which can then lead to pain when squatting.
Tight muscles are one of the most common causes of shoulder pain.
This is because when your muscles are tight, they can’t move through their full range of motion. This can lead to pain and even injury.
Another common cause of reduced range of motion is poor posture. If you spend most of your day hunched over a desk or slumped in a chair, your shoulders will start to round forward and lose their mobility.
To avoid this, make sure to maintain good posture throughout the day and to do some stretching and mobility work for your shoulders.
Another common cause of reduced range of motion is tightness in the muscles and tissues around the shoulder.
This can be caused by things like too much sitting, repetitive motions, or even sleeping in a bad position.
To avoid this, make sure to stretch and foam roll the muscles around your shoulders regularly. This will help to keep them loose and will reduce the likelihood of pain when squatting.
Shoulder impingement
Shoulder impingement is a condition that can be caused by repetitive motions, such as squatting and other overhead movements.
It occurs when the rotator cuff muscles and tendons become irritated and inflamed. This can lead to pain and reduced range of motion.
In order to prevent injuries, always warm up before any physical activity and stretch/ massage the muscles surrounding your shoulder area frequently.
If you experience any pain, make sure to stop and seek medical help.
Related: Why Do Some People Skip Leg Day? Every Possible Reason Why It’s Avoided
Rotator cuff injury
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint.
A rotator cuff injury can occur when these muscles and tendons become irritated and inflamed. This can lead to pain, reduced range of motion, and even weakness in the affected arm.
In order to prevent this type of injury, make sure to warm up before any physical activity and stretch/ massage the muscles surrounding your shoulder area frequently.
The rotator cuff is a delicate area, so if you experience any pain, make sure to stop and seek medical help.
As the shoulder can easily get injured, it is important to be aware of the risks before starting any new exercise, especially if you have never done that exercise before.
Plus, if you do injure your shoulder, its a long and hard road to recovery, due to the complexity of the joint.
So look after them and make sure you invest in mobility and stretching exercises whenever possible.
Muscle imbalances
One of the most common causes of shoulder pain is muscle imbalances.
This occurs when the muscles around the shoulder joint are not in alignment. This can lead to pain, reduced range of motion, and even injury.
To stop your shoulders from becoming too tight, make sure to stretch and use a foam roller on the muscles around your shoulder area regularly.
This will help to keep them loose and will reduce the likelihood of pain when squatting.
Additionally, make sure to do a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups. This will help to ensure that all the muscles around your shoulder joint are evenly strong and balanced.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendons around the shoulder joint.
This can be caused by repetitive motions, such as squatting and other overhead movements.
It can also be caused by things like poor posture, muscle imbalances, or even tightness in the muscles and tissues around the shoulder.
To prevent this, make sure to warm up before any physical activity and stretch/massage the muscles surrounding your shoulder area frequently.
If you experience any pain, make sure to stop and seek medical help.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition that can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints.
While there are many different types of arthritis, the two most common types that affect the shoulder are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that occurs when the cartilage around the joints breaks down. This can lead to pain, stiffness, and swelling.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack the tissues around the joints. This can also lead to pain, stiffness, and swelling.
Make sure to warm up before any physical activity, and massage/stretch the muscles surrounding your shoulder area on a regular basis to help avoid arthritis.
Related: How Do I Make Leg Day More Bearable?
Compensating by using shoulder muscles more
If you have any kind of weaker muscle group in and around your shoulder, you will tend to use the other muscles more to make up for the weakness.
This can cause those muscles to become overworked and eventually lead to pain.
This also applies especially when trying to lift a heavier weight than usual. If your rotator cuff muscles are not strong enough to support the weight, your traps and lats will try to make up for it.
This can cause an imbalance and lead to pain down the road.
So make sure to focus on strengthening all the muscles around your shoulder area, not just the ones you think are weak. This will help to avoid any imbalances and prevent pain in the future.
To avoid this, make sure to do a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups. This will help to ensure that all the muscles around your shoulder joint are evenly strong and balanced.
People who tend to favour certain exercises more than others, leave themselves open to developing muscle imbalances which can lead to pain and a compromised range of motion, which in turn may lead to injury.
Incorrect form when exercising
If you don’t use proper form when exercising, you put yourself at risk for developing shoulder pain.
This is because incorrect form can lead to muscle imbalances and overuse of certain muscles.
So make sure to focus on using proper form when doing any kind of physical activity, especially if you’re lifting weights.
If you’re unsure about your form, ask a trained professional or someone who is experienced in lifting weights.
Some of the more common reasons are as follows…
The angle of spine and head position
The position of your spine and head during exercises can also play a role in developing shoulder pain.
If you have poor posture, your shoulders will tend to round forward. This puts extra strain on the muscles and tendons around your shoulder area and can lead to pain.
If you have rounded shoulders you will find it difficult to grip the barbell correctly and are more likely to develop impingement syndrome.
To avoid this, make sure to keep a neutral spine and maintain good posture throughout your workout and keep your shoulders back and down, and your chin tucked in.
Also, be sure to focus on exercises that help to improve your posture, such as shoulder presses and rows.
Leaning
If you are leaning too far forward when squatting or lunging, you put extra strain on your shoulder muscles, tendons and lower back.
This can lead to pain, especially if you have weak rotator cuff muscles.
To avoid this, make sure to keep your torso upright and your shoulders back to ensure the best possible form.
Not keeping core tight and engaged
If you don’t keep your core tight and engaged when doing squats, you put yourself at risk of developing pain.
This is because if your core isn’t engaged, your shoulders will have to work harder to stabilise you and the load. This can lead to muscle imbalances and eventually pain if the issue isn’t resolved.
So make sure to keep your core tight and engaged throughout the entire movement to avoid any unnecessary strain on your shoulder or any other muscles.
Bouncing when lowering into a squat
If you bounce when lowering into a squat, you put unnecessary strain on your knees and lower back.
This can also lead to pain in your shoulders as the muscles and tendons have to work harder to stabilise you.
To avoid this, make sure to lower yourself into a squat slowly and under control.
Also, try to focus on using your quads more when squatting, rather than your hip flexors. This will help to take some of the strain off your shoulders.
One of the best ways to avoid developing shoulder pain is to focus on using good form and technique when exercising.
Elbows pointing
If your elbows are pointing back when you squat, it puts extra strain on your shoulders and can lead to pain.
To avoid this, make sure to keep your elbows pointing forward throughout the entire movement.
You can also try using a narrower grip when squatting to help take some of the strain off your shoulders.
Finding the appropriate hand placement is critical, and while we all have varying levels in range of motion, it is important to note that everyone’s position varies and it’s crucial to keep the elbows as close to shoulder width as possible or in a position that doesn’t hurt your shoulders.
This will help you maintain good form and technique while also taking some of the strain off your shoulders.
Not used to the exercise
If you are new to fitness or in particular this exercise, your muscles, tendons and ligaments will be weaker and more prone to injury.
This is why it’s important to start slow and gradually increase the intensity and weight as you get stronger and your muscles adapt.
If you try to do too much too soon, you are more likely to develop pain or an injury.
So make sure to ease into things and listen to your body. If something feels wrong or hurts, stop and rest.
And lastly, make sure to warm up properly before exercising to help reduce your risk of injury.
Working shoulders or back the day before?
If you work your shoulders or back the day before, it can make them more susceptible to injury or fatigue when doing squats.
This is because the muscles and tendons will already be tired and may not be able to handle the extra stress.
To avoid this, make sure to give yourself enough time to rest and recover between workouts.
And if you are feeling especially tired or sore, it’s best to skip the exercise altogether or take it easy.
Final thoughts…
Shoulder pain is a common issue among squatters, but it doesn’t have to be.
By using good form and technique, as well as listening to your body, you can avoid developing pain in your shoulders.
If you do start to experience pain, make sure to rest and see a doctor or physiotherapist to get to the root of the problem.
With proper care and rehabilitation, you’ll be back squatting pain-free in no time.
Have you felt squats in your shoulders before? Let me know in the comment section below.
