Why Do My Shoulders Hurt in Overhead Lifts? (And What to Do About It)

Written By Andrea Arnett

If you're experiencing shoulder pain during overhead lifts, whether it's the snatch, push press, or even a strict handstand push-up, you're not alone. Shoulder discomfort is one of the most common complaints in CrossFit athletes, and it's not just about mobility. Here's what’s really going on and what you can start doing about it.

The Common Culprits of Shoulder Pain in CrossFit:

  1. Poor Scapular Control

    • Your shoulder blade (scapula) is the foundation of all upper-body movement. If it doesn’t move properly, your rotator cuff and shoulder joint take the hit.

    • This usually shows up as pinching, clicking, or weakness during overhead positions.

  2. Lack of Mid-Back Strength

    • Weakness in the lower traps, serratus anterior, and rhomboids can lead to a “dumping” forward posture — putting strain on the front of the shoulder.

    • If your upper back burns out before your delts do in overhead pressing, this could be you.

  3. Mobility Misconceptions

    • Many CrossFitters are told they need to “mobilize more,” but stretching a painful shoulder can actually make things worse.

    • Often, the issue isn’t tightness — it’s stability. If your brain doesn’t trust the joint, it’ll create tension as a defense mechanism.

  4. Training Volume vs. Recovery

    • You’re doing kipping pull-ups, overhead squats, snatches, and presses all in one week... but what are you doing to balance that with recovery?

    • Poor movement patterns repeated under fatigue can stack up and create chronic inflammation over time.

So It’s Not Just Tight Lats?

Correct. The “tight” feeling you experience isn’t always due to short or inflexible muscles. In many cases, your body is protecting an unstable or underprepared joint — and the result is tension and pain.

This is why just foam rolling or stretching isn’t getting you results.

What You Can Start Doing Today:

  • Train scapular control and upward rotation.
    → Wall slides, prone lifts, and serratus punches are a great start.

  • Strengthen your mid-back and rotator cuff.
    → Banded face pulls, external rotations, and trap-3 raises (done well) go a long way.

  • Clean up your bar path and overhead mechanics.
    → Filming yourself and comparing to slow-mo reps of experienced lifters can help identify breakdowns.

  • Re-think your warm-up.
    → Instead of generic band work, prime the specific planes you’ll be loading (horizontal push/pull for presses, etc.)

Still Dealing With Nagging Pain?

There’s no such thing as a “shoulder protocol” that works for everyone, because your shoulder pain is unique to your movement, training history, and goals.

At Kinetix Chiropractic, we specialize in helping CrossFit athletes in Sanford, FL get back to training without band-aid treatments or being told to stop lifting. We dig deeper, assess how you move, and build a care plan that’s actually designed for YOU, not the generic patient.

Andrea Arnett