Why do I get pain when I lift?

Weight training is one of the most effective ways to build strength, improve bone health, and boost overall fitness. From beginners learning the basics to seasoned lifters chasing personal bests, the gym offers endless opportunities for progress. Unfortunately with heavy loads and repetitive movements, pain and injury can creep in and derail your training goals. Sometimes if you go really hard, it can be difficult to tell what is just general soreness from pushing your body, and what is a sign of something else. Understanding the difference between normal muscle soreness and problematic pain is key to staying strong and safe.

Common Weight Training Pains

Whilst you've definitely seen some gruesome videos of a biceps or pec major tear on the internet, the main gym-related injuries that Physiotherapists often see come from overtraining or inadequate recovery. Some of the most frequent issues include:

• Shoulder Impingement: Pain at the front or side of the shoulder, often aggravated by pressing or overhead lifts.

• Lower Back Strain: Discomfort from improper deadlift or squat technique, lifting loads beyond capacity, or just general overuse combined with life stress.

• Tendinopathies: Overuse injuries affecting tendons in the elbow (tennis/golfer’s elbow) most commonly, and then shoulder after that

• Wrist Pain: Strain from gripping heavy weights or poor wrist positioning and control during presses. Overuse from big movement like a snatch or clean and jerk can cause many different types of wrist pain

• Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Normal post-exercise soreness, but often confused with injury.

  

Why Pain Happens

Weight training challenges the body by placing stress on muscles and joints. Pain can result from:

• Poor technique: Incorrect form places undue stress on joints and ligaments.

• Overtraining: Insufficient rest between sessions leads to cumulative strain.

• Muscle imbalances: Weak stabilizers (like the core or glutes) force other areas to compensate.

• Sudden load increases: Jumping too quickly in weight progression without letting your body properly adapt.

  
  

When to Push Through vs. When to Stop

• Safe to continue: Mild soreness that improves with warm-up or resolves within 48 hours.

• Stop and reassess: Sharp pain, swelling, or discomfort that worsens during lifts. Pain that alters your form is a clear signal to pause and seek advice. 

• Listen to your body! If something feels unstable, off, or just not quite right, it might be best to get a professional opinion.

  

How Physiotherapy Helps

Physiotherapists provide both rehabilitation weight training injuries, often through a combination of hands-on techniques, form/load modification and specific exercises to correct imbalances. Here at SportsFit, we pride ourselves on going the extra mile and providing prevention strategies after rehabilitation. Our aim is to not just get you back to baseline, but find and tweak those little 1%-ers to ensure you minimise your chances of having the injury again.

• Movement assessment: Identifying faulty lifting mechanics or mobility restrictions.

• Strengthening programs: Targeting stabilizing muscles to support heavy lifts.

• Manual therapy: Relieving tightness and restoring joint mobility.

• Education: Teaching proper warm-up, recovery, and progression strategies.

• Return-to-lift plans: Gradual reintroduction to training after injury, ensuring safe progression.

  
  

Prevention Tips for Lifters

• Prioritize technique over load—master form before increasing weight.

• Warm up thoroughly with mobility and activation drills.

• Progress gradually, avoiding sudden jumps in intensity.

• Balance training with rest and recovery, as well as proper nutrition & sleep.

• Incorporate accessory and stability work (core, glutes, rotator cuff) to support big muscle movers in your  lifts.

• Seek professional guidance if pain persists or limits performance.

  
  

The takeaway: Pain doesn’t have to be part of your lifting journey. With smart training habits and physiotherapy support, you can prevent injuries, recover faster, and continue building strength safely. Physiotherapy isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s about empowering you to lift with confidence and longevity.