When I do chest exercises like bench or dumbbell press, I feel pain on my right shoulder. What could the problem be?

Pain in the shoulder after doing chest exercises is usually due to an imbalance between the muscles that move your shoulder joint and those that stabilise it. This can be caused by incorrect form or overtraining one side, as well as tightness in the upper back muscles from poor posture.

To see what specifically might be causing your pain, it may help to have a physical therapist assess your condition. Some common problems are a tight pectoralis minor muscle which causes impingement of the rotator cuff on bench press or dumbbell presses; lack of activation of scapular stabilizers such as middle trapezius and serratus anterior; weakness in upper thoracic spine mobility resulting in compensation at the shoulder; or pre-existing rotator cuff tendonitis/bursitis/injury.

In order to treat and manage any underlying issue, here are some tips:
• Address any muscular imbalances through corrective exercises targeting weaker areas while maintaining stability around the joints.
• Incorporate regular foam rolling into your routine to release tight muscles including lats and pecs which often pull on shoulders leading to further discomfort.
• Improve posture with exercises like banded pull aparts, cobra pose etc for better mobility & stronger supporting musculature for correct alignment during exercise movements.
• Bring awareness & focus onto activating control during chest workouts instead of heavy weights or pushing through pain! Shoulder injury prevention starts first with good technique & stabilization!