Shoulder Pain / AC Joint

Rip,

I’ve been struggling with AC Joint arthritis for a few months now. I will be 40 years old in 1 month. I’ve been doing the program (SS…then TM) since May of last year. I am working with Dave Abdemoulaie in Chicago. I went to the Ortho who did an x-ray to confirm there is no AC joint separation, but there is some bone degeneration. And what appears to be a history of an older untreated injury (likely a bad hit from high school football).

I’ve tried a number of things:

1) Lowered bench frequency to once a week (and switched to CGBP)...did that for 8 weeks
2) Focused on form (this is on-going with Dave…)
3) No benching for 4 weeks / no pressing for last 2 of those weeks
4) Dropped Power Cleans (not flexible enough to properly rack the bar….made this decision cautiously after multiple coaching sessions with Dave). Replaced with Speed DLs.
5) Ice/NSAIDs/Massage

I just started benching again this week (Sunday) after my 4 week break and amazingly my shoulder did not hurt at all. I did start nice at light (70% of my 1RM).

This morning, I did presses again (also light, 75% of my 1RM), however I noticed the Press caused immediate shoulder pain (AC Joint).

Have you heard of this before…where OH Press causes more pain than Bench? Or could this be that I caused the issue Benching the other day and the Press aggravated it?

I’m struggling with where to take this next. Ortho wants to give me a cortisone shot…which everyone says to stay away from. Any advice?

Note: I scoured the forum for this and did some general postings about this. While it is somewhat common, I haven’t found a good answer yet.

Thanks
Randy