Why Your Elbow Hurts During Bench Press
The bench press is one of the best exercises for building upper-body strength, but it is also one of the most common lifts associated with elbow pain.
If you're unsure what's causing your symptoms, our Elbow Pain Physio in Varsity Lakes page explains how we assess and manage the most common causes of elbow pain.
The interesting thing is that bench press is rarely the actual problem.
More often, it simply exposes an elbow that is no longer tolerating the amount of load being placed through it.
Understanding why that happens is the first step towards fixing it.
Why Bench Press Can Irritate The Elbow
Every repetition of a bench press transfers force through your wrists, elbows and shoulders.
When everything is functioning well, these joints share that load efficiently.
However, if strength, movement control, or recovery have fallen behind your training demands, the elbow often becomes the first to complain.
Common contributing factors include:
Rapid increases in training volume
Heavy pressing without adequate recovery
Poor tolerance of repetitive gripping
Previous elbow injuries
Reduced strength in the forearm muscles and tendons
This is why simply taking a week off rarely solves the problem.
Instead, it usually requires structured Injury Rehabilitation to rebuild your tolerance to pressing loads.
Where Does The Pain Usually Occur?
The location of your pain often provides useful information.
Pain on the inside of the elbow may suggest irritation of the flexor tendons, often called golfer's elbow.
Pain on the outside is commonly associated with irritation of the extensor tendons, often called tennis elbow.
Pain at the back of the elbow may relate more to the triceps tendon or compression during deep pressing movements.
Although these patterns can provide clues, they are not enough to diagnose the problem on their own.
A proper assessment looks at the whole upper limb, not just where the pain is felt.
Is Your Technique The Problem?
Many lifters immediately assume their bench technique is wrong.
Sometimes small adjustments can help.
But in our experience, technique is rarely the only factor.
Two people can use almost identical techniques.
One develops pain.
The other does not.
The difference is usually capacity.
Your tissues need to be strong enough to handle the work you ask them to do.
Rehabilitation Is About More Than Rest
Completely avoiding pressing movements often provides temporary relief.
Unfortunately, it also reduces the very capacity your elbow needs to handle future training.
Instead, rehabilitation usually focuses on:
Modifying aggravating exercises
Progressively strengthening the forearm muscles
Improving upper limb loading capacity
Gradually reintroducing pressing movements
This is where Exercise-Based Rehabilitation becomes so valuable.
The goal is to return you to bench pressing, not to convince you to avoid it forever.
When Elbow Pain Won't Settle
If elbow pain has been lingering for several months or repeatedly returns whenever training intensity increases, it may involve more than simple tendon irritation.
Long-standing pain often includes changes in movement confidence, sensitivity and loading tolerance.
In these situations, elements of our Chronic Pain Physiotherapy approach may also become relevant.
When Should You Book An Assessment?
Consider booking a physiotherapy assessment if:
Pain has lasted longer than two to three weeks
Bench pressing is becoming progressively more painful
Everyday gripping is uncomfortable
Your strength feels noticeably reduced
Symptoms repeatedly return when training volume increases
Early assessment often leads to a shorter, more straightforward rehabilitation process.
The Goal Is Not To Stop Bench Pressing
The bench press is not an exercise that should be automatically avoided because of elbow pain.
In fact, it is often an important part of rehabilitation.
The goal is to identify why your elbow is struggling, rebuild its capacity, and return you to lifting with confidence.
With the right rehabilitation plan, most people can continue progressing their training while significantly reducing the risk of recurring elbow pain.
Book your physiotherapy appointment and start building stronger, more resilient elbows.