There is an enormous value in having a spotter. Last Thursday I racked up 245 for my benchpress, and in lifting it off pulled my left shoulder. I felt good enough to come back at it again on Monday, but relapsed and had to do a lower body workout.

With that in mind I was cruising around for some specific tips on shoulder injuries and found this bodybuilding.com article useful.

Most problems in the shoulder involve the muscles, ligaments, and tendons rather than bones. Sometimes, one of the shoulder joints moves or is forced out of its normal position.

This condition is called instability, and can result in a dislocation of one of the joints in the shoulder. Individuals suffering from an instability problem will experience pain when they raise their arm. They also may feel as if their shoulder is slipping out of place.