The shoulder's remarkable range of movement comes at the cost of stability, which makes it prone to injury in the gym. These habits help protect it.
Warm up the rotator cuff
A few minutes of light band work before pressing or overhead lifting prepares the small stabilising muscles for load.
Mind your overhead technique
Avoid flaring the elbows and dropping the bar behind your neck. Keep movements controlled and within a comfortable range.
Balance push with pull
For every pressing exercise, include pulling work to keep the shoulder blade muscles strong and the joint balanced.
Progress gradually
Most gym shoulder injuries come from doing too much too soon. Increase weight and volume steadily.
When to seek help
Shoulder pain that disturbs sleep or lingers beyond a couple of weeks deserves an assessment before it becomes a bigger problem.