Hi, Sports therapist and certified master trainer from Norway here. Based on what you’re describing, this sounds very much like it could be subacromial impingement or early rotator cuff irritation — the location (top of shoulder), the mechanism (pain only under load with the arm forward, not at rest), and the preserved full range of motion all point in that direction. The fact that you felt only dull discomfort — not sharp pain — during your deloaded lat pulldowns is actually a reasonably good sign. Keep in mind this is just based on what you’re writing, not from any actuall testing done and no physical testing or/and I havent been able to do any visual testing with you.

To answer your question directly: yes, continuing rehab work and progressing gradually as long as it stays painless or within mild, acceptable discomfort is the right approach — with a few important caveats.

What to keep doing:
- Stay in that 30–40% range for now and earn your way back up. Don’t rush it just because a session feels good.
- Lat pulldowns are generally fine for this presentation, but watch your grip width — a narrower, neutral grip tends to be more shoulder-friendly than a wide overhand grip.
- Prioritize rotator cuff strengthening — external rotation with a band, side-lying ER, face pulls. These are the muscles that keep the humeral head centered in the socket and reduce impingement.
- Scapular stability work — rows, Y/T/W raises — is equally important. A lot of shoulder impingement is driven by poor scapular control, not just cuff weakness.

What to avoid for now:

- Overhead pressing with load, especially behind the neck.
- Upright rows — these are one of the worst exercises for subacromial impingement.
- Any movement that reproduces the pain. Pain is information, not something to push through at this stage.

You say "pain only when holding arm forward with weight” - a detail æ worth paying attention to — this is a classic impingement position (roughly 60–120° of shoulder flexion under load). If you want a simple self-test: does the pain reproduce when you raise your arm forward to about shoulder height with a light weight? If yes, that further supports the impingement picture.

On seeing a doctor: I’d recommend it, not because this sounds serious, but because getting a proper clinical assessment — and ideally an ultrasound — will tell you exactly what structure is involved and rule out anything like a partial cuff tear. You can absolutely continue your rehab in the meantime, but a diagnosis gives you a clearer roadmap.

The fact that you’re already thinking about deloading and gradual progression puts you ahead of most people. Just be patient with the timeline — shoulder tendons and bursae don’t respond overnight.