Strange Shoulder Pain on Side Raise ?

[spiritfly]

(Symptoms at the bottom)

I'm 26 almost 27 and I've been playing tennis since high school, and I've been active in different sports activities almost every day, but after my early twenties began till my 25 I wasn't that active because I was more involved in work. An year ago, last summer to be exact I started playing tennis again, a few days a week and I was doing fine. Then at the end of the summer, I felt on my tennis serve that my shoulder hurts and it was getting worse every match. It wasn't that much of a sharp pain, but I felt as if my arm is getting weaker throughout the match. I even felt as the weakness/pain is extending to the elbow. But as soon as I stopped playing tennis throughout the winter it stopped.

Then this year in january I started lifting weights. I never did any heavy exercises in my life, so I started with smaller weights, and kept increasing the weights slowly. After a month or two, I was doing a few sets with about 80% weight and 4-6 repetitions. I was doing mostly shoulder and chest workouts. Then I started getting a sharp pain in my right shoulder. It kept increasing day by day with every workout. I went to a doctor and he prescribed me some pills diclojet for inflammation and an anti-inflammatory gel fastumgel. I went through the whole therapy, while I stopped working out, and the pain decreased significantly, but it didn't go away. I tried working out again and the pain was increasing again. Then I read about rotator-cuff exercises and I started doing them every day. It didn't help much again. I don't know what to do. I don't know whether it's the rotator cuff or not, because the symptoms are not quite the same as everyone describes.

So now my shoulder hurts ONLY in the following position: If I raise my arm on my side with my thumb pointing down. I can only make it about 45 degrees from my body, and then a sharp pain in my shoulder begins. Other than that I can almost do any activity normally even play tennis again but I'm afraid if I start playing regularly the pain may get worse.

[Heidi]

Hi
It sounds to me like an impingement syndrome. This is where one of the rotator cuff tendons becomes impinged within the shoulder joint. This repeated trapping and rubbing of the tendon causes pain and inflammation.
It is usually due to a decrease in space in the shoulder joint. Then the damage to the tendon causes thickening and swelling, making the problem worse, like a vicious circle.
From what you have said about the training you have been doing, I have a question. Have you been training the upper back muscles at all? This is really important. You only mentioned chest and shoulders. If you don't work the back equally then you will end up with a very forward shoulder position, which is one contributor to a decrease in space in the joint.
Basically it is a postural problem.
If this rings true with you then I would advise that you rest completely from any weight training or tennis and start to strengthen the upper back and scapula muscles. Continue with the rotator cuff exercises and try to stretch the chest and neck muscles as these are also involved.
You can find out more info and exercises here:
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/shoulder/impingment_syndrome.htm

[Darren_H]

Most likely impingement syndrome. Rotator cuff strengthening alone will not be the answer. You need to focus on lower and middle trap strengthening along with serratus anterior strengthening. Correcting the faulty pattern of upper trap overuse is also one of the hardest parts of the battle. Rotator cuff strengthening is beneficial especially subscapularis as it acts as a humeral head depressor when you flex/abduct the shoulder. Stretching the pecs is good. Stretching your posterior capsule may also be beneficial as it is commonly tight if your posture is typical of the "upper cross syndrome" which is likely part of the problem. Go and see someone who can help with the scapular strengthening and stabilization exercises - e.g. physio. Hope this helps.

[spiritfly]

The moment I saw the first post to my thread I started exercising my back muscles, and started stretching my chest and neck every day as you suggested, and I've got to say it does work!! It still hurts, but I can raise my arm much higher until it starts hurting. If I continue doing those same exercises I think the pain might just get away. Finally I'm on the right track!!

Thank you guys so much for your detailed info and correct diagnose. Only if I lived in the same city as you I would have recommend to anyone I know! As soon as the pain is gone I'm buying a beer