Tennis coach shoulder pain

[Netcord]

Hoping to get a diagnosis and treatment advise here because I really cannot affordable sports injury fees.

Don't know how i did it but I have pain located side / back of top of arm next to shoulder.

I'm a full time tennis pro and obviously I'm having pain especially when rotating fully on groundstrokes and it also hurts (less so) when I'm simply feeding balls.

Day to day stuff - pain when I reach for things and rotate the shoulder joint. Also I hate putting on my seat belt as the pain from yanking belt clip from left to right and the pushing in is not good.

If I were to guess it doesn't feel musclular but more liagament/ tendons. It's not getting better if anything marginally worse.

I've been living with it for a few weeks now and really need to sort out.

Thanks

[Heidi]

Hi

My instant thought is a rotator cuff injury. This is very common in tennis and would cause all of the symptoms you describe.
Was there a point when you felt it happen? If so then a rotator cuff tear is possible. If not, and it just came on gradually, then I would suggest a tendonitis or a chronic tear type problem.
Either way, have a look here: http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/shoulder/rotatorcuff.htm

[mattw]

Here's a quick test: stand up and move your arm around and notice how it feels (do whatever movements cause pain to get in touch with it). Then stand pigeon toed (toes touching heels out), tighten your thighs and relax your stomach. Then in this position move your arm around and compare. If it feels better it is not a shoulder problem at all but really a hip problem. Being a tennis player you have developed muscular imbalances in your hips that are creating a problem in your shoulder. Get the book Pain Free by Pete Egoscue and go to the shoulder chapter and don't forget to do the Pre Tennis routine in the back of the book before playing tennis. Good luck!