Severe rear shoulder pain

kicker

New User
Please take a look at my avatar as arrow points to location.

I play tennis every day and I have soreness when I get ready to play. Stiff and painful until I begin hitting then slowly the pain is manageable but at night when I lay down my shoulder starts to kill me. Serving also seems to exaggerate the pain.

The pain is very specific in that it is in the back only, under the muscle, deep in the joint. My shoulder also pops occasionally.

How can I strengthen it with bands specifically targeting and building that muscle?
 
Last edited:

kramer woodie

Professional
Please take a look at my avatar as arrow points to location.

I play tennis every day and I have soreness when I get ready to play. Stiff and painful until I begin hitting then slowly the pain is manageable but at night when I lay down my shoulder starts to kill me. Serving also seems to exaggerate the pain.

The pain is very specific in that it is in the back only, under the muscle, deep in the joint. My shoulder also pops occasionally.

How can I strengthen it with bands specifically targeting and building that muscle?

kicker

Without seeing what your service motion looks like, cannot determine what has caused the pain!!! Would be helpful to see your motion.
Then I am sure there are several people on these boards who could make helpful suggestions.

Aloha
 

jersey34tennis

Professional
before you keep going, get your shoulder checked. it seems to have some similarities to a labrum issue. better look at that before putting more stress or damaging it more
 

frank52

Semi-Pro
Please take a look at my avatar as arrow points to location.

I play tennis every day and I have soreness when I get ready to play. Stiff and painful until I begin hitting then slowly the pain is manageable but at night when I lay down my shoulder starts to kill me. Serving also seems to exaggerate the pain.

The pain is very specific in that it is in the back only, under the muscle, deep in the joint. My shoulder also pops occasionally.

How can I strengthen it with bands specifically targeting and building that muscle?

I suggest:
(1) Visit a doctor and get a real diagnosis
(2) Do some of the Throwers Ten exercises (do Google search) 5 times per week. This really helps me.
(3) Do not sleep on the wounded shoulder. If necessary get more pillows or special pillows but don't sleep on that side.

Steps 1 and 2 should be a big help. Some people take it further by using supplements like MSM (sulfur product) and use PEMF or microcurrent.
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
Get it checked out because sometimes rear shoulder pain can come from your neck (c6,c7). Pinched nerves in your neck can cause lots of problems in your shoukder.
Otherwise shoulder, rear traps and serratus anterior strengthening program will improve your situation.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
@kicker
Get it checked out because sometimes rear shoulder pain can come from your neck (c6,c7). Pinched nerves in your neck can cause lots of problems in your shoukder.
Otherwise shoulder, rear traps and serratus anterior strengthening program will improve your situation.

Good call. After playing tennis and then badminton one evening a few years back, I started feeling some shoulder/deltiod weakness. Later that night, I started feeling intense pain from my neck, across my upper back and at the shoulder. By the next morning I had completely lost deltoid function in the lateral (abduction) and anterior flexion) delts. Rear delts ok in my case. In my case, the problem stemmed from a C5-C6 entrapment in the neck. The complete loss of function lasted 8 months (even tho' the pain had subsided within 2 seeks after its onset).

Even before the intense pain and complete loss of deltoid function, I had started feeling a significant weakness in left shoulder abduction and forward flexion a couple of years earlier. After 8 months of non-function, my deltoid function returned. However, I still experience the weakness that I had prior the incident. I am currently undergoing PT treatment for that weakness. It appears the the C5-C6 entrapment is/was due to bone spurs in the neck in that area. Mot likely a result of 2 incidents of whiplash (not severe) in auto accidents several decades earlier.
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
@kicker


Good call. After playing tennis and then badminton one evening a few years back, I started feeling some shoulder/deltiod weakness. Later that night, I started feeling intense pain from my neck, across my upper back and at the shoulder. By the next morning I had completely lost deltoid function in the lateral (abduction) and anterior flexion) delts. Rear delts ok in my case. In my case, the problem stemmed from a C5-C6 entrapment in the neck. The complete loss of function lasted 8 months (even tho' the pain had subsided within 2 seeks after its onset).

Even before the intense pain and complete loss of deltoid function, I had started feeling a significant weakness in left shoulder abduction and forward flexion a couple of years earlier. After 8 months of non-function, my deltoid function returned. However, I still experience the weakness that I had prior the incident. I am currently undergoing PT treatment for that weakness. It appears the the C5-C6 entrapment is/was due to bone spurs in the neck in that area. Mot likely a result of 2 incidents of whiplash (not severe) in auto accidents several decades earlier.
Yes bone spurs (foraminal stenosis) from many years of playing tennis and injuries can cause you to have the problems you have. Having an MRI or even a CT scan will show this.
Physical therapy and strengthening exercises can reduce weakness and pain if one is committed to constant train every day. It can be a very slow developing problem but at times can be quicker. If PT is not effective one can opt for a neural injection and last resort people can have surgery. I know s friend who had this and it's been successful for him. For my own personal situation I like to avoid anything invasive and do everything possible with conservative measures.
 

Notirouswithag

Professional
If it persist for more than 2-3 days and limits your range of motion doing certain movements go get an MRI done and hope something isnt severley torn.

From what your describing and your avatar it could be either something neck related as mentioned or something with your labrum muscle that runs from the back of the shoulder through the cuff and back of the bicep to the front.
 

SeeItHitIt

Professional
I'm going through the same thing, in about the same area. Not to steal the thread from the OP, but I haven't played since first week of June. Pain is rear, outside, on top of deltoid. Hitting is fine (OHBH bothers a little) but serving impossible. I'll start my own thread, but best of luck - hope yours is something rest and strengthening solves.
 
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