Shoulder pain while serving

[defriend]

Hi,

Of late, I am experiencing a sharp pain in my right shoulder when I serve. The pain is more pronounced when I serve with an extreme grip in the ad court (to get a down the center line ace). I did some research online and it may be call the "passers pain" indicating some football QBs experience them as well.

The pain goes away if I don't play for a few days. IF I warm up well, I don't experience much pain, but its still there.

Of late, I am using a Ice wrap on my shoulder after I play, and it seems to help.

I use a Head Flexpoint Liquidmetal racket and hybrid strings (Kevlar and Polyester) @ 57 lbs.

Any thoughts or recommendations? Is it the racket, strings or my technique? What is this shoulder condition called?

Regards
Nick

 

[Rorsach]

Try to change your service motion.

My shoulder is also killing me when i go for hard, flat services straight away. When i do a kick service, there's no pain at all. After a set or so i can use the shoulder well enough to launch some bombs again with much less discomfort (there's still a bit of pain).

It's probably related to a specific set of muscles/tendons that are overused.

 

[zacinnc78]

i f i were you i would change strings imediently ,thats the harshest string setup you could have ,so you should eliminate that

trust me you dont want lingering shoulder problems (i have labral tear as we speak and havent been playing for weeks)

 

[defriend]

i f i were you i would change strings imediently ,thats the harshest string setup you could have ,so you should eliminate that

trust me you dont want lingering shoulder problems (i have labral tear as we speak and havent been playing for weeks)

Thanks.. which stings would you recommend? Current racket and string info in my signature...

Thanks
Nick

 

[charliefedererer]

The softest strings (and ones best for your shoulder/arm) would be natural gut or a multifilament.
The following link not only describes the string types, but has some specific examples listed as well.
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/LC/String/StringReference.html
You may find that your shoulder will still do okay with hybrid of polyester and gut or multifilament.
But definitely get rid of the kevlar. And don't be too surprised if the poly doesn't agree with your shoulder either.

 

[charliefedererer]

Hi,

Of late, I am experiencing a sharp pain in my right shoulder when I serve. The pain is more pronounced when I serve with an extreme grip in the ad court (to get a down the center line ace). I did some research online and it may be call the "passers pain" indicating some football QBs experience them as well.

The pain goes away if I don't play for a few days. IF I warm up well, I don't experience much pain, but its still there.

Of late, I am using a Ice wrap on my shoulder after I play, and it seems to help.

I use a Head Flexpoint Liquidmetal racket and hybrid strings (Kevlar and Polyester) @ 57 lbs.

Any thoughts or recommendations? Is it the racket, strings or my technique? What is this shoulder condition called?

Regards
Nick

But back to your bigger question, you really shouldn't be using an extreme grip when serving to the ad court or anywhere else.
Also do you do off court shoulder exersises to strengthen the shoulder stabilizers and rotator cuff?
http://www.texas.usta.com/texas/Glo...24_Combat_Shoulder_Pain_Before_It_Starts.aspx
http://www.playerdevelopment.usta.com/content/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=340462&itype=7418
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=186293&highlight=shoulder+exercises&page=2
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/archive/index.php/t-54714.html

 

[defriend]

But back to your bigger question, you really shouldn't be using an extreme grip when serving to the ad court or anywhere else.
Also do you do off court shoulder exersises to strengthen the shoulder stabilizers and rotator cuff?
http://www.texas.usta.com/texas/Glo...24_Combat_Shoulder_Pain_Before_It_Starts.aspx
http://www.playerdevelopment.usta.com/content/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=340462&itype=7418
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=186293&highlight=shoulder+exercises&page=2
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/archive/index.php/t-54714.html

wow.. thanks for the links.. I will read up and follow them.

Nick

 

[coyfish]

I have a sharp pain in my shoulder as well. I have also dislocated it twice (soccer / snowboarding). Its this sharp pain that can permeate all the way down my arm. Nasty pain that feels like a funny bone hit if I really strain it.

Make sure you warm up well. Stretch out your shoulder and make sure you warm up at least 15-20 serves at about 40% power. Also do some rotator cuff exersizes in the gym weekly. I swear by them.

Strings may help. Kevlar and polyester . . . talk about no feel .

 

[Tennis_Maniac]

The same thing happened to me, but the only difference is that I am a teen who is going through puberty. When I went to the trainer, he came to the conclusion that I had an injured growth plate in my upper arm, and a partially inflamed rotator cuff. Not good. It turns out I had to take three months off from tennis and then another two months of no serving. I'd advise that you see a sports medicine doctor sometime soon if it doesn't go away.

 

[coyfish]

The bicep tendon also inserts into the shoulder. The pain could also be a result of some sort of problem along those lines. Only an MRI could tell . . .

 

[PeppermintMocha]

I used to have shoulder pain when I spent too much time practicing serve. Now I do exercises to strengthen my exterior rotator cuff muscle, it helped. I haven't experienced shoulder pain since.