Shoulder Pain & Athletes: Why Your Shoulder is Hurting & How to Fix It

Shoulder injuries are one of the most frustrating and common issues athletes and active individuals face. Whether you’re a golfer, weightlifter, football player, or weekend warrior, nagging shoulder pain can make it difficult to perform at your best—or even complete simple daily movements.

At Off The Block Performance Physical Therapy, we specialize in helping athletes recover from shoulder injuries, prevent future issues, and get back to peak performance without relying on surgery or painkillers. If your shoulder pain keeps coming back, here’s what might be going on—and how we can help.

Common Causes of Shoulder Pain in Athletes

The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, but that mobility comes at a cost—it’s also one of the least stable. Without proper strength, stability, and movement mechanics, it’s easy to develop chronic pain, weakness, and even long-term damage.

Here are some of the most common causes of shoulder pain:

1. Rotator Cuff Injuries

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder. Repetitive overhead movements—like throwing, swinging a golf club, or lifting weights—can lead to:

• Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons)
• Rotator cuff strains or tears
• Impingement (pinching of the tendons or bursa in the shoulder)

2. Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Shoulder impingement occurs when the rotator cuff tendons get compressed or pinched between the bones of the shoulder. This can cause pain when raising your arm, reaching overhead, or even sleeping on your side.

3. Labral Tears

The labrum is a ring of cartilage that helps stabilize the shoulder joint. Injuries from contact sports, weightlifting, or falls can cause tears, leading to pain, clicking, instability, and weakness.

4. AC Joint Sprains (Shoulder Separation)

Contact sports and falls can injure the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which connects the collarbone to the shoulder blade. This can lead to pain, swelling, and a noticeable bump at the top of the shoulder.

5. Poor Posture and Shoulder Dysfunction

Many athletes experience shoulder pain due to imbalances and poor movement mechanics. Weak scapular (shoulder blade) muscles, tight chest muscles, and improper posture can cause shoulder instability and chronic discomfort.

Why Rest and Ice Won’t Fix Your Shoulder

Many people try to manage shoulder pain with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications, but this doesn’t address the root cause. Painkillers might provide temporary relief, but without proper rehab and strengthening, the pain will return.

How Off The Block Performance PT Can Help

At Off The Block Performance PT, we take a comprehensive, performance-based approach to shoulder rehab. Instead of just treating the symptoms, we identify the root cause and create a customized rehab plan to get you back to 100%.

Our one-on-one, hands-on treatments include:
Manual Therapy & Dry Needling to relieve muscle tightness and improve mobility
Strength & Stability Training to build rotator cuff and scapular control
VALD Performance Testing to assess strength imbalances and movement deficits
Sport-Specific Rehab to ensure a safe return to lifting, throwing, or overhead movements

Who Can Benefit from Shoulder Rehab?

If you experience shoulder pain when lifting, throwing, reaching overhead, or even sleeping, it’s time to get checked out. We work with:
Athletes with recurring shoulder pain from sports like golf, football, baseball, and CrossFit
Weightlifters and gym-goers dealing with nagging shoulder discomfort
Post-surgical patients looking to recover fully and prevent re-injury
Anyone struggling with daily shoulder pain that’s limiting their movement

Get Back to Doing What You Love—Pain-Free

Don’t let shoulder pain keep you sidelined. At Off The Block Performance Physical Therapy, we help athletes and active individuals recover faster, get stronger, and prevent future injuries.

Schedule your evaluation today and take the first step toward pain-free movement.