Why Does My Shoulder Hurt When I Run - T-Tees - Your Answers Await, Life's Questions Unraveled

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Spring is here, Ottawa! Once the last piles of snow melt, of course. As the weather warms up, running season will be in full gear — along with shoulder pain.

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Activa Physiotherapy Ottawa urges you to review your form, breathing patterns and stretching routine as you jump into the running season to avoid unwanted shoulder and neck pain.

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While we typically associate running with leg, knee and foot pain, runners can also experience upper body discomfort in the neck and shoulder.

Tightness, strain, cramping, aches, soreness and inflammation can appear in your neck, shoulders and arms resulting from running.

Interestingly, upper body problems affect runners as much as common stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and lower body injury.

In this post, we recommend 5 tips to prevent shoulder pain and neck pain from running, this spring and all year round.

If your shoulder pain or neck pain persists, please contact us so our physiotherapist can assess your condition and determine the best treatment option to promptly relieve your discomfort.

You can also learn more about common causes of shoulder pain.

But first, how’s your form?

Most upper body pain related to running is caused by poor form or too much tension, which can trigger neck and shoulder pain.

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For example, hunched or rounded shoulders combined with swinging your arms too wide while running can cause long-term problems for your upper body.

While these subtle movements seem harmless, they can trigger painful problems over time including tense muscles, rotator cuff injury, stiff neck, muscle spasms and thoracic outlet syndrome (caused by pressure on your blood vessels and nerves from the neck down your arm). This pressure often results in numbness or tingling sensations in your upper body.

Preventing Shoulder Pain from Running

To prevent upper body pain from running, it’s important to prevent your muscles from tightening up while in motion.

Consider these 5 recommendations to protect your body so you can enjoy running for the long run.

1. Check your form

While running, be aware of your form as you exercise. It helps to imagine a balloon on a string attached to your chest which you are moving forward as you run.

Optimal running posture involves an elongated spine, relaxed pelvis, arms bent at 90 degrees to your torso with your body leaning slightly forward.

2. Build your strength

Maximize your running workouts by maintaining muscle strength throughout your body. Consistent strength training, along with core strengthening (such as abdominal exercises) will better support your upper body as you run.

3. Relax while running

Release tension in your back and neck before, during and following your run by dropping your shoulders, shaking out your arms and moving both your arms AND shoulders fluidly as you stride.

4. Breathe from your core

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Try the “two-two” breathing rhythm where you take two steps as you inhale then two steps as you exhale. Remember to breathe from your abdomen rather than your chest.

5. Stretch properly

It seems natural to stretch only your quads and hamstrings after a run but it’s essential to also stretch your upper body.

Range of motion exercises include gently tilting your head left and right and up and down, side to side then slowly roll your shoulders.

To relieve cramping in your neck and shoulders, put your hands on top of your head and pull your elbows back until you feel the stretch. Run in this position for 15 seconds, then shake your arms or move them in a windmill motion to relieve tension in your shoulders.

Our physiotherapist can give you more information about preventing neck and shoulder pain caused by running.

Book your appointment today

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