Right Shoulder Pain

[cooke119]

I started the practice of yoga a few months ago for core strength and flexibility and it has helped a lot especially my back where I have had three surgeries. However, as I have written on another thread I have developed pain in  my right shoulder if I left my arm straight up to the side and over my head. Forward and backward not so much pain. I didn't do anything that I can think of to injure the shoulder, i.e., didn't lift anything heavy, no car accidents, etc., just the yoga. My instructor has me modify the postures to lessen any stretch or strain on the shoulder but still the pain is there and is not getting any better.

I played last week and sliced every drive, second shots were not much better but the strange thing is I didn't feel any pain while swinging the club. 

Maybe the body is just protecting the shoulder and screwing up my swing, I don't know. If it doesn't improve by next week I'm going to the doc to see what he says.

Any thoughts on dealing with shoulder pain?

Anybody else deal with this problem?

[David in FL]

“Dr, it hurts when I do this....”

”Don’t do that...”

[BamaWade]

@cooke119, your description of the symptoms (and lack of pain swinging the club, etc.) sound a lot like my issue: an impingement of the shoulder (mine is right-side as well).  Not so much an injury as a condition that develops over time.  Mine doesn't affect my golf so much (unless there's a little subconscious restriction in my back swing), but does give me problems elsewhere.  Anyway, there are physical therapy exercises that can potentially resolve the issue without surgery (few end up needing that).  

Not trying to make an internet diagnosis, here...just sounds very similar, and that condition is both common and treatable.  I'd highly recommend you go see a doc or physical therapist to help with a proper diagnosis and treatment.  Good luck!

[cooke119]

13 minutes ago, BamaWade said:

@cooke119, your description of the symptoms (and lack of pain swinging the club, etc.) sound a lot like my issue: an impingement of the shoulder (mine is right-side as well).  Not so much an injury as a condition that develops over time.  Mine doesn't affect my golf so much (unless there's a little subconscious restriction in my back swing), but does give me problems elsewhere.  Anyway, there are physical therapy exercises that can potentially resolve the issue without surgery (few end up needing that).  

Not trying to make an internet diagnosis, here...just sounds very similar, and that condition is both common and treatable.  I'd highly recommend you go see a doc or physical therapist to help with a proper diagnosis and treatment.  Good luck!

Thanks, I'll go see the doc and see what he says.

[chicub15]

I had right shoulder pain mid last year (didn't hurt swinging a golf club oddly enough). I waited and waited before seeing a doctor (two months worth of pain) who found I had a torn labrum and biceps tendon. Surgery was last Oct and I'm back to playing golf now. Definitely get it looked at sooner rather than later; you may be able to prevent further damage. 

[Vinsk]

6 hours ago, cooke119 said:

I started the practice of yoga a few months ago for core strength and flexibility and it has helped a lot especially my back where I have had three surgeries. However, as I have written on another thread I have developed pain in  my right shoulder if I left my arm straight up to the side and over my head. Forward and backward not so much pain. I didn't do anything that I can think of to injure the shoulder, i.e., didn't lift anything heavy, no car accidents, etc., just the yoga. My instructor has me modify the postures to lessen any stretch or strain on the shoulder but still the pain is there and is not getting any better.

I played last week and sliced every drive, second shots were not much better but the strange thing is I didn't feel any pain while swinging the club. 

Maybe the body is just protecting the shoulder and screwing up my swing, I don't know. If it doesn't improve by next week I'm going to the doc to see what he says.

Any thoughts on dealing with shoulder pain?

Anybody else deal with this problem?

You describe what does sound like a shoulder impingement. Damage and/or inflammation to the acromion/bursa can cause this. The subscapularis nerve is a common culprit of this. Have you taken NSAIDs (ibuprofen or Naproxen)? Alternating heat/ice therapy to the area as well? This is usually the first line of conservative treatment. The next step involves imaging with possible cortisone injections. Physical therapy may be in order as well. Try the conservative approach first with the heat/ice and NSAIDs. If no improvement then I suggest you see a physician. And yes, I am a physician (Family Medicine/Urgent Care). 😃

[chspeed]

42 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

. If no improvement then I suggest you see a physician. And yes, I am a physician (Family Medicine/Urgent Care). 😃

Clearly not a physician in New York. If you were, you’d have put in a legal disclaimer about this not being medical advice.😂

[Vinsk]

36 minutes ago, chspeed said:

Clearly not a physician in New York. If you were, you’d have put in a legal disclaimer about this not being medical advice.😂

Lol. Yeah well, shoulder pain isn’t ‘I’ve got this strange lump in my neck and I’m losing weight.’... But yeah...the world can get pretty sticky.

[cooke119]

23 hours ago, Vinsk said:

You describe what does sound like a shoulder impingement. Damage and/or inflammation to the acromion/bursa can cause this. The subscapularis nerve is a common culprit of this. Have you taken NSAIDs (ibuprofen or Naproxen)? Alternating heat/ice therapy to the area as well? This is usually the first line of conservative treatment. The next step involves imaging with possible cortisone injections. Physical therapy may be in order as well. Try the conservative approach first with the heat/ice and NSAIDs. If no improvement then I suggest you see a physician. And yes, I am a physician (Family Medicine/Urgent Care). 😃

Thank you for the advise, I will follow it and if not better soon I will go see my MD.

[MarvChamp]

On 5/13/2019 at 4:26 PM, BamaWade said:

Not trying to make an internet diagnosis, here...just sounds very similar, and that condition is both common and treatable.  I'd highly recommend you go see a doc or physical therapist to help with a proper diagnosis and treatment.  Good luck!

Yes...Probably won't get better on its own or will repeat. An orthopedic surgeon (you might need injections to relieve painful inflammation) and good PT. That's my story. My home exercises now include resistance bands an recumbent bike with arm exerciser.  Much better flexibility. Best of luck, -Marv

[Piz]

I had a bad problem with my left shoulder after a near fatal car wreck.  The doctors told me to take it easy.  That didn't work.  I couldn't sleep, or stand upright, for months.  Eventually I was directed to a massage therapist who determined that the injury had restricted my range of motion.  He gave me two exercises to do...every day and often...and that did the trick.  The problem is that an injury, quite naturally, results in us not using a limb or set of muscles.  So the very thing that we need to do is the one thing we avoid.  Try swimming.  That is what got me back.

[Rkrider99]

Last week I hurt my left shoulder while regripping my clubs. I think I was yanking the old grips off too hard and pulled or tore something. The next day, I could barely move my left arm, but stupid me, I played golf anyway, with a 1/2 swing. Needless to say, that afternoon, I was in great pain and had to use my right hand to move my left arm. I could not sleep at all that night. Since I am not a doctor type person, I decided to let it rest and see what happens. I did take 4 Aleve (naproxin) the next morning, and another 4 that night before bed. At least I was able to sleep. Another round of Aleve the next day, and by Saturday, I was noticing I could move my left arm without much pain. By Monday, I could lift my arm over my head again with just a little twinge of pain in my shoulder, and this morning, I'm heading for the driving range to start hitting some wedges. I'll see what happens. Hopefully, I can get back on the course by Saturday.

[MarvChamp]

57 minutes ago, Rkrider99 said:

Needless to say, that afternoon, I was in great pain and had to use my right hand to move my left arm.

Just an opinion based on experience...Rotator cuff impingement will repeat without some form of non-invasive medical intervention and/or intensive phys therapy and proper light exercises. You Tube has some good info. Best of luck, ...Marv

[chspeed]

1 hour ago, Rkrider99 said:

I did take 4 Aleve (naproxin) the next morning, and another 4 that night before bed

Dude, I'm not a doctor, but that's  a lot of aleve. I would talk to a doctor before taking that much in a day - he/she might offer a safer alternative.

[Rkrider99]

1 hour ago, chspeed said:

Dude, I'm not a doctor, but that's  a lot of aleve. I would talk to a doctor before taking that much in a day - he/she might offer a safer alternative.

A couple of years back, I was diagnosed with arthritis in my ankle. The doctor told me to take 4 Aleve every 12 hours for 2 weeks. He also said he could just prescribe a pharmaceutical dosage of Naproxin, but 4 Aleve was just as effective.

2 hours ago, MarvChamp said:

Just an opinion based on experience...Rotator cuff impingement will repeat without some form of non-invasive medical intervention and/or intensive phys therapy and proper light exercises. You Tube has some good info. Best of luck, ...Marv

Well, my proper (improper) exercises this morning consisted of hitting 100 wedge shots. The only pain I felt was when I took a good size divot, so it was the jarring that is affecting my arm, not the actual swing. So, I'm working more at sweeping the ball, instead of taking a big divot.

[Vinsk]

On 5/15/2019 at 11:02 AM, Rkrider99 said:

A couple of years back, I was diagnosed with arthritis in my ankle. The doctor told me to take 4 Aleve every 12 hours for 2 weeks. He also said he could just prescribe a pharmaceutical dosage of Naproxin, but 4 Aleve was just as effective.

Well that’s certainly not the norm. Naproxen is prescribed as 500mg tablets twice a day with the absolute maximum being 1500mg/day. OTC Naproxen (Aleve) is 220mg tablets. So taking 4 ( 880mg) twice a day (1760mg) is not only above the maximum dose, studies show going over the 1500mg Max shows no therapeutic advantage and only worsened the side effects /untoward effects. Just saying....

[Double Mocha Man]

21 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Well that’s certainly not the norm. Naproxen is prescribed as 500mg tablets twice a day with the absolute maximum being 1500mg/day. OTC Naproxen (Aleve) is 220mg tablets. So taking 4 ( 880mg) twice a day (1760mg) is not only above the maximum dose, studies show going over the 1500mg Max shows no therapeutic advantage and only worsened the side effects /untoward effects. Just saying....

Gosh, I love having a doctor on the forum.  About my golfer's elbow...

[dennyjones]

9 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

About my golfer's elbow...

+1