It is normal to have muscles soreness after intense exercise, however it is not considered normal to have joint pain after exercise. This relates to all joints, whether it is a hip, knee, ankle, wrist, shoulder, elbow or low back to name a few. The example below is of a shoulder; however this same process can be used across other regions of the body.

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A common presentation within our clinical setting is shoulder pain after upper body exercise, particularly where there is no specific mechanism of injury. We have seen a rise in the number of people with this presentation in recent years which may coincide with the increase in exercise programs/models that utilise overhead lifting and loading.

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Quite frequently after a thorough examination, one of the causes of the shoulder pain symptoms is tightness/stiffness in the mid and upper back (thoracic spine). This stiffness can directly negatively influence the mechanics of the shoulder joint and tissues in an overhead loaded position. It is important for physiotherapists to treat the area of pain, but once the symptoms are settled, it is very important to address the underlying cause. If we used the example mid and upper back stiffness being a contributor to the shoulder pain, improving this with manual therapy (massage and joint mobilisation), stretches and importantly specific strengthening exercises to optimise the mechanics in that area. This is a very important step in return to the activity or sport in order to prevent re-aggravation.

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If this sounds like an injury that you are experiencing, or if it is something you have been “managing”, book an appointment and we will see how we can help.