Why Does My Shoulder Hurt When I Lift Overhead?

Understanding Overhead Shoulder Pain

If you feel pain when reaching overhead — putting dishes away, serving in tennis, swimming, lifting weights, or even washing your hair — you’re not alone.

Shoulder pain is one of the most common orthopedic complaints in adults between 20 and 70 years of age. The shoulder is designed for mobility, but that mobility requires coordination and strength. When those systems get out of balance, pain often shows up during overhead movement.

The good news? Most shoulder pain improves without surgery when treated early and appropriately.

Common Causes of Overhead Shoulder Pain

1. Rotator Cuff Irritation

The rotator cuff muscles stabilize the shoulder joint. When overloaded or weak, they can become irritated and painful.

2. Shoulder Impingement

This occurs when tendons become compressed due to poor mechanics, stiffness, or muscle imbalance.

3. Labral Irritation

The labrum deepens the shoulder socket. Irritation can cause clicking, catching, or deep joint pain.

4. Poor Scapular Control

Your shoulder blade must move well for your shoulder to function well. Weak mid-back muscles are often a hidden contributor.

5. Thoracic Spine Stiffness

Limited upper back mobility can force the shoulder to compensate.

Importantly, many cases are not true “tears” — they’re movement and load management problems.

What Makes Shoulder Pain Worse?

• Repetitive overhead lifting
  
  

• Poor posture (especially prolonged sitting)
  
  

• Jumping back into workouts too quickly
  
  

• Ignoring early symptoms
  
  

• Inadequate recovery between sessions
  
  

Pain often develops gradually, not suddenly.

When Should You See a Physical Therapist?

Consider scheduling an evaluation if:

• Pain lasts more than 2 weeks
  
  

• You have night pain that interrupts sleep
  
  

• You feel weakness when lifting
  
  

• You’ve stopped exercising because of discomfort
  
  

• The pain keeps coming back
  
  

Early intervention prevents chronic issues.

How Physical Therapy Helps

At our clinic, we evaluate:

• Strength and endurance
  
  

• Shoulder blade mechanics
  
  

• Range of motion
  
  

• Movement patterns
  
  

• Training load
  
  

Then we create a customized plan to:

• Reduce irritation
  
  

• Restore strength
  
  

• Improve mechanics
  
  

• Safely return you to sport or exercise
  
  

Our goal is not just pain relief — it’s restoring confidence and long-term shoulder health.

Get Relief Today in Downtown Oceanside

If your pain is limiting your life, don’t wait for it to get worse. The team at Pipeline Physical Therapy in Downtown Oceanside, CA is ready to help you move better, feel better, and get back to doing what you love.