If your upper arm hurts when you raise it, whether that’s with working out or just reaching to the top shelf of the cabinet you’re not alone. In fact, shoulder pain is one of the most common diagnosis in active adults and one of the top reasons active adults seek out physical therapy services in Denver, Colorado. 

So if you’ve ever tried Googling terms like “pinching” “nagging shoulder pain” or “pain when reaching overhead” and found yourself more lost and confused on what might be actually going on then here’s some good news.

Most shoulder pain symptoms can be easily resolved once you understand the root cause of your symptoms. After you understand where symptoms are coming from, you can take specific steps to reduce pain, build strength and get back to the activities you love pain-free.

Understanding the Anatomy of the Shoulder

The shoulder joint (also known as the glenohumeral joint) is a ball-in-socket joint. But when we think about the shoulder and how it moves and functions we also have to consider the clavicle (or collarbone) , sternum (or chest bone), scapula (or shoulder blade) as well as all of the many muscles that attach to these areas. 

The shoulder joint itself has one of the most degrees of motion or most amount of movement compared to other joints in the body. Because of this, the shoulder joint has a lot of natural mobility and oftentimes requires more stability from the muscles surrounding the shoulder. 

One of the most common groups of muscles that help provide stability to the shoulder is the rotator cuff muscles. But you also get stability from your middle and lower trap muscles as well as the rhomboids. 

As you can see, there’s a lot of moving pieces when it comes to the shoulder. There are lots of tendons, ligaments, muscles and bony prominences that encompass the area we call the shoulder complex. Sometimes, these structures can start moving on top of one another or there could be something that disrupts smooth movement in the shoulder. When this happens some tissues can begin to get irritated, especially when lifting your arm overhead

Top 5 Reasons your Upper Arm Hurts When you Raise It

There are several reasons why your upper arm may hurt when you raise it. However, the exact cause can depend on your daily habits, posture, loading mechanics, training style and plan or so much more. 

To help you make sense of what might be going on, here are the five most common reasons your upper arm might hurt when you raise it and what each one means for your recovery

Shoulder impingement or subacromial pain syndrome: What used to be known as as shoulder impingement (now known as subacromial pain syndrome) is one of the most common conditions that causes pain and discomfort in the shoulder. The term refers to pain that originates in the subacromial space in the shoulder and can radiate or spread to the neck, or even down the arm.

Subacromial pain syndrome can originate from age related changes, repetitive stress or strain on the shoulder, injury or trauma. However, this condition can also appear without seemingly any reason as well. Treatment for subacromial pain syndrome includes strengthening scapular stabilizers, shoulder stabilizers and any other weakened areas in the shoulder specific to each individual. Addressing thoracic mobility as well as stability and mobility in the neck is important as well. 

Rotator cuff tendinopathy: The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint. When these muscles become overworked, are weak, or become irritated they can cause pain in the shoulder especially with overhead reaching. These symptoms usually develop gradually over time without any specific known cause. 

While tendinopathy is usually an overuse type injury the key to resolving symptoms here isn’t to stop moving altogether. Instead, you want to decrease the load or stress on the shoulder just enough to prevent symptoms from getting worse while actively working to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles as well as supporting and surrounding structures. 

Biceps tendon irritation: If you also notice pain with bending the elbow, lifting, or performing any type of curling movement in addition to overhead reaching there is a chance that the biceps tendon could also be involved. The biceps tendon runs through a small groove in the front of the shoulder and helps to stabilize the shoulder joint. Similarly to rotator cuff injuries, the biceps tendon can become irritated with overuse or trauma. When this tendon becomes inflamed or irritated it can cause deep, pinpointed pain at the front of the shoulder that can sometimes even radiate up into the neck or down into the arm

Strengthening the biceps tendon and supporting structures slowly overtime in an intentional way can help to resolve symptoms. Soft tissue work like instrument assisted massage and dry needling can be helpful as well. 

Poor scapular control or postural/muscular imbalances: There are 17 muscles that attach to your scapula (or shoulder blade) If the shoulder blade or any of the muscles that attach are not moving well this can affect stability and movement in the shoulder. Some of the most common causes of poor scapular control are weakness in the muscles of the mid to upper back and posterior shoulder, lack of mobility in the thoracic spine, or poor motor control of the scapula and the muscle that attach to the scapula. 

A lot of your postural muscles are also in this area and support healthy shoulder movement. When you have weakness or even imbalances in some of these muscles it can cause other surrounding muscles to have to work harder and they can become irritated over time. Improving scapular control and mid-back strength is one of the most effective long-term solutions for shoulder pain in this case. 

Training errors or overuse: Sometimes shoulder pain is caused by poor load management issues. This could be from heavy manual labor work in your yard or at work, or by a training program that increases load or volume too quickly without enough recovery or accessory strength work. Your shoulder can maybe handle this stress for a while, but eventually the shoulder will start to let you know something is off and it’s not able to keep up. In this case, adjusting your program and gradually rebuilding foundational strength in the supporting structures of the shoulder can go a long way. 

Think you may understand what’s going on in your shoulder? Or maybe you’re still unsure? Book a call or appointment with Dr. Britni Barber to help uncover the root cause of your shoulder symptoms and develop an individualized plan to help you overcome symptoms and get back to living your life without nagging symptoms 

Book an in person physical therapy consult for shoulder pain here in Denver, CO 

Or book a virtual rehab consultation for shoulder pain here

How to Relieve Upper Arm Pain at Home

When you’re feeling pain, pinching or a feeling of achiness in the shoulder, complete rest might seem like the safest option and fastest way to see relief of symptoms. However, it’s important to remember that rest is not rehab. You want to keep the shoulder moving. This will bring healing factors, nutrients and oxygen to the area to begin repairing the shoulder.

However, you do want to make modifications or adjustments to your normal routine. Adjusting things like range of motion, weight, and sets/reps in your training can help offload some of the stress in the shoulder. Additionally, taking longer breaks between tasks and implementing more intentional based movements can help you get through day to day activities with a little more ease. 

Some basic things you can start to focus on if you’re trying to overcome upper arm pain when reaching overhead is simple scapular stability exercises like: Scapular retractions, scapular wall clocks and serratus punches

Finally, it’s important to prioritize posture and daily movement habits. Do you work a desk job? If so I recommend getting up and moving every 60-90 minutes if possible. Another tip I recommend is doing a “check-in” with yourself in between bigger tasks. For example, after you hopped off a call, but before you go back to answering your emails. Perform a quick check-in with yourself to see how things are feeling. Maybe you need to get up and take a quick walk or do a quick stretch break. 

How Physical Therapy Can Help with Shoulder Pain

If you’ve been asking yourself why my upper arm hurts when I raise it, dealing with nagging shoulder or upper arm pain, or have felt like shoulder pain has been limiting you in your workouts, physical therapy may be the answer you’re looking for. Physical therapists are trained to help you uncover the why behind what’s happening to your shoulder without an x-ray, MRI or expensive imaging reports. 

A lot of people assume shoulder pain means you need to stop training, avoid moving the shoulder and something may be torn. But in most cases it’s not about damage, its about rebuilding your shoulders to be strong in the areas you need for the activities you want to do in a way that is safe yet effective. 

That’s where physical therapy or virtual rehab coaching can come into play. Through either a virtual or in-person movement assessment we can help you identify what’s really contributing to your pain. From there we can create a plan together that focuses on three things:

• Restoring movement in the shoulder, upper back so the joint moves freely again 
• Rebuild strength and control in the areas that matter like your rotator cuff muscles, scapular stabilizers and other supporting structures 
• Reintegrate movements and activities you love and build resilience for long term success and relief of symptoms 

Physical therapy isn’t just about treating symptoms, it’s about understanding your body so you can build a body that can keep up with you for the long haul. If you’re finally ready to get answers and a clear path forward you have two options.

• Request an in-person session at one of our two locations in Denver, CO (Wheat Ridge or S. Broadway). This is perfect if you’re local to Denver and also interested in some hands-on treatment options. 

• Request a virtual consultation and online rehab support. Ideal if you live outside of the greater Denver area but are still wanting expert guidance on how to find relief of your symptoms. We build you a program that fits seamlessly with your goals and your current routine without telling you to skip out on the activities you love.