There’s nothing more frustrating for a sportsperson than sitting injured on the sidelines watching others compete. Although there is no foolproof way to stop shoulder pain from occurring, there are several things that you can do that may help prevent it from starting or getting worse.
- Warm Up. Exercising cold muscles is never a good idea. Before practising your tennis serve or badminton shots, warm up your body with mild exercise. For example, before you play have a little jog around the court a few times as this raises your heart rate and body temperature and activates the synovial fluid (lubricant) in your joints. In other words, a mild warm up gets your body ready for the workout that follows.
- Change your sleeping position. If you are experiencing pain in your right shoulder, don’t sleep on your right side. Try sleeping on your left side or on your back instead. If sleeping on your back irritates your shoulder, try propping your arm up with a pillow.
- Rest. If you notice pain whilst doing certain activities e.g. swimming or playing tennis, stop that activity for a period of time and find an alternative that does not aggravate the pain such as cycling or jogging. Doing so will give your shoulder some time to rest and heal, while still maintaining your cardiovascular fitness. However try not to eliminate all shoulder movement as this will lead to the shoulder becoming stiff. Gently stretching the shoulder will help keep it mobile.
- Build up your endurance. If it’s been a few weeks or months since you’ve played tennis or badminton, consider playing for a shorter period of time, maybe half an hour to build up your endurance. Don’t fall into the trap of doing too much too soon, especially if your body is not used to it.
- Increase your shoulder strength. Strengthening your shoulder muscles can help provide support and stabilization to your shoulder joint. Speak to your osteopath before starting any exercise program as they can recommend what exercises to perform for your particular problem.
- Cross-train. Certain sports such as badminton or swimming are more taxing on the shoulder than others. Therefore you may wish to consider cross-training. For example alternate some of your swimming workouts with a run or a bike ride which will reduce the stress placed on your shoulder whilst still maintaining your fitness.
Above all, listen to your body and be proactive. You may need to make some adjustments to your workout or daily routine to help prevent further damage from occurring. Catching injuries or discomfort early may help keep you in the game and prevent painful injuries down the road.
For more advice or if you require some treatment to speed up your recovery please call 020 3488 0585.