Why Your Shoulder Might Hurt After Exercise

Your shoulder’s designed for movement. It’s one of the most mobile joints in the body, but all that mobility can leave it vulnerable. Notice soreness after workouts? Pain after lifting, throwing, or even doing planks could indicate mechanical issues that need a closer look.

The Tradeoff: Mobility vs. Stability

“The shoulder is very unique. It’s one of the most unique joints in the body because it has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the human body,” says Winnipeg chiropractor Dr. Pascal. The joint itself is a shallow ball-and-socket design, held together by muscles, tendons, and ligaments rather than deep bone support. That makes it vulnerable to strain, especially under load or repetitive movements.

Overhead presses, pushups, or even rows can aggravate those soft tissues, especially if they’re already tight or inflamed. You might feel fine during the workout, only to feel pain as your body cools down. That’s often a sign of tendinitis, bursitis, or a minor strain that’s been building over time.

Posture Plays a Bigger Role Than You Think

Poor posture during the day can change the way your shoulder sits in the socket. If your shoulders roll forward and your upper back is rounded (sound familiar?), you may be setting yourself up for “bad mechanics,” as Dr. Pascal calls them. He explains, “If the shoulder stays in a bad position…that problem is going to come back as soon as you start using that shoulder in the same fashion.”

What’s Causing That Soreness?

Common culprits include rotator cuff strain or degeneration, tendinitis, ligament sprains, poor joint tracking, or a combination of tight chest muscles and weak upper back muscles. Together, these imbalances change the way your shoulder moves and increase the risk of irritation and inflammation.

How to Get Relief—and Prevent It from Coming Back

The first step to alleviating pain is restoring proper shoulder positioning. That might involve postural retraining and targeted rehab. Dr. Pascal often recommends exercises like banded rotator cuff drills, isometric stability holds, and soft tissue release using a ball or roller. Trigger point therapy and mobility work are also helpful, but the real key is customizing your plan based on what’s tight, weak, or overcompensating.