Why your shoulder hurts after Pickleball.
Overhead volleys and smashes call on your mid-back, shoulder blade, and rotator cuff to do amazing things during Pickleball. If any of those underperform, the cuff gets irritated. Try these 3 movements (explanation and videos below) and see how you fair.
The 3 Quick Self-Screens (3 minutes total)
1) Wall Slide + Lift-Off
- How: Face a wall, forearms on the wall, ribs gently down. Slide arms up; at the highest point, lift hands 1–2″ off the wall without shrugging.
- A good rep looks like: Smooth slide, small lift, no pinching feelings.
- Common fail: Shoulder shrugs, ribs come up, or a top-front pinching feeling.
2) Apley Scratch (Behind-Back Reach)
- How: Stand tall, leaning forward is cheating. Slide the back of your hand up your spine. Repeat using your other hand.
- A good rep looks like: Your hand reaches the same place on your back with the right arm as it does with the left arm, and zero pain.
- Common fail: One side clearly lower, shoulder raises toward the ear.
3) Seated Thoracic Rotation
- How: Sit tall, knees together with a pillow between them, arms across chest. Rotate your chest right/left as far as you can without arching your low back.
- A good rep looks like: Smooth, even rotation both ways.
- Common fail: One side “sticks” or you arch/side-bend to try and gain extra motion.
What your results mean (at a glance)
- Fail #1 → Shoulder blade isn’t rotating well; rotator cuff is overworking.
- Fail #2 → Limited internal rotation/scap control; classic “pinch” with volleys.
- Fail #3 → Stiff mid-back; the shoulder can’t clear overhead comfortably.
Want to see these tests in action? Watch the quick demo.
Quick wins for this week
- Warm up how you move: 60 to 90 seconds of shuttle shuffles plus 6 to 8 overhead reaches.
- Play every other day for 1 to 2 weeks before back-to-back-to-back sessions.
- Court shoes are better than running shoes for lateral play (your shoulder will thank you).
Related reads:
- Shoulder Pain That Won’t Quit: It’s Not Always the Shoulder
- How to know the difference between good pain and bad pain
Ready to play without the pinch?
Book a $67 Pickleball Tune-Up at Progressive Mobility (Spartanburg). You’ll get:
- A targeted shoulder screen tied to your test results
- VALD ForceDecks baseline to spot asymmetries fast
- A simple plan you can use on the court this week
→ Book Now (or call us! Same-week spots go fast) FREE phone call
What’s next in the series
- Part 2: Patellar Tendon Pain: Make stops and sprints feel good again
- Part 3: Lateral Knee/IT Band: Cut sharper with better hip control
FAQ:
Do I need imaging first? Usually no. If red flags show up, we’ll coordinate imaging; otherwise targeted rehab + mechanics changes work best.
How long until this improves? Mild cases often trend better within 2 to 6 weeks with the right drills and smarter volume ramps.
