When I start to run at a solid tempo or better, I tend to get a pain in my right shoulder, it feels like it’s under my shoulder blade on the left side. Also, when I run hard intervals and sometimes during tempo running, I will get what feels like a cramp on top of my right shoulder and it only gets worse the longer I run hard. Any thoughts as to what these might be and/or how to fix them? I assume it’s some sort of strength imbalance but I’m not sure.
Thanks!
I sometimes get a sharp camp like pain under my shoulder blade when I race 10Ks. I always figured it was a breathing issue. Either that or my heart rate strap or a combination of the two. It goes away when I back off the effort and has actually been my limiter in a race or two.
I used to have shoulder pain when running, even walking. My doc figured out it was my shoes, change of shoes and no more problems.
Sounds familiar to me. More likely to happen to me if I had a hard swim the day before. The first time it was scary, it kind of radiated into my chest and I was not sure if I was having a heart attack.
I’m a Medical Sonographer. I’ve treated a runner with cortisone injections to the scapulo-thoracic bursa (between the ribs and the shoulder blade) for what sounds like a similar issue. Has worked well enough for him, although with several recurrences over several years. Not sure if the diagnosis has ever been proven on MRI, but treatment seems to be effective all the same.
My son is a college age runner and has this when running fast, mostly when on an indoor track. I believe it is the only time it happens to him and has done so since he starting running indoors in HS. He says he is always able to run through it - hopefully that continues and we haven’t sought medical treatment yet so not sure why it happens.
Probably not the case, but try to make sure you relax your upper body when running. At tempo, many will shrug their shoulders learning to trap and shoulder discomfort.
Just a thought.
When I start to run at a solid tempo or better, I tend to get a pain in my right shoulder, it feels like it’s under my shoulder blade on the left side. Also, when I run hard intervals and sometimes during tempo running, I will get what feels like a cramp on top of my right shoulder and it only gets worse the longer I run hard. Any thoughts as to what these might be and/or how to fix them? I assume it’s some sort of strength imbalance but I’m not sure. Thanks!
I will throw in with six_cubes. It is probably a muscle cramp, possibly one or both of the rhomboids on the side of your pain. The rhomboids retract (pull inward) the shoulder blade. You might be carrying your arms in such a way when you run hard that these muscles become overly shortened and cramp. Perhaps your elbows are too high or held too far backwards? Allow your hands to slightly crossover the midline of your abdomen.
I get a very similar feeling, usually at the end of a longer run or during a fast run. I’d give some technique stuff a go before worrying about escalating anything further as what you’ve described is exactly what I get and I was “cured” instantly just by thinking about some specific things.
I put the feeling down to starting to struggle and tensing my back/neck/traps. Something I was told when I rowed was to try and relax your face. Don’t grit your teeth etc. You grit your teeth, you tense your jaw, your neck muscles follow your jaw, then your traps follow your neck muscles, your upper back follows, closely pursued by your lower back…all things which can potentially affect your shoulders. It’s all connected and trying to remain loose and relaxed helps me a lot.
As well as taking a stride or two to swing my arms around and literally shake out some tension, I also try and do the “holding a piece of paper by your fingertips” thing. Run with your hands just gently made into a fist, like you are holding a piece of paper just enough to stop it slipping, it seems to work and also gives me something else to concentrate on.