Football season means practices, warm-ups, and game-day passes. But if throwing leaves your shoulder hurting, it can be difficult to know whether to take a break or get it checked.
Shoulder pain after throwing can have several causes. Pain that keeps returning, affects your throwing motion, or comes with weakness deserves attention. An orthopedic evaluation can help identify the problem and guide your next steps.
Why Throwing Can Irritate the Shoulder
Overhead throwing requires the shoulder to move through a large range of motion while maintaining stability. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments work together to control the arm as it accelerates and slows down.
Repeated throws place stress on these structures. Increasing your throwing workload without adequate recovery can contribute to overuse symptoms. Pain after a fall or tackle may involve a different injury, so tell your doctor exactly how symptoms started.
Possible Causes of Shoulder Pain After Throwing
Rotator Cuff Irritation or Injury
The rotator cuff helps move and stabilize the shoulder. Irritation can cause pain when lifting your arm or throwing. Some rotator cuff injuries also cause weakness or pain at night. These symptoms do not automatically mean you have a tear, but they warrant evaluation if they persist.
Biceps Tendon Irritation
The upper biceps tendon can become irritated with repetitive throwing. This may cause discomfort at the front of the shoulder, sometimes with weakness.
Labral Injuries
The labrum is a rim of tissue that helps stabilize the shoulder socket. An injury may cause deep shoulder pain, catching, or discomfort in certain positions. These symptoms overlap with other shoulder problems, so they cannot confirm a labral tear on their own.
Shoulder Instability
Some athletes experience a shoulder that feels loose or as though it may slip out of place. Instability can follow an injury or develop with repetitive stress. A sudden loss of confidence in your throwing arm is worth discussing with an orthopedic doctor.
When Should You See an Orthopedic Doctor?
Schedule an evaluation if shoulder pain repeatedly returns when you throw, affects everyday activities or sleep, or is accompanied by weakness, reduced movement, or painful catching.
Explain whether symptoms begin during a throw, afterward, or following contact. Mention any change in your ability to throw comfortably.
Seek emergency care if your shoulder appears out of place after an injury, or you suspect a dislocation. Severe pain, inability to move the arm, or new numbness after an injury also requires urgent assessment. Do not try to put a dislocated shoulder back into place yourself.
Should You Keep Throwing With Shoulder Pain?
Avoid throws that reproduce your pain rather than repeatedly testing the shoulder. Being able to complete a pass does not identify the cause of your symptoms or establish that it is safe to continue.
The plan for returning to throwing should reflect your diagnosis, shoulder strength and movement, and sport demands. For a diagnosed rotator cuff tear, continuing despite increasing pain can cause further damage.
What Happens During a Shoulder Evaluation?
Your doctor will discuss your symptoms and examine shoulder movement, strength, and stability. Depending on the findings, X-rays or an MRI may help clarify the diagnosis.
Treatment varies by injury. Options may include activity changes, rehabilitation, and other nonsurgical care. Surgery may be considered for certain injuries or symptoms that do not improve with appropriate treatment.
Shoulder Care at Ortho Med Long Island
Dr. James Maguire specializes in knee and shoulder care at Ortho Med Long Island. His training includes experience with professional, collegiate, and high school throwing athletes.
If shoulder pain is interfering with football, an appointment can help you understand your symptoms and discuss a treatment plan that accounts for your goals.
Call 631-333-0970 or visit orthomedli.com to schedule an appointment.
