Shoulder Pain

[VinceG]

Hi People.

Years ago when I used to weight train I couldn't really do a shoulder press because the joints hurt.

Since taking up TT again I get some pain in my shoulder. Does anyone have any tips to get rid of it?

 

[ttmonster]

Are you getting it when playing backhand ? You need to play around your elbow and snap with your wrist. Like wise you on forehand the power should come from weight transfer and forearm snap. Its mostly a technique issue, try to get it rectified from a coach. The key is to get your shoulder and body relaxed when playing a stroke.

 

[VinceG]

I get it playing forehand and backhand ttmonster.

 

[ttmonster]

I get it playing forehand and backhand ttmonster.

Please post a video of you playing both the strokes. Don't worry about how good you are, people here in general are nice and they will try to help you fix your technique

 

[M51]

Shoulder pain seems to be quite common in table tennis. I heard two guys from my club (both in their late teens) complain about it recently, and lately I've been feeling some mild discomfort in my front deltoid muscle myself.

 

[Der_Echte]

If the pain isn't from a torn muscle tissue or labrum, many joint issues are often an imbalance in muscles. Sometimes this is from overuse of a certain muscle, sometimes it is certain muscles being too tight pulling on others and it affects joints. It doesn't help to be old like me or heavy. Many in the medical field mis-diagnose this so it helps to learn as much as you can. If you do exercises that are multidirectional, focus on the core, involve twisting or movement, it helps. Whatever moves, twists, uses major muscle groups together are good things.

Some shoulder joint pain that is not a torn labrum is a certain shoulder muscle getting too tight over the years and you do a heavy work or strain on it, like hitting explosive shots in TT. Some chiropractors know this, some massage people know this too. You will be surprised at how many medical professionals do not know.

 

[Der_Echte]

Another consideration is what we eat in our modern lives is very irritating to the body, knees are almost the first to be irritated for joints when we do this and be heavy. This is often mis-diagnosed as knee degenerating arthritis, but it is often from our diet, weight, and wrong exercise/tight muscles.

 

[TTFrenzy]

Shoulder pain most of the times comes from tensed execution of the BH stroke. Check if your elbow is maybe too high, the bh loop must be rotated around the axis created by your shoulder/elbow snapping the forearm and wrist. Most of the players I know have a shoulder pain because when they execute backhand their elbow is too high.

So lower your center of gravity is an option and of course beginning your stroke at a lower point

 

[VinceG]

I don't really think it's a muscular problem, I think the pain is from the joint itself.

I'll try and get some video on Friday of me playing.

 

[Bishop Rasta 27]

i usually have shoulder joint pains too esp on my right arm...it occurs usually when i hit big shots on forehand, not so with bh because i accompany it with greater wrist movement...imo, it is an issue of wrong body positioning or movement and sway...

...i have watched a video of CNT before with coach Liu G demonstrating how to hit topspins with fh and bh and he does not only involve arm sway but also it must be accompanied by hip rotation, i saw and i think he focused on hip rotation as he demos to the team (or just one player, i forgot, i think Ma Long, Xu Xin or Jike) ...i've tried it and keep practicing all the time i play and it works, no more pain in shoulder joints...i just forgot where i viewed that, i think its also here on TTD, or youtube...

 

[strangeloop]

...i have watched a video of CNT before with coach Liu G demonstrating how to hit topspins with fh and bh and he does not only involve arm sway but also it must be accompanied by hip rotation, i saw and i think he focused on hip rotation as he demos to the team (or just one player, i forgot, i think Ma Long, Xu Xin or Jike) ...i've tried it and keep practicing all the time i play and it works, no more pain in shoulder joints...i just forgot where i viewed that, i think its also here on TTD, or youtube...

This one perhaps?

 

[Bishop Rasta 27]

This one perhaps?

haha...you got it man!!!...

 

[VinceG]

Thanks for that, but Ma Long is not following his coaches instructions by using his hips. The whole movement is arm and shoulder. Who am I to criticise the world number one, but that looks to me what the coach is trying to instil in him.

 

[TTFrenzy]

Thanks for that, but Ma Long is not following his coaches instructions by using his hips. The whole movement is arm and shoulder. Who am I to criticise the world number one, but that looks to me what the coach is trying to instil in him.

Yes thats a fact even after LGL shows him how to do it his hip rotation is not optimal, he just falls on his left leg and doesnt rotate enough

Anyway using the shoulder in the BH stroke is wrong, it is only recommended for advanced players who have perfect technique or natural talent in their BH like kreanga or ovtcharov. Consistency in the BH is achieved by keeping the line "shoulder - elbow" steady and the forearm /wrist snap rotates around this axis. Dropping the arm a bit and keeping it relaxed is also a way not to exert force from the shoulder

 

[redonix76]

It's most likely your rotator cuff. My chiropractor told me that my shoulder was too stiff and can easily be injured, since I can barely hold my hands behind my back. My shoulder pain lasted a few months until I started exercising it and stretching it before and after every game. Now, no more pain. Try out these for a month and hopefully it will get better for you, good luck!

 

[VinceG]

Thanks for that redonix76 that looks great, I've ordered a resistance band and I will work on those exercises.

Can you do the external rotator resistance stretch that starts at 2:07 into the video? I've tried it, and can't get my arms forward enough, maybe this is one of my problems.