If you experience shoulder and neck pain while stretching, it could indicate an underlying injury to the joint, spine, tendons or muscles. According to the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma, you may be suffering from muscle spasm of the rhomboids, trapezius, scalene and erector spinae muscle groups.
Considerations
Your pain while stretching can be the result of fairly benign problems, including improper stretching technique, nerve compression by facet joints in your neck or in the shoulder capsule itself, herniated or bulging cervical discs in your neck, whiplash type injury to your ligaments in the neck and shoulder region, and poor posture.
Proper Strecthing Technique
You may be experiencing pain because you are stretching too aggressively or using improper technique. The experts at NISMAT suggest that you take a hot shower or bath or place a heating pad or hot water bottle in the area prior to stretching. This allows your muscles to relax as much as possible and increases blood flow. Gently bend your head to the right or left, forward or back, aided by a little pressure from your hand just until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold the stretch for six seconds. If you feel any pain, release and do not force movement or bob your head in a stretch.
Shoulder Pain
Common causes of shoulder pain include tendinitis, instability -- usually caused by a traumatic injury, dislocation and separation, which are all acute injuries. Two types of common problems that cause pain while stretching are frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis, and osteoarthritis. These conditions result in a feeling of stiffness in your shoulder joint. The symptoms can be felt when you stretch. Common treatments are physical therapy and correct stretching technique. If you believe you may be suffering from adhesive capsulitis or arthritis, see your health-care professional. He can determine if physical therapy will be useful for you.
Warning
There are some causes of pain with stretching that require further medical intervention because you may have an underlying medical condition causing your symptoms. Some possibilities include a pathologic fracture in your vertebrae in your neck or a more serious shoulder injury. Tumors and pinched nerves can also case your symptoms. If you have numbness, weakness or radiating pain when you stretch or are at rest, contact your health care provider as soon as possible.
