Posterior shoulder pain along with joint instability can significantly reduce tennis performance, according to the book "The Athlete's Shoulder." Tennis places a substantial amount of stress on your shoulder joint and surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments. Over-training, improper technique and muscle imbalances can also increase your risk of sustaining a shoulder injury such as tendonitis. If you sustained an injury and have chronic or worsening posterior shoulder pain, consult a physician.
Causes and Injuries
According to the United States Tennis Association, a tennis serve can require the shoulder to rotate between 120 to 180 degrees, which places a significant and repetitive amount of torque on the shoulder. Although chronic shoulder injuries are more common, acute shoulder injuries can also occur. Acute shoulder injuries that can cause posterior shoulder pain include a dislocation or subluxation from a fall, or a muscle strain from an awkward swing in a match. Chronic shoulder injuries include glenoid labrum tears or lesions and tendonitis. Chronic joint instability is also a common problem among tennis players, especially those who sustained a shoulder injury in the past.
Treatment
Immediately after the injury or the first sign of pain, rest and ice the shoulder. Avoid tennis, upper-body resistance exercises and other painful activities until the shoulder is healed. For dislocations, immobilization with a sling might be necessary. Over-the-counter pain medications can be used to manage pain as well. Heat can be applied 48 to 72 hours after sustaining the injury. Heat or ice for 15 to 20 minutes, one to three times daily or as needed.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation exercises vary depending on your pain tolerance, and type and severity of injury. Start with light stretches to improve joint range of motion, which can be reduced after suffering a shoulder injury and being inactive. Slowly add strengthening exercises for the rotator cuff muscles to help improve overall shoulder stability. Other strengthening exercises can be performed to increase shoulder strength and improve shoulder function. Tennis specific exercises can include practicing various stroke techniques and racket grip.
Surgery
For severe cases when conservative treatment fails, arthroscopic or open-shoulder surgery might be necessary to reduce pain and improve shoulder function. For example, chronic dislocations, glenoid labrum tears, and complete ruptures of tendons or muscles can require surgery. Depending on your age and fitness level, tennis is not a recommended sport after surgery because of the stress it places on the shoulder joint and surrounding soft tissue.
