I Have Shoulder Pain and It Hasn’t Gone Away After an Injury

Shoulder pain that hasn’t gone away after an injury can remain sore, stiff, or painful when you reach, lift, or move your arm because the injured tissues may still be irritated.

If your shoulder still hurts after the original injury, you may notice that ordinary movements such as reaching for a shelf, putting on a shirt, lifting something, or reaching behind your back are still uncomfortable. A fall, sudden pull, awkward movement, or direct impact can strain the rotator cuff or other shoulder tissues and leave the area sensitive when you try to use it again.

An injured shoulder can also lose some of its normal movement because pain and swelling make it harder to move the arm comfortably. When you start using the shoulder before the irritated area has settled, even familiar movements can continue to aggravate the injury.

Reaching Overhead Can Still Pull On The Injured Shoulder

An injured rotator cuff can have difficulty handling repeated overhead movement while it is still recovering.

When you raise your arm, the rotator cuff helps control the movement of the shoulder. If those tendons or the surrounding muscles were strained during the injury, reaching overhead, lifting, or extending your arm away from your body can place stress on the injured area and bring the pain back.

The Shoulder Gets More Painful When You Keep Using It

Repeated use can increase stress on an injured shoulder even after the original injury has passed.

You may start the day thinking the shoulder is getting better, only to notice more pain after carrying something, working with your arm raised, or repeatedly reaching. As the shoulder becomes tired, the injured muscles and tendons have less ability to handle additional activity comfortably, which can make the pain more noticeable later in the day.

Why Your Shoulder Still Hurts After Injury

Your shoulder can take longer to recover when blood flow and circulation are reduced.

Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues can become irritated or strained through repeated movement, overuse, awkward movements, prolonged positions, or everyday activities. Some of these tissues, particularly tendons and ligaments, naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body and may take longer to recover after irritation or injury. Recovery can take even longer when the same movements or activities continue to place stress on them.

Reduced circulation through the area can make it harder for the tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly. This can leave your shoulder feeling sore, tight, weak, stiff, or painful during everyday activities.

How To Help Your Shoulder Feel Better

Improving blood flow and circulation can help your shoulder feel better.

For centuries, Chinese herbs have been used to support healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help disperse stagnant blood and excess fluids that can collect around irritated or injured tissues and restrict normal circulation. As circulation begins moving more freely, fresh blood can better deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the area to help it recover properly.

Topical remedies containing these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain and other symptoms while supporting healthy blood flow and circulation around the shoulder. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether the problem is recent or has been ongoing for some time.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Bruise Relief Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the irritated tissues. As circulation improves, fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients can more easily reach the tissues that need them for healing.

If the area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Ice Substitute Poultice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. Traditional ice is often used to help reduce swelling, but Ice Substitute Poultice provides an ice alternative that helps reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids so circulation can move more freely through the area and promote faster recovery.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold weather, Pain Relief Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood flow to irritated tendons and ligaments. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply and can take longer to recover.

If you continue to have pain or stiffness around an injured tendon or ligament, or the area feels more painful in cold weather, Tendon and Ligament Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to the area. By increasing circulation, it helps offset the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather, which can aggravate chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If your muscles feel sore or tight, or if you are preparing for exercise or strenuous activity, Muscle Therapy Massage Oil warms and stimulates the muscles, increases circulation, relieves tightness, and improves flexibility. Using it before activity helps warm up the muscles, while applying it afterward helps relieve soreness and stiffness.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my shoulder still hurt after an injury?

Your shoulder may still hurt because the injury strained or irritated muscles, rotator cuff tendons, ligaments, or other tissues that are still recovering.

Can a shoulder injury keep hurting after the swelling is gone?

Yes. Pain and stiffness can remain after swelling improves, particularly when an injured tendon or ligament is still recovering.

Why does reaching overhead still hurt after my shoulder injury?

Reaching overhead can stress an injured rotator cuff or other shoulder tissues, making the movement painful while the area is recovering.

Can using my shoulder too much make an injury hurt again?

Yes. Repeated lifting, reaching, or other shoulder movements can place additional stress on injured tissues and bring the pain back.

When should persistent shoulder pain after an injury be evaluated?

Persistent, severe, or worsening shoulder pain after an injury should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.

Safety Notes

This article provides general educational information about the topic described above.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.