soreness in shoulder of bridge arm

[PKM]

Anyone else get soreness in the shoulder of your bridge arm? I don't know if there's a way I can try to use less tension, or if it's inevitable after a long session. Sometimes I don't notice it, usually it would be after a long practice where I'm taking a lot of strokes so I guess there's not much I can do.

 

[Black-Balled]

I get it too...haven't played or suffered for quite some time though! Usually try to stretch it out before, during and after play. Seems to help a bit...

 

[Island Drive]

Anyone else get soreness in the shoulder of your bridge arm? I don't know if there's a way I can try to use less tension, or if it's inevitable after a long session. Sometimes I don't notice it, usually it would be after a long practice where I'm taking a lot of strokes so I guess there's not much I can do.

I posted this awhile back, it worked for this persons particular issue, and it definitely fixed mine, and also I became a much better player by attending to this situation.

Originally Posted by SCCues
Can anyone give me some suggestions to help with shoulder tendonitus? I've been dealing with this for a couple of months and i've had a cortisone injection which helped some, but I'm still having pain.

Thanks in advance.

Island Drive said:


I had a similar problem, I quit playing for awhile and the pain went away. I realized something during play caused the pain. I found my weight off balance and by that I tensed my bridge hand which transferred the problem to my shoulder, hummmmmmmm I thought. I corrected my balance/stance and the pain went away and I started playing allot better after that. Your issue could be completely different, but if you quit and the pain goes away think about what I said. Hope this helps, plus its allot cheaper than getting a doctor visit and then recreating you problem once you start playing again. Hope this could help, if not, see the doc.

 

[ScottW]

A massage therapist showed me a pretty good stretch to do to help with this (as it was my shoulders that were killing me when I went to'em for help).

Find a corner of a wall, and go stand by it. Hold out your arm, in the stereotypical cop-style "stop" fashion - i.e. shoulder-to-elbow is perpendicular to the floor, and your forearm is held straight up with hand pointing toward the ceiling.

Lay your forearm/elbow up against the wall that goes off to your side (not the wall that goes straight away from you), near the corner. Then put some resistance on your arm - lean in a little, and push against the wall with your arm, so that you're stretching out the muscles in your chest some.

Then simply turn 90 degrees, and do the same with the other arm on the other side of the corner of the wall.

 

[mosconiac]

I used to get a terrible pain in my left shoulder. That was when I used to play pool about 8-10 hours a day. Repetitive motion is a problem at that point. I took care of it by getting married. I play about 8-10 hours a month now. No problem!

 

[Colin Colenso]

I used to get a lot of shoulder soreness too, but I don't get it these days.

The main reason I think is that I don't get down as low as I used to, and I tend to bend my elbow slightly and rest it on the table when I can. I find this bridge more stable anyway, and my shoulder is under much less tension during shots.

Colin

 

[Njhustler1]

I played in a straight pool tournament two weekends ago. 10 hours non-stop on Saturday. I was definitely feelin it then. Couldn't sleep on that side at night. I expect it though. Always happens when I play 7+ hours in a day. When I get that feeling, I know I'm playing well though and don't mind it so much cause it means I'm getting pretty far in the tournament at that point.

It's exactly like tennis elbow, but just higher up in the shoulder.

 

[BillyKoda]

My left shoulder has hurt for 3 or 4 months now but I never thought pool was the cause? I only play twice a week for a total of about 10-12 hours per week. I have been shooting very well during this period so maybe the change I made in my game is the culprit? I always thought it was from carrying my travel bag over my left shoulder, I may have to re-think the cause.

BK

 

[Barbara]

Anyone else get soreness in the shoulder of your bridge arm? I don't know if there's a way I can try to use less tension, or if it's inevitable after a long session. Sometimes I don't notice it, usually it would be after a long practice where I'm taking a lot of strokes so I guess there's not much I can do.

I used to have that problem, too. Master BCA instructor Fran Crimi diagnosed it by watching me play for about 5 minutes. She said I was putting too much weight on my bridge arm.

When you get into your shooting position "pull back" your body a little and shift the weight to your legs a bit.

Barbara

 

[Black-Balled]

I used to get a terrible pain in my left shoulder. That was when I used to play pool about 8-10 hours a day. Repetitive motion is a problem at that point. I took care of it by getting married. I play about 8-10 hours a month now. No problem!

Ha-ha-ha!

(crying inside and on same program)

 

[Dead Crab]

When the shoulder is flexed over 60 degrees, the rotator cuff becomes pinched between the humerus (bone in the upper arm) and the joint where the collarbone joins the scapula (AC joint).

The rotator cuff does not like having pressure on it. The blood supply is reduced, and the rotator cuff tendon becomes inflammed. For those middle aged and up, bone spurs at the AC joint can make the problem much worse.The end result is tendinitis of varying degrees.

The treatment is to avoid flexing or abducting (drawing away from the body) of the shoulder over 60 degrees. Proper rotator cuff strengthening also helps.

I've noticed a lot of older players (including myself) adapt their stance to avoid shoulder and back stresses.

 

[Andrew Manning]

I used to have that problem, too. Master BCA instructor Fran Crimi diagnosed it by watching me play for about 5 minutes. She said I was putting too much weight on my bridge arm.

When you get into your shooting position "pull back" your body a little and shift the weight to your legs a bit.

Barbara

Yeah, I agree that putting too much weight on the bridge arm due to poor balance is likely the culprit.

Do this, PKM: stand slightly more than an arm's reach from the table, so that when you bridge, you're not touching the table. Get down in your stance like that, so that it looks like you're about to shoot the CB off the rail, but you're too far away from the table. You can't be putting any weight on your bridge arm, because it's not touching anything. Then just step forward, holding your balance and body position, until your bridge hand is resting lightly on the table. Feel how your weight is still on your feet, and not on your bridge arm. This improved balance will not only give you more endurance because your shoulder won't get sore, but will decrease tension in your trunk muscles (oblique abs, lats, pecs, etc.), which should actually allow for greater precision in your stroke.

-Andrew

 

[Slider]

I used to get a terrible pain in my left shoulder. That was when I used to play pool about 8-10 hours a day. Repetitive motion is a problem at that point. I took care of it by getting married. I play about 8-10 hours a month now. No problem!

That's interesting... the nagging pains in my right elbow went away after I got married. But my grip isn't anywhere near what it used to be.

Ken

 

[Slider]

Anyone else get soreness in the shoulder of your bridge arm? I don't know if there's a way I can try to use less tension, or if it's inevitable after a long session. Sometimes I don't notice it, usually it would be after a long practice where I'm taking a lot of strokes so I guess there's not much I can do.

How old are ya? I started to experience the same thing after I hit 50, along with some pain & stiffness in the thumb of my bridge hand. Both seem to have subsided some after an unschudeled year-long layoff from pool. (not recommended)

A lot of knowledgable people seem to think that an overly rich diet will raise hell with your joints, too.

Ken

 

[TheBook]

I played in a straight pool tournament two weekends ago. 10 hours non-stop on Saturday. I was definitely feelin it then. Couldn't sleep on that side at night. I expect it though. Always happens when I play 7+ hours in a day. When I get that feeling, I know I'm playing well though and don't mind it so much cause it means I'm getting pretty far in the tournament at that point.

It's exactly like tennis elbow, but just higher up in the shoulder.

Just a piece of info I read the other day. You should not lay on your left side when sleeping as this causes the organs and other things in your body to put pressure on your heart. Don't know if this has any bearing on anything but makes a little sense. There are so many studies being made on things that seem meaningless but may make a difference.

 

[TheBook]

A massage therapist showed me a pretty good stretch to do to help with this (as it was my shoulders that were killing me when I went to'em for help).

Find a corner of a wall, and go stand by it. Hold out your arm, in the stereotypical cop-style "stop" fashion - i.e. shoulder-to-elbow is perpendicular to the floor, and your forearm is held straight up with hand pointing toward the ceiling.

Lay your forearm/elbow up against the wall that goes off to your side (not the wall that goes straight away from you), near the corner. Then put some resistance on your arm - lean in a little, and push against the wall with your arm, so that you're stretching out the muscles in your chest some.

Then simply turn 90 degrees, and do the same with the other arm on the other side of the corner of the wall.

This works. I been doing it for years. Showed a couple of players this and they thought I was a genius. I was using yoga back in the 60's when I was heavy into karate (the real thing, not that pretend stuff)

 

[mantis99]

Just a piece of info I read the other day. You should not lay on your left side when sleeping as this causes the organs and other things in your body to put pressure on your heart. Don't know if this has any bearing on anything but makes a little sense. There are so many studies being made on things that seem meaningless but may make a difference.

True if you are pregnant, otherwise not the case.

Dead Crab has it correct. I assume he has some medical knowledge. It is difficult to bridge without your arm flexed to more than 60 degrees though. If you are getting pain in the left shoulder while playing, you really need to adjust your mechanics. It is like having a baseball pitcher that has pain every time he throws due to his mechanics, and not trying to correct it.

Essentially, you are impinging your rotator cuff. Over time this will only get worse. The stretch mentioned above will help with certain cases, but not others, and is really not the answer. Correcting the mechanical deficit is necessary. Usually, your left arm is elevated too far with too much pressure through the arm in one way or another, causing the humeral head (upper arm bone) to pinch the rotator cuff tendon into your shoulder blade (acromion). Bending your bridge elbow a little may help to take some of the pressure off, as will standing up a little more to decrease the angle at your shoulder. Rotator cuff and scapular (shoulder blade) exercises will also increase your tolerance to this, as will certain stretches if tightness is a problem. Some are actually too loose in the shoulder though, so don't rely solely on that. You can look at a website from the american sports medicine institute www.asmi.com for some good exercises called the throwers ten. Do the ones that do not require you to raise your arm overhead (ex. do not do the diagonal ones that go overhead, or any that increase pain). As with all exercises, only go as hard as you can without pain, and do not do exercises that increase pain. Hope this helps. PM me with any specific questions on those exercises.