Tennis Shoulder Pain: Why Rotation and Strength Matter for Your Serve
After many years on the tennis court, I’ve experienced my fair share of aches and pains. While tennis isn’t typically seen as a high-risk sport for serious injuries, it’s often the small, persistent niggles that are the hardest to manage. These minor issues can linger and become increasingly difficult to balance alongside regular training and competition.
1. Understanding Shoulder Pain in Tennis Players
The tennis serve is a highly coordinated and biomechanically demanding movement that engages the entire kinetic chain, involving the lower extremity, trunk, and upper extremity. Specifically at the level of the shoulder, there are multiple risk factors that can predispose players to shoulder injury.
2. Key Risk Factors for Tennis Shoulder Injuries
A 2025 study titled “Risk Factors Associated with New Onset of Shoulder Pain and Injury Among the Athletic Population: A Systematic Review of the Literature” identified five common risk factors linked to shoulder injuries. These include:
1. Reduced shoulder joint range of motion into internal and external rotation
2. Decreased strength in the shoulder internal and external rotator muscle groups
3. A history of local or regional musculoskeletal pain
4. History of previous shoulder injury
5. Training load
3. Modifiable vs Non-Modifiable Risk Factors
These risk factors can be characterised as non-modifiable and modifiable:
Non-modifiable
1. A history of neck or upper limb pain
2. A history of previous shoulder injuries
Modifiable
- 1. Reduced range of motion (internal and external rotation)
- 2. Decreased strength (internal and external rotation)
- 3. Training loads
4. How We Assess Tennis Shoulder Pain at Movement Rx
Limited shoulder motion and strength can lead to tissue irritation and overload, especially due to the repetitive nature of tennis. These factors can be effectively evaluated in our clinical setting using screening tools and specialised equipment.
5. Book Your Tennis Shoulder Screening at Movement Rx
By thoroughly assessing your movement and strength, we can draw accurate conclusions and develop a personalised management plan tailored to your specific needs.
Don’t put up with niggling shoulder pain that may be limiting your service power. I would love to help you turn your serve into the weapon it deserves to be!
🎾 FAQ Snippets
Q1: Why do tennis players get shoulder pain?
Tennis players often develop shoulder pain due to reduced internal/external rotation range, weakness in the rotator cuff, and high training loads. The repetitive serving motion places significant stress on the shoulder joint.
Q2: What is rotator cuff-related shoulder pain in tennis?
Rotator cuff pain in tennis is irritation or overload of the muscles that stabilise the shoulder during serving and overhead strokes. Weakness or imbalances in these muscles increase injury risk.
Q3: How can shoulder pain be prevented in tennis players?
Prevention includes maintaining good mobility, strengthening the external rotators, monitoring training load, and undergoing regular physiotherapy screening to detect imbalances early.
Q4: How is tennis shoulder pain treated at Movement Rx?
At Movement Rx in Redcliffe, we assess range of motion and rotator cuff strength using specialised testing equipment including dynamometers and force plates. From there, we design personalised rehab and strengthening programs to help you return to pain-free tennis.