Shoulder pain after tennis followed by clicking can make each swing feel uncomfortable because repeated serves and strokes can strain the rotator cuff and shoulder muscles.
Shoulder pain after tennis that is followed by clicking can feel like a sore or irritated shoulder that suddenly clicks when you reach, swing, or raise your arm. Repeated tennis movements can overwork the rotator cuff and muscles around your shoulder, making movement less smooth and causing clicking to become more noticeable.
When your shoulder starts clicking after tennis, you may notice the sound or sensation during a serve, forehand, backhand, or when you reach your arm overhead. Sometimes the click is painless, but when it occurs along with shoulder pain, soreness, or a feeling that the movement is not quite smooth, it is worth paying attention to the pattern.
You may also notice that the clicking becomes easier to reproduce after a long match or several days of playing. Your shoulder can become tired as you repeat the same swings, leaving the area sore and making certain arm movements feel different from how they normally do.
Your Shoulder Clicks During Tennis Swings
The clicking becomes noticeable when you reach back or swing through the ball.
You might feel a click as your arm moves through a particular part of your serve or groundstroke, especially after you have been playing for a while. The shoulder may also feel sore or tight at the same moment, making you more aware of every click during your swing.
The Clicking Continues After You Finish Playing
Your shoulder may still click when you raise or rotate your arm later.
After tennis, you may notice the clicking while reaching into a cabinet, putting on a shirt, or lifting your arm overhead. If the clicking is accompanied by pain and keeps showing up after repeated tennis sessions, your shoulder may be having trouble settling down between activities.
Why Your Shoulder Keeps Clicking After Tennis
Your shoulder has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.
Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.
When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your shoulder feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.
What Can Help Your Shoulder Feel Better
Your shoulder starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.
Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.
Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.
If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.
If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.
If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.
If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.
If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.
Why does my shoulder click after tennis?
Repeated serving and swinging can leave your shoulder muscles tired and sore, making clicking more noticeable during arm movement.
Is shoulder clicking after tennis normal?
Shoulder clicking can occur without a serious problem, but clicking that is painful or persistent should be evaluated.
Why does my shoulder hurt when it clicks?
Painful clicking can occur when the shoulder is irritated or strained and certain movements become less comfortable.
Why does my shoulder click more after playing tennis?
Repeated swings can fatigue the shoulder and make clicking easier to notice after a match or longer practice session.
When should I get a clicking shoulder checked?
Persistent, severe, or worsening pain or painful clicking should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.
Recommended Products
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• Acute Sinew Liniment — Used when pain, swelling, and inflammation are present to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, and increase blood flow and circulation to injured tissues.
• Sinew Herbal Ice — Used when the injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation and range of motion.
• Chronic Sinew Liniment — Used for pain and stiffness after swelling and inflammation are gone to relieve pain, strongly stimulate circulation, and promote the healing of injured tendons and ligaments.
• Sinew Injury Poultice — Used for chronic tendon and ligament injuries to significantly stimulate circulation and promote deeper tissue recovery.
• Sinew Sports Massage Oil — Used before or after activity to warm and stimulate muscles, increase circulation, relieve tightness, and improve flexibility in muscles and joints.
Related Articles
You may also find these related articles helpful.
• I Have Shoulder Pain After Tennis and My Arm Feels Weak
• I Have Shoulder Pain After Tennis and I Have Trouble Lifting My Arm
• I Have Shoulder Pain After Tennis and I Feel It Around My Shoulder Blade
• I Have Shoulder Pain When I Play Tennis and It Hurts When I Serve
The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.
