Shoulder Pain in Volleyball: Why It Happens and How Physical Therapy Can Help
Shoulder pain is extremely common in volleyball players, especially with repeated serving, hitting, and overhead training. Whether you are dealing with a dull ache after practice, pain when swinging, or a shoulder that just does not feel as strong as it used to, the answer is not always simply to rest and hope it goes away.
At MIGHT Strength & Performance Therapy, we work with athletes to determine why the shoulder is being overloaded and help build it back up so they can continue doing what they love.
Why Does My Shoulder Hurt When I Play Volleyball?
Volleyball requires the shoulder to move quickly through large ranges of motion over and over again. A single practice can involve dozens, or even hundreds of overhead movements.
The shoulder may be where you feel the pain, but where it hurts is not always where the problem starts.
A few common factors we see include:
1. Not Enough Shoulder Strength or Capacity
Hitting and serving put significant demand on the muscles surrounding the shoulder. If those muscles cannot tolerate the amount of hitting you are doing, pain can begin to develop.
This does not necessarily mean something is “damaged.” It may simply mean the demands of volleyball have exceeded what the shoulder is currently prepared to handle.
2. Poor Shoulder Blade Control
The shoulder blade plays an important role in overhead movement. It needs to rotate and move along the rib cage as the arm goes overhead.
If the muscles controlling the shoulder blade are not working efficiently, the shoulder may have to take on more stress during hitting and serving.
3. Limited Upper Back Mobility
Your upper back needs to rotate and extend during an overhead swing.
If you are stiff through the upper back, your shoulder may compensate by moving more than it should.
Remember:
Sometimes treating only the painful shoulder misses an important part of the problem.
4. Sudden Increases in Volleyball Volume
Pain often starts after:
Beginning a new season
Increasing practices
Playing multiple tournaments
Adding club volleyball on top of school volleyball
Increasing serving or hitting repetitions
Returning after time off
The shoulder may simply not have had enough time to adapt to the increased workload.
Should You Stop Playing Volleyball?
Not necessarily.
Complete rest can temporarily decrease symptoms, but it does not always address why the pain started in the first place.
The goal is usually to determine how much volleyball the shoulder can currently tolerate while gradually improving its strength and capacity.
The body is adaptable. It is designed to move.
Instead of automatically shutting an athlete down, we want to find the right amount of activity that allows the shoulder to recover while continuing to build strength.
How We Treat Volleyball Shoulder Pain
At MIGHT Strength & Performance Therapy, treatment is individualized based on what we find during the evaluation.
This may include:
Manual Therapy
Hands-on treatment can be useful for decreasing pain, improving mobility, and helping athletes move more comfortably.
Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Strengthening
The rotator cuff helps control the shoulder during fast overhead movements.
We progressively strengthen these muscles so they are better prepared for the demands of serving and hitting.
Shoulder Blade Strengthening
Exercises targeting the muscles around the shoulder blade can improve control and create a stronger foundation for overhead movement.
Upper Back Mobility and Strength
We also look beyond the shoulder.
Improving upper back mobility, rotation, and strength may reduce how much the shoulder has to compensate during the volleyball swing.
Sport-Specific Strength Progressions
Eventually, rehabilitation needs to look like volleyball.
We gradually progress from basic strengthening to faster and more explosive movements that prepare the shoulder for:
Serving
Hitting
Blocking
Repeated overhead movements
Full practices and matches
What About Shoulder Exercises From the Internet?
Band exercises can be helpful, but doing a few generic rotator cuff exercises is not always enough.
A volleyball player needs more than a shoulder that can perform light band exercises.
The shoulder needs to be able to produce force, absorb force, move quickly, and repeat those movements throughout practices and matches.
That is why rehabilitation should progressively challenge the athlete rather than stopping once the pain begins to improve.
When Should a Volleyball Player Get Their Shoulder Evaluated?
Consider getting the shoulder evaluated if:
Pain continues for several weeks
Pain is getting progressively worse
Hitting or serving becomes painful
You notice weakness or decreased hitting power
Pain continues after practice or games
You are repeatedly taking time off but the pain keeps returning
An evaluation can help determine what is contributing to the symptoms and what needs to change.
Final Thoughts
Shoulder pain does not automatically mean you have to stop playing volleyball.
In many cases, the key is identifying why the shoulder is being overloaded, improving strength and movement where needed, and gradually rebuilding the shoulder's ability to tolerate the demands of the sport.
Rest may calm symptoms temporarily.
Building a stronger, more resilient shoulder is what helps keep them from repeatedly coming back.
Ready to Fix the Root Cause?
If shoulder pain is keeping you from serving, hitting, or playing volleyball the way you want to, MIGHT Strength & Performance Therapy can help.
We evaluate the entire movement system—not just the spot that hurts—to determine what is contributing to your symptoms and develop a plan to get you back on the court stronger and more confident.
