10 Shoulder Stretches & Rotator Cuff Exercises From Sports Injury Pros To Heal And Strengthen

Pickleball is an incredibly fun and social sport that is exploding in popularity, especially among seniors and active adults. However, the repetitive overhead motions involved in serving, volleying, and spiking the ball can take a toll on your shoulders over time. As a pickleball player, it’s crucial to incorporate rotator cuff and shoulder stretches into your routine to prevent injury and keep your shoulders strong and mobile.

In this article, I’ll share 10 shoulder stretches and rotator cuff exercises recommended by sports medicine professionals to protect your shoulders. From simple cross-body stretches to targeted movements with resistance bands, these exercises will improve flexibility, mobility, and strength. Let’s get started strengthening those pickleball shoulders!

Why Pickleball Can Be Tough On Your Shoulders

The quick reactions and explosive arm movements in pickleball place high demands on your rotator cuff muscles and shoulder joint. Here are some of the ways that pickleball stresses your shoulders:

• Repetitive overhead motions – Serving and spiking the ball repeatedly can irritate the rotator cuff tendons and cause inflammation.
• Powerful acceleration – Generating power for serves and spikes requires forceful shoulder internal rotation. This dynamic movement can cause rotator cuff tendonitis.
• Awkward joint positions – Reaching for balls near your feet or behind you leads to extreme shoulder joint positions that impinge and pinch rotator cuff tendons.
• Unbalanced strength – Pickleball emphasizes certain shoulder motions like overhead skills more than others, leading to strength imbalances that impair function.
• Direct impact – Diving for balls can cause traumatic impact on your shoulder joint, tendons, and surrounding muscles.

Without proper care, pickleball shoulders are prone to painful conditions like rotator cuff tendinitis and tears, shoulder impingement, bursitis, and osteoarthritis. Let’s look at some stretches and exercises to keep your shoulders healthy!

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Shoulder Stretches for Pickleball Players

Stretching the muscles and connective tissues around your shoulder joint is crucial for maintaining mobility and preventing injury. Try these 4 shoulder stretches after playing pickleball:

Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch

This stretch targets the posterior shoulder capsule and rotator cuff muscles that get worked hard during pickleball serves and spikes.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Raise your right arm straight out to the side parallel to the floor.
• Bend left arm and place left hand on right elbow.
• Gently pull right arm across body until you feel a stretch in the back of your right shoulder.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat on the left side.

Overhead Shoulder Stretch

Overhead motions in pickleball tighten the front of the shoulder. This stretch lengthens the anterior capsule and chest muscles.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Raise right arm overhead with elbow straight.
• Bend left arm and place left hand on right elbow.
• Gently pull right arm towards left ear until you feel a stretch across the front of your right shoulder.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat on the left side.

Behind-the-Back Shoulder Stretch

Reaching for shots behind you leads to tightness in your posterior shoulder muscles. This move targets those oft-neglected tissues.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Reach right arm behind back, bend elbow so hand points up back.
• Place left hand on right elbow.
• Gently pull right arm towards left shoulder until you feel a stretch in the back of your right shoulder.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat on the left side.

Side-Lying Internal Rotation Stretch

This stretch opens up the back of your shoulder joint which goes through repeated internal rotation on serves and forehand shots.

• Lie on your left side with knees bent 90 degrees.
• Extend your right arm on the ground with elbow bent 90 degrees and palm facing up.
• Use your left hand to gently push the back of your right hand down towards the ground until you feel a stretch in the back of your right shoulder.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat on the right side.

Perform these stretches after playing and on your off days to keep your shoulders supple and prevent tightness. Now let’s look at some rotator cuff exercises.

Rotator Cuff Exercises for Pickleball Players

The rotator cuff is a group of four small muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) that stabilize the shoulder joint during dynamic motions like serving and spiking. Strengthening these muscles is crucial for injury prevention. Try these fundamental rotator cuff exercises:

Internal Rotation

This exercise strengthens your subscapularis muscle, which internally rotates your shoulder on serves.

• Stand with elbow bent 90 degrees, forearm across stomach.
• Hold a light dumbbell or resistance band in hand.
• Keep elbow tucked into side and rotate forearm inward until hand is in front of stomach.
• Slowly return to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets.

External Rotation

This move targets your infraspinatus and teres minor muscles, which externally rotate your shoulder when reaching for balls.

• Stand with elbow bent 90 degrees, forearm across stomach.
• Hold a light dumbbell or resistance band in hand.
• Keep elbow tucked into side and rotate forearm outward until hand moves away from body.
• Slowly return to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets.

Scaption

This exercise strengthens your supraspinatus muscle for overhead motions like spiking.

• Stand with arms at sides, palms forward.
• Raise arms out to sides until parallel to floor.
• Slowly lower arms back to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets.

Prone Horizontal Abduction

This move targets your infraspinatus and teres minor to bolster external rotation strength.

• Lie on stomach with arms at sides, palms down.
• Raise arms out to sides until parallel to floor.
• Slowly lower arms back to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets.

Perform these rotator cuff exercises 2-3 times per week to balance strength and keep shoulders healthy. Consult a physical therapist if you experience shoulder pain – they can prescribe a customized rehabilitation program.

Now let’s look at 6 more advanced shoulder and upper back exercises to round out your training.

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Advanced Shoulder Exercises for Pickleball Players

Once you’ve mastered rotator cuff strengthening, try these 6 advanced shoulder exercises to take your training to the next level:

Wall Slides with Exercise Band

This exercise strengthens your upper back while improving overhead shoulder mobility – great for reaching high shots.

• Stand with back against wall, feet shoulder-width apart.
• Grasp exercise band extended overhead and pull ends taut.
• Keep arms overhead with elbows extended and slowly slide arms up wall until shoulders are fully elevated.
• Hold 2 seconds.
• Slowly slide arms back down wall to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets.

I, Y, T, W Raises

This sequence targets all planes of shoulder motion for balanced strength.

• Raise arms straight overhead into “I” shape, palms down. Lower back to start. Repeat 10 times.
• Raise arms straight overhead into “Y” shape, palms facing each other. Lower back to start. Repeat 10 times.
• Raise arms straight out to sides into “T” shape, palms down. Lower back to start. Repeat 10 times.
• Raise arms straight forward into “W” shape, palms facing each other. Lower back to start. Repeat 10 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets.

External Rotation with Cable

This exercise strengthens external rotators to help prevent shoulder impingement.

• Attach rope handle to low cable pulley.
• Stand sideways to pulley with right side closest.
• Bend right elbow 90 degrees and keep upper arm tucked at side.
• Grasp rope handle and pull arm straight forward until hand is in front of chest, keeping elbow fixed at side.
• Slowly return to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets per side.

Front Cable Raise

This move strengthens the front of your shoulders for powerful overhead shots and serves.

• Stand facing cable machine with pulley at shoulder height.
• Grasp rope attachment with palms facing down.
• Raise arms straight in front of you until parallel to floor.
• Slowly lower back to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Complete 2-3 sets.

Bent-Over Lateral Raise

This exercise targets your posterior shoulder muscles, strengthening your backswing motion.

• Hold dumbbells and hinge forward at hips until back is near parallel to floor.
• Let arms hang straight down, palms facing each other.
• Raise arms straight out to sides until parallel with back.
• Slowly lower to start.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Complete 2-3 sets.

Serratus Wall Slides

This move works the serratus anterior muscles to keep your shoulder blades stable during swings.

• Stand with back flat against wall.
• Raise arms overhead into a “Y” shape with elbows straight.
• Keeping shoulders and head against wall, slowly slide arms up overhead.
• Hold 2 seconds.
• Slowly return to start position.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
• Perform 2-3 sets.

Be sure to schedule rest days between strength sessions and only progress training load gradually. A physical therapist can help design a complete program.

Proper Recovery for Pickleball Shoulders

Giving your shoulders adequate rest is just as important as training them effectively. Here are some tips:

• Take regular rest days – Avoid playing pickleball on back-to-back days. Muscles need 48 hours to recover between intense sessions.
• Try other low-impact activities – Swimming, cycling, and walking give your shoulders a break while maintaining fitness.
• Use ice after play – Applying ice for 15 minutes helps reduce inflammation and soreness.
• Get sports massages – Massage therapy loosens muscles, boosts circulation for healing, and flushes out toxins.
• Watch your posture – Sit and stand tall to avoid rounded shoulders and muscle imbalances.
• Manage stress – High stress hormone levels exacerbate shoulder tension and injury risk.

Prioritizing recovery through rest, ice, massage, and healthy habits ensures your shoulders stay resilient for the long haul.

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Putting It All Together

Shoulder health is paramount for pickleball players. By incorporating these 10 stretches and exercises into your training routine, you’ll keep your shoulders feeling great:

Stretches

• Cross-body
• Overhead
• Behind-the-back
• Side-lying internal rotation

Rotator Cuff Exercises

• Internal rotation
• External rotation
• Scaption
• Prone horizontal abduction

Advanced Exercises

• Wall slides with band
• I, Y, T, W raises
• External rotation with cable
• Front cable raise
• Bent-over lateral raise
• Serratus wall slides

Be sure to warm up properly before playing, keep muscles supple with regular stretching, and allow adequate rest between sessions. If shoulder pain persists, consult an orthopedist or sports medicine physician.

Staying proactive with shoulder care ensures you can enjoy pickleball for many years to come. Now grab your paddle and get ready to dink, volley, and spike your way to pain-free shoulders!