Shoulder & Brachialis Pain

For the last 9 months I have been dealing with Shoulder & Brachialis pain in my left arm . The primary cause of it is wakeboarding and squatting (I was gripping the bar wrong and the weight was being supported by my arms/shoulder). The first 6 months it was primarily just a soreness that would quickly go away after the activity. Then 3 months ago it got to the point that after a set I could barely move my arm and it would hurt for a solid hour before going away almost completely. When I say hurt, I mean I couldn't foxus on anything but that pain. It's like a very strong but dull aching pain. It hurt during things like overhead press and benching, but only because it was already irritated to hell.

I went to my Ortho doctor. He took an xray and did some movement tests. He said I probably just have some tendinitis and unless there is an actual traumatic event, at my age all the shoulder tendons are too strong to break/rip. It doesn't help that 2 days after doing an irritating activity, the pain is mostly gone, so I had minimal symptoms.He gave me the wonderful solution of "don't do things that hurt", patted me on the back and sent me on my way.

I fixed the squatting issue and I took a month off wakeboarding. My shoulder has been fine with mostly no pain in the gym or elsewhere. Then I went wakeboarding last weekend and after my set my arm was in a little pain. After my second set it killed...... But as usua most the pain went away within an hour. My brachialis region was still sore to the touch days later though.

The only good that has come out of it is that I started learning to ride switch better (riding switch puts my right arm forward and I can have it take most the pull and let me back/left arm rest.)

Anyone ever have anything similar to this? I have no idea what to do at this point. I've had aches/pains/ in the past in other areas they usually get better and better and end up going away. It seems like I've been battling this for so long now though and it's not really getting better.

Do you mean that your pain is more arm (deltoid and the brachialis)? Or that the pain originates in the scapula region and moves into your arm?

I believe it is 2 separate pains.

1. The brachialis around the area it attached to the elbow. This one is very obvious because when irritated I can push on it there and its sensitive all the way up to about halfway up my arm. This sensitivity lasts for days.

2. The shoulder (deltoid). This area does not specifically continue to hurt past the hour. I can't press on anything to make it hurt. BUT sleeping on that side shoulder does cause pain for example. Part of the problem with figuring out the shoulder pain is that when I am having it, the pain hurts so much that it's hard to pinpoint. Then it dissipates relatively quickly out of no where and I can't pinpoint exactly where it's coming from or where it came from.

Wakeboarding is rough on the body. And working out can be too. I'm headed for a full hip replacement at the end of November which is from a lifetime of squatting, running, cycling and sports. From wakeboarding specifically I have torn labrals in both shoulders and a partially ruptured bicep tendon. I'm coming to the end of my wakeboarding days.

It's possible that you've strained your brachialis and will need a longer healing time.

It's also possible that you have uneven muscle development and other muscles are putting more strain on that part of your arm. There's so many subtle muscles in that region that can contribute to pain depending on what's tight and what's pulling.

As for suggestions on alleviating the pain, stretching, yoga, massage and other activities that look to lengthen the muscle and increase flexibility can all help. Might not hurt to see a physiotherapist and get their opinion, touch, and exercises as well.


Jarrod, guess it's time to switch over to surfing lol. I def don't hate much on surfing as it's probably going to be what keeps me behind a boat and enjoying much of the lifestyle that wakeboarding offers. Not for a few more years though!

Originally Posted by jarrod

Wakeboarding is rough on the body. And working out can be too. I'm headed for a full hip replacement at the end of November which is from a lifetime of squatting, running, cycling and sports. From wakeboarding specifically I have torn labrals in both shoulders and a partially ruptured bicep tendon. I'm coming to the end of my wakeboarding days.

that sucks to hear. I thought you'd be riding until you were 80.

OP I had to build strength in the small muscles in my shoulder when I separated it a few years ago. after a long wake set, it still bothers me. add some light weight shoulder work to your workouts. may be able to build enough strength that it doesn't overload one or two muscles.

I may get hammered here. But I had back shoulder and arm pain. Started seeing a Chiropractor twice a month and its been worth every penny!!! Just an idea.

Ya, I would never see a chiropractor. I went with back pains for over 6 months, fixed the pain for a day but never the problem. ended up having back surgery to remove the fractured L5 and the tumor on the sciatic nerve. Years of football in college did destroy the back plus wake boarding. Second, I had shoulder pain, waited a year to get it checked. My Dr said the same thing to young etc, I called up my surgeon I had in college, got the MRI. I guess as I lifted I got weaker and weaker. When the tiny girl next to me could bench 135 and I went from over 350 to 135 within a year I knew my shoulder pain was more. Found out it was torn rotator, torn labrum, and A huge cyst and bone spurs. My surgeon told me, if you played sports, and really played like a lot, plus really lifted you have torn muscles, the question is how bad. Pay the money and get the MRI to be safe! Plus, I know this will sound terrible but I got told to stay away from stuff like cross fit, and wanting to bench and lift that much. The dr said unless your training for lifting competitions you can get every bit of exercising and in shape for anything by lifting 225 on bench and squatting just over your body weight. Also, he told me never never never be the guy lifting 30 lbs 40 lbs 50 lbs dumbbells for shoulders, like dumbbell arm raises, side raises etc. He said with those small muscles like labrums in there you should max at 15 lb dumbbells. I will say I am the big guy at the gym who will take 5 lb weights, 10 lbs weights and do my shoulder raises, side raises etc, and that does relieve the pain in my shoulder I don't have pain in my good shoulder.

O and also I was told if you sleep with your arm above your head or to rest your head on that caused bad pain in shoulders as well!

Yeah the pain sucks as you age.....surfing and air chair for me. VERY occasional wakeboarding set. I also went to a nomad 160....it DRAMATICALLY decreases drag.

[QUOTE=denverd1;1969895]that sucks to hear. I thought you'd be riding until you were 80.

We'll see. I plan to try and make a come back next season, but cable will probably be the focus. Boat is already sold. Other things are much easier on the body these days....like Motocross and Snowboarding so I'm still having fun.

Jeff I'll never be a wakesurfer. It does nothing for me.

Hope you don't have to give up the boat Jarrod. I will say that the boat smacks me down far more than the cable. Air tricks on the cable are awesome for core strength and far more gentle on the body than the boat or the big ramps. Lots of fun things to challenge you on the cable, as I'm sure you already know. Good luck next season.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

If I am hearing you guys correctly it sounds like the general consensus is "Yea that sounds like it sucks, but most likely nothing you can do about it but hope it eventually stops. Aging sucks doesn't it"

Haha. I sure do hope it stops. I'm going again this weekend. Bought an elbow sleeve off Amazon. Also got one of those arm band things people put on their forearms to help with golfers elbow. I'll put it on the Brachialis instead to see if the compression helps. I generally don't believe much in these voodoo things, but its cheap and worth a shot.

I have been dealing with back and shoulder issues (years of edge catches while wakeboarding are really bad for you, fyi) now for quite some time.

Saw a chiropractor. That was not helpful although I'm sure there can be some good ones out there.

Saw a deep tissue massage therapist and have received great relief. She is super good and put a bunch of my muscles back in their right spots. I still see her.

I recently started going to a D.O. who specializes in manipulation and he has been the best help, imo. I'm only two weeks in but have already had great results.

I also started using a standing desk and that has helped a lot too.

From my experience, finding someone who really knows what they are doing is the key.

So I'm a physical therapist so obvious biased answer coming. I think a well trained PT can be as beneficial for a lot musculoskeletal pain as any other healt-care provider. Brachialias is not often an area of significant pain but more than likely the brachioradialias muscle as it crosses the lateral elbow i.e. "tennis elbow" or referral from the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint. If insurance covers PT seek out one that has OCS and/or FAAOMPT credentials (both require advanced training which is not given with just money and research shows better outcomes versus their peers). Give it a few sessions spaced out a week between session and see how it goes! I've had more "weekend warriors" that tell me "I never thought this stuff would work" but they turn out to be my best referrers!

Originally Posted by Therapy10

So I'm a physical therapist so obvious biased answer coming. I think a well trained PT can be as beneficial for a lot musculoskeletal pain as any other healt-care provider. Brachialias is not often an area of significant pain but more than likely the brachioradialias muscle as it crosses the lateral elbow i.e. "tennis elbow" or referral from the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint. If insurance covers PT seek out one that has OCS and/or FAAOMPT credentials (both require advanced training which is not given with just money and research shows better outcomes versus their peers). Give it a few sessions spaced out a week between session and see how it goes! I've had more "weekend warriors" that tell me "I never thought this stuff would work" but they turn out to be my best referrers!

It's definitely the Brachialis and not the brachioradialias that is typical.....I have a PT scheduled for this upcoming Friday for a different reason (IT band release). I won't keep my hopes up though. I'm sure if it was up to most PT's I've heard of, they would have me standing on a bosu ball doing light weights in akward movements (as if heavy deadlfits, squats & presses don't hit those muscles).

It's good to hear that you do things a little differently and have success. Unfortunately your not in my area and I haven't had a good recommendation by anyone I know.

I drove to the other side of the city, and scheduled my stuff to fit my PT schedule better than my own because he was incredible. He trained under the main guy who has done all the major athletes, the tommy jones surgeon center whatever crap. I don't know, I just was told he was the best. I saw him 3 times a week after my surgery and with in 6 months I was back to playing in a competitive outdoor volleyball tourney. Most PT people told me 12 months turn around, but 6 months vbll, 7 months wake board. PT CAN HELP, but I bet there are a ton out there that aren't that great. They will also give you several things you can do at home to help.

Well I went wakeboarding yesterday and did alot of things differently:

1. Added a 5ft section of more stretchy rope
2. used an elbow sleep and a compression strap around my brachialis
3. I didn't do any inverts and minimized toeside jumps.

I still had a LITTLE shoulder soreness but I had zero brachialis pain! Today it's the same thing. Shoulder hurts a little when put in certain positions but no arm pain.This is after 3 sets going until my grip is giving out.

I'm hoping a combination of more time and #1 and #2 is what did it. But I'm a little worried that it's #3. I know on my backrolls, there is usually 1 or 2 a day that I crank on the edge extra hard and it really wips me back raley style (so I get a strong jolt//tug on my arms with my hands overhead). Toeside also put's alot of stress on that front arm when you are trying to keep the handle "in your back pocket". You don't realize all these things until somethings hurting!

I guess we will see

Buy a faster board, helped me a ton

Originally Posted by simplej

Buy a faster board, helped me a ton

same here.

Care to explain? I've really only ridden my 2016 Ronix District 143 (other than an old board my first year). I've recently gained weight (180 to 210 lb) so I'm sure that doesn't help my case either, since I'm assuming the board becomes "slower" the heavier you get.

What boards should I be looking at?

I've had the same thing develop over the last couple years. No shoulder pain but brachialis pain severe enough that my forearm and hand are trembling for a good hour or so after a long set. Doctors all said the same thing, "quit doing what hurts it." Once I got the tricks with one handed jumps/landings down and quit taking hard falls, I've had almost no issues with it now. I don't really see much being a great preventative other than quit stressing the muscle in unnatural ways hah.

PT did a few tests with my arm and found at one position there was some grinding. He said I most likely have a torn labrum and thats why my shoulder is easy to irritate. So I got that going for me.

Originally Posted by timelinex

Care to explain? I've really only ridden my 2016 Ronix District 143 (other than an old board my first year). I've recently gained weight (180 to 210 lb) so I'm sure that doesn't help my case either, since I'm assuming the board becomes "slower" the heavier you get.

What boards should I be looking at?

I have labral tears in both shoulders for about 3 years now. I was able to rehab them back to about 90 percent but it's catching up to me I can no longer even do a pushup.

I ride the CWB Reverb. The board is so fast that I was able to slow to boat down a few clicks. That's the only board I can speak to. The Dowdy and the JT both had a little more friction on the water.

Originally Posted by jarrod

I have labral tears in both shoulders for about 3 years now. I was able to rehab them back to about 90 percent but it's catching up to me I can no longer even do a pushup.

I ride the CWB Reverb. The board is so fast that I was able to slow to boat down a few clicks. That's the only board I can speak to. The Dowdy and the JT both had a little more friction on the water.

Have you had an MRI on them? I had my left labrum repaired in Jan. Reason I'm curious was I had pain but nothing terrible, MRI showed 180 degree tear, After surgery my surgeon said it was 240 degrees torn and could have popped out of socket at any point. I could still crank out pushups. Dips and bench gave me the most pain right before surgery but I could still do them no problem.

Shoulder pain is weird. Some people have bad pain and a small tear, then some like me have minimal pain and a massive tear.

Originally Posted by mlzelenik

Have you had an MRI on them? I had my left labrum repaired in Jan. Reason I'm curious was I had pain but nothing terrible, MRI showed 180 degree tear, After surgery my surgeon said it was 240 degrees torn and could have popped out of socket at any point. I could still crank out pushups. Dips and bench gave me the most pain right before surgery but I could still do them no problem.

Shoulder pain is weird. Some people have bad pain and a small tear, then some like me have minimal pain and a massive tear.

yes. MRIs on both.

Originally Posted by jarrod

I have labral tears in both shoulders for about 3 years now. I was able to rehab them back to about 90 percent but it's catching up to me I can no longer even do a pushup.

I ride the CWB Reverb. The board is so fast that I was able to slow to boat down a few clicks. That's the only board I can speak to. The Dowdy and the JT both had a little more friction on the water.

Dang, I hope mine don't get to that bad. Not looking good considering I'm still only 29.

My current board is a 143cm Ronix District that I bought when I was closer to 180lb.

What differences in feel can I expect from the Reverb compared top the District. Mainly just gliding higher in the water?

What size reverb would you guys recommend for me? I'm 6ft and around 205lb. It looks like it goes as big as 146.

The only CWB Reverbs I can find are the smaller sizes, so I'm not sure thats even an option (Other than on Amazon/eBay where some people are selling the 2 year old model for basically full price).