Introduction
Have you ever heard that weird clicking or popping sound in your shoulder when you lift weights over your head? You’re not alone. Lots of people hear these sounds, and while they can be harmless, they might mean there's an imbalance or problem in your shoulder. After years of helping clients at JANMI Soft Tissue Therapy and spending my younger years training in outdoor calisthenics, I’ve gained extensive knowledge about shoulder mechanics. You can trust our expertise to understand why your shoulder might be making those noises, how we can fix it, and how you can stop it from happening again.
Anatomy of the Shoulder Joint
The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in your body. It's a ball-and-socket joint that lets you move your arm in almost any direction. You can lift, throw, rotate, and extend your arm because of how flexible this joint is. But with that much movement, the shoulder can easily become unstable. It needs the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons to work well together to stay aligned.
The shoulder has three main bones: the humerus (upper arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the clavicle (collarbone). These bones work with the rotator cuff—a group of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) that help keep the shoulder stable. There are also important parts like the labrum, a ring of cartilage that helps deepen the socket, and the bursa, which are small fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction.
When you hear clicking or popping, it's often because something is out of balance. It could be a tendon moving over a bone, tight muscles pulling the joint out of place, or a ligament working too hard to keep things stable.
Muscles Involved in Shoulder Clicking
When your shoulder clicks or pops during overhead lifts, several muscles might be involved:
Rotator Cuff Muscles: These muscles help keep the shoulder stable. If they're too tight or too weak, the head of the arm bone can move incorrectly, causing clicking sounds.
Deltoids: The deltoid muscle helps lift the arm. Sometimes it works too hard if the rotator cuff isn't doing its job well. This can make the shoulder move abnormally and cause clicking.
Biceps Brachii: One part of the biceps muscle runs through the shoulder and attaches to the top of the socket. If this tendon is tight or pinched, it can cause clicking, especially during overhead presses.
Scapular Muscles (Trapezius, Rhomboids, Serratus Anterior): If the shoulder blade doesn’t move properly, it can affect the whole shoulder and cause noise.
The JANMI Approach: How We Fix Clicking Shoulders
At JANMI Soft Tissue Therapy, I use a mix of advanced techniques like sports massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy to help fix shoulder imbalances. By targeting tight or overactive muscles, I work to restore balance and make sure the joint moves smoothly. I focus on muscles like the rotator cuff and the muscles around the shoulder blade to ease tension and reduce pressure.
For example, myofascial release breaks up stiff spots in the connective tissue (fascia), allowing the muscles to move more freely. Trigger point therapy targets specific knots in the muscles that limit movement or cause pain. These methods, along with careful mobilisation of the shoulder, can help stop clicking and popping sounds.
Personalised Aftercare and Exercises
My time in outdoor calisthenics has taught me to love bodyweight exercises that build strength naturally. After each session, I give clients exercises that help strengthen weak muscles and bring back balance to the shoulder joint.
Here are some exercises I often recommend for clients with clicking shoulders:
Scapular Push-Ups: These exercises strengthen the serratus anterior and help control the shoulder blade, which is important for smooth shoulder movement.
External Rotations with a Resistance Band: This exercise works the rotator cuff muscles, especially the infraspinatus and teres minor. It helps keep the shoulder stable and prevents excessive movement that could cause clicking.
Face Pulls: Using a resistance band, this exercise activates the back of the shoulder and upper back muscles, helping with posture and shoulder balance.
Wall Angels: These improve the movement of the shoulder blades and strengthen the muscles in the upper back, helping keep the shoulders aligned during overhead lifts.
Case Study: Mark's Clicking Shoulder
Mark, a 32-year-old fitness enthusiast, came to JANMI because his right shoulder was clicking during overhead presses. When I examined him, I found his deltoids and rotator cuff muscles were tight, and his shoulder blade wasn’t moving well. After a few sessions of myofascial release and trigger point therapy on his rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles, Mark started feeling better. We also used exercises like scapular push-ups and external rotations. After a few weeks, the clicking significantly improved, and Mark was able to continue training without any issues.
Disclaimer
Remember, shoulder clicking can happen for many reasons, and not all cases are the same. If you feel pain along with the clicking, it’s very important to see a doctor to make sure there isn’t a severe problem. The exercises and treatments mentioned here should be done under the guidance of a professional to ensure your safety and well-being.
Conclusion
Clicking or popping in the shoulder can be worrying, but with the right approach, it can usually be fixed. By understanding how the shoulder works and which muscles are involved, we can create a plan to treat it. At JANMI Soft Tissue Therapy, my goal is to offer complete care through hands-on therapy and personalised exercises to help you feel better and stop those unsettling sounds. Whether you're into fitness or just want better shoulder health, there’s a way to help you.
If you’re concerned about your shoulder or want to see how JANMI Soft Tissue Therapy can help, reach out to us. We can work together to get your shoulder feeling its best.
Warm regards,
Paulius Jurasius
Founder, JANMI Soft Tissue Therapy
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