Lateral deltoid pain when running (Read 988 times)

Seriously, my shoulders are quite often my limiter in long runs now and I can not figure this out. I've never had this happen before.

It isnt at all into the  trapezius which is more normal if you are hunching or shrugging up on the shoulders. Which I'm not.  I've checked repeatedly. 

It starts as an ache at the top of the lateral deltoid , is concentrated on the shoulder cap, and then travels down the outside of both arms to the lower insertion point of the lateral deltoid.   Gradually building in intensity until I cant run any more.  There is no stretch or shaking out of the delt that seems to help.  It eventually becomes something more similar to a charley horse in feel (cramping more than fatigue) and goes away completely about 20-30 minutes post run. 

Although there is general shoulder achiness, I really dont feel it in the anterior or posterior delt,

It's even in both sides

It doesnt matter whether I have lifted recently or not.

I'm guessing maybe my arms are flying out more?  Maybe?  I cant think why I would have a dramatic change in running form recently.   But then when the pain starts I try all kinds of things with my arms and nothing relieves it.  Except stopping.   And I would think if I was doing involuntary delt raises I would have muscle soreness or fatigue post run.  And I dont.

WTF?

- possibly related?  I've had problems for years with my hands falling asleep if I am not sleeping flat on my back with my hands on my abdomen (yes that specific).  Both hands will fall asleep extremely quickly if I do anything like raise an arm over my head while sleeping or sleep on my side.   This has gotten much worse in the past couple weeks. 

Does it hurt when you roll over in bed?

 

If so, I'm thinking rotator cuff...

 No, I have no pain in my shoulders at other times.  I lift pretty heavy and no pain in any of the shoulder movements.   Plus it is even in both sides.  (I do have some occasional pain in my left shoulder at the insertion of the long head of the bicep from my car accident but that is specific and tendon pinpoint)   I thought maybe just residual pain from lifting but it was no better after laying off the weights.   It is definitely more "burning/cramping" feeling than "something is injured" feeling.

Are you packing a Ruger .380 with laser sights?  That could tire out your arms.

 But what will I do about the coyotes?

For reasons having to do with nerve structure that are beyond my pay grade, the pain of a side stitch can get referred to the shoulder area.

So, strangely enough, this may have more to do with a diaphragm spasm, and you would treat it as you would a regular old side stitch.

Are you packing a Ruger .380 with laser sights?  That could tire out your arms.

I've never had this problem and now I know why. My Kahr .380 doesn't have laser sights so it's lighter .

At first I was thinking about  your deltoids just being weak but I see you describe your lifting as being heavy at times.  Is there a possibility that your lifting regimen has resulted in a imbalance in muscles in the shoulder that results in a slight impingement of nerves? Something that would only show up when you are bouncing up and down while running?

You don't say how old you are, how long you have been running and if this is relatively new or something that has been ongoing for years so I should throw this into the mix. Sometimes cardiac problems can exhibit in weird ways. I know of a man that had a heart attack and his only symptom was bilateral wrist pain.

This might be something that you would want to discuss with your doctor, both for that reason and to make sure you don't have a impinged nerve and end up with some lasting problems from that.  I deal with the effects of a pinched nerve in my back. It's amazing how the roots and rocks always know how to grab onto my left foot .