Overuse injuries of the shoulder


The shoulder is prone to muscle strain, particularly of the rotator cuff (especially supraspinatus), serratus anterior and upper trapezius muscles. The position of the right shoulder is a problematic one for guitar players as is the myofascial tension usually present on both sides. Many technical difficulties with the position of the hands can be traced to shoulder tension which again has a significant impact on the fluency of our playing. Refer to the section on shoulder biomechanics.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders of the shoulder

Supraspinatus tendonitis/impingement syndrome pain on abduction of the humerus at the shoulder
Bicipital tendonitis pain at the front of shoulder
Thoracic outlet syndrome nerve compression at the front of the neck and shoulder
Rotator cuff strain not likely to tear but hypertonicity and ischaemia can create significant shoulder tension
Serratus Anterior strain pain just under the bottom of the scapula, usually on the the guitarists right side.
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