Sounds like shoulder instability imo. I've had the same problem for awhile but I ignored and it progressed to a lig tear. :banghead:
Been doing a lot of research so that I can prevent future issues. From what I've learned by reading and talking to physical therapists/docs I would recommend stretching, stability exercises, and foam roller work. Like I said before I am not an MD, just a jamoke with an internet connection.
When looking at the body's overall musculature there are generally two types of muscle groups: flexors and extensors. The flexors, like the pecs and front delts have a tendency to be tight while the extensors like the rear delts and mid-back muscles tend to be taught. This can cause instability in the shoulder joint; if it gets bad you can even dislocate the joint (happened to me twice :ugh1
. Tight muscles can be helped with stretching but it won't help taught muscles. That's where foam rollers come in. Since the flexors are tight, they can pull the extensors foward so that they are "tight" while in a stretched position (this is the distinction between tight and taught). Taught muscles also have a tendency to be weaker than their flexor counterparts. With foam roller work you can release the tension in the extensor groups which can allow you to strengthen them more efficiently. So in all, you want to set up a regimen where your stretching your flexor groups while releasing and then strengthening your extensors.
Stretches, 2-3 times each for 20-30 secs:
Pec major stretch
Pec minor stretch
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bQH4fQwMSo"]YouTube - 9.3 Chest Pectoralis Major & Minor Stretch[/ame]
Front delt stretch
Foam roller work:
To be honest, this is sucks some serious donkey balls. It is not only painful but is awkward when you first start doing it. :whiner: But it works so imo, it’s totally worth the sh*ttiness. You begin a session by rolling on the roller until you find what is called a “hot spot.” You’ll know when you find one because it will hurt like a mofo. Once you have found a problem area, put pressure on it until at least 50% of the pain is gone. This will happen when the muscle relaxes so try to intentionally calm yourself with deep breathing, focus, etc. In the vid below, she is using a medicine ball (which you can use instead) but the basic movement is the same:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKP1h2fEBns&feature=PlayList&p=19DFB8371D741BC3&index=4"]YouTube - Medicine Ball Back Roll[/ame]
Besides just hitting the area over the spine, be sure to work the muscle groups on either side. You can do this by tilting your body towards the area you want to work. It’s a good idea to hit the lats too:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq9QSsq1970&feature=PlayList&p=19DFB8371D741BC3&index=3"]YouTube - Foam Rolling the lats[/ame]
Try to do this every day at least as a diagnostic tool. At first, you might have to spend a lot of time on the roller, but as you continue you’ll begin finding less and less problem areas. Don't be worried if the "hot spots" that you released are sore the next day. It's just like getting a good sports massage.
Exercises:
Like I mentioned before, you are going to want to strengthen the areas that you are releasing with the foam roller work. The mid-low traps and rear delts are the best target, so I'll show you a series of rehab/prehab exercises that target those specific areas. I'll also provide links to other exercises that you can incorporate into your usual rountine. There will be some good info on shoulder health as well; I thought it would be redundant to just parrot the articles so they are definately worth a read.
Blackburns:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPgEmJdDQzg"]YouTube - Rotator Cuff Exercises: Blackburns[/ame]
Bunch of shoulder rehab exercises (questionable form on a few of them though):
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ONHZmsFec"]YouTube - DieselCrew.com - Shoulder Rehab Protocol[/ame]
Good reads + more exercises:
http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/shoulder_savers_part_i&cr=
http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/shoulder_savers_part_ii
http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/shoulder_savers_part_iii