A painful mobile shoulder is sometimes referred to as rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP). It is one of the most common causes of shoulder discomfort that often develops gradually and can limit everyday activities like lifting, reaching, or even sleeping comfortably.
This condition may not be due to a single injury but can arise due to irritation or overload of the rotator cuff and surrounding structures over time.
Unlike a stiff shoulder, which is restricted in movement, a painful mobile shoulder can still move freely but, that movement is often accompanied by pain, weakness, or a feeling of vulnerability during certain activities.
The painful mobile shoulder is a catch all phrase to categorise several shoulder problems including acromioclavicular (AC) joint issues, subacromial pain (often called impingement).
You’ll be able to move through a considerable range of motion actively and passively and will likely able to train, albeit with some limitations, discomfort or avoidance of certain positions or patterns.
If this sounds like you, the good news is that current research is in agreement that the best and most effective strategy for a painful mobile shoulder is progressive rehabilitation focused strength training.
A 2019 review paper published in the journal of Musculoskeletal Care by two leading shoulder physiotherapists/academics concluded that ‘exercise therapy should remain a principal treatment option for helping individuals with rotator cuff related shoulder pain’ (painful mobile shoulder).
Why Does Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain Happen?
Your rotator cuff muscles play a key role in controlling and stabilising your shoulder during movement. When they’re not functioning optimally, whether due to weakness, overload, or poor movement patterns, the shoulder becomes vulnerable to pain and irritation.
This often happens due to:
Repetitive overuse: lifting, pressing, or overhead work without proper control or capacity.
Lack of strength and stability: if your shoulder isn’t strong enough to handle the demands of your training or daily life, it compensates, leading to pain.
Previous injuries and poor mechanics: if an old injury wasn’t fully rehabilitated, or your movement patterns create excessive stress, pain can keep coming back.
The solution isn’t just to rest - it’s to rebuild true strength the right way.
What Can Be Done About It?
If you’ve been told to simply stop lifting or wait for the pain to go away, you’ve been given the wrong advice. Shoulder pain doesn’t mean you have to stop - it means your shoulder needs a structured approach to regaining strength, control, and resilience.
1. Build Strength That Lasts
At Dynamic Shoulders, we take a progressive strength-based approach to overcoming rotator cuff-related pain. This means:
Strengthening the rotator cuff and scapular muscles to restore stability and control.
Training progressively - not avoiding movement, but rebuilding capacity over time.
Improving movement patterns so your shoulder moves efficiently, without unnecessary stress.
2. Stay Active While Recovering
We don’t believe in rest as the answer. Instead, we focus on modifying your training so you keep moving, lifting, and progressing without flaring up your symptoms.
3. Train Without Fear of Pain
Rehab alone won’t stop the cycle of recurring injuries. You need true shoulder strength that lasts so pain doesn’t return every time you push harder in training or life. That’s why our approach doesn’t stop at pain relief. We build strong, resilient, dynamic shoulders.
Ref: Powell JK, Lewis J, Schram B, Hing W. Is exercise therapy the right treatment for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain? Uncertainties, theory, and practice. Musculoskeletal Care. 2024
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