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“Can cycling cause shoulder pain?” Well, our guess is you wouldn’t have found your way to this article unless you knew the answer. It’s true—shoulder pain from cycling is a common problem for cyclists at all levels of skill and ability. The good news is there are ways to fix it with some simple interventions, let’s look into them!

Common Symptoms

Are you experiencing cycling shoulder pain? The following symptoms are often indicative of and heavily related to shoulder dysfunction from (or made worse by) cycling. 

• Aching or soreness in the shoulder area
• Stiffness or reduced range of motion (lifting your arms to the sides or overhead)
• Pain that worsens during or after rides
• Radiating pain from the shoulder to the neck or upper back
• Chronic headaches and neck tension

“What Causes Cycling Shoulder Pain?”

A number of factors both on and off the bike can cause the shoulders and surrounding areas to hurt. Here are some of the most common:

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Bike Fit

An improperly fitted bike is always one of the first places we want to look when a new pain starts to rear its ugly head. A poor bike fit will put your body into an unnatural position, possibly placing an inordinate amount of stress on the handlebars. Some examples of this would be handlebars that are too low or positioned too far away.

Increased Training Volume

Increasing your training volume too quickly can cause aches and pains to appear. If the body doesn’t have sufficient time to adapt to the new training stressors, it may try to sideline you from your cycling with soreness that you’re not used to. Cycling shoulder pain is one of the most common problems to show up when you start doing too much, too fast.

Upper Body Tension

Gripping the handlebars too tightly or tensing the shoulders during rides can often lead to pain and fatigue. This is especially common in beginners who haven’t yet learned how to relax different parts of the body, especially the hands/forearms, on longer rides. This excess tension can lead to trigger points and otherwise tight muscles in and around the shoulder joint.

Office Work

Many cyclists are office workers that spend the majority of their days sitting at a desk. This work environment tends to encourage poor posture that includes a rounded upper back and slouched forward shoulders. The strain this places on the shoulder joint gets compounded over time and further exacerbated in aggressive cycling postures, often resulting in cycling shoulder pain.

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Solutions for Shoulder Pain From Cycling

Enough of this dreary talk, you came here to FIX your cycling shoulder pain once and for all. Here’s some tried and true tips that have helped cyclists worldwide deal with this common problem. 

1. Professional Bike Fitting

The number one recommendation for any cycling-related problem is going to be a professional bike fitting. Spend the money to get an expert analysis and adjustment. It will easily pay for itself in unneeded physiotherapy, massage, and chiropractic appointments. The technician will ensure there isn’t too much pressure on the shoulders and that they aren’t sitting in an unnatural position.

2. Adjust Your Training Schedule

You might (like many of us) think that more cycling always equals better results. Well, not if you’re in pain and injured or otherwise not recovered from your last ride! We have to be smart about our training plan, and if chronic shoulder pain (or any other pain) is starting to appear, we have to take an honest look at what we’re asking of our body—and whether it can deal with it.

3. Strengthen Your Core & Upper Body

A strong core and upper body is going to mitigate problems EVERYWHERE. When the foundation (core) starts to crumble, other things (like your shoulders) start to take the load. This leads to overuse, strain, and injury. The Strength Training section of our Dynamic Cyclist app and online platform has been designed to help you with exactly this!

4. Relax & Be Efficient

Maintaining good posture and not tensing things unnecessarily are two keys to preventing shoulder pain from cycling. Here are a few tips:

• Keep your spine in a neutral position
• Relax your shoulders and avoiding hunching
• Maintain a slight bend in your elbows to absorb shock
• Distribute your weight evenly between the saddle and handlebars

5. Regular Stretching & Mobility

The team here at Dynamic Cyclist recommends doing our Stretching & Mobility routines daily. If you’re training or riding that day, we suggest positioning it post-ride, to act as both a cool down + your daily session. By working on your flexibility consistently you’ll reduce the likelihood of developing a muscle imbalance that overloads and/or otherwise stresses the shoulders.

Other Fixes for Cycling Shoulder Pain

Some other things you may want to consider:

• Invest in padded gloves 
• Using a wider tire with lower pressure (to reduce vibration)
• Dry needling or acupuncture
• Self myofascial release with a lacrosse ball or foam roller
• Hanging from a bar to stretch, decompress & strengthen the shoulders

Maximize Your Cycling Performance

Are you always getting injured? Do you constantly feel aches and pain throughout the body? Trying to push your cycling performance but running into roadblocks? Do you suffer from any of the following?

• WEAK & TIGHT HIP FLEXORS
• STIFF HAMSTRINGS
• SORE QUADS
• KNEE PAIN
• SCIATICA
• LOW BACK PAIN

You need Dynamic Cyclist.

Dynamic Cyclist is the #1 training app for cyclists worldwide. 

If you want to…

• …eliminate knee, hip, and lower back pain 
• …correct lower crossed syndrome and pelvic tilt
• …restore muscle balance and a healthy range of motion
• …increase your power and efficiency
• …enjoy riding your bike pain-free for years to come

Then our platform is for YOU.

How Does It Work?

We take the guesswork out of your training. Start by signing up for a 7-day free trial, and you’ll immediately be given access to all of the programming in our membership area.

• High quality follow-along videos.
• Daily stretching and mobility sessions.
• Comprehensive strength training routines.
• Injury prevention programs.
• Pre-ride warm-ups and yoga.
• 15-30 minute routines.
• World class coaches and instruction.
• Designed specifically for runners.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

Even if you forget to cancel, or for some reason you don't enjoy the content, we'll refund your last month's payment right away. Just send us a quick email. We're here for the long term and will respect your choice!

Written by Eric Lister – Certified Personal Trainer & Corrective Exercise Specialist