How to Relieve Shoulder Pain Caused by Nerve Tightness

Do you feel pain or tightness in your shoulder every time you reach overhead?
You might think it’s a muscle issue. Maybe the rotator cuff, your deltoid, or your upper trap. But for many people, the real culprit isn’t a muscle at all. It’s nerve tension.

At Bax Performance and Rehab, we see this all the time. Athletes and active adults come in saying, “I’ve stretched everything, but nothing works.” That’s because not all tightness is muscular. Sometimes, your nerves are getting trapped or restricted, creating that sharp, radiating, or stubborn ache that just won’t go away.

The good news? There’s a way to release it, and it’s simpler than you think.

Understanding Nerve Tightness in the Shoulder

Your shoulder is home to a complex network of nerves that come from the brachial plexus, a bundle originating in your neck that travels down into your arm. These nerves weave between muscles, fascia, and connective tissues and when they get restricted, they can cause pain, tingling, or weakness.

Unlike muscles, nerves don’t like to be stretched and held. They need to glide and move freely. When that mobility is lost—often from repetitive motion, poor posture, or prior injury—tension builds up along the nerve path, which your brain perceives as pain or stiffness.

This is why you might feel shoulder tightness that doesn’t respond to normal stretching or massage. The issue isn’t flexibility. It’s mobility, specifically nerve mobility.

The Stretch That Targets the Real Problem

Here’s the exercise we use at BPR to help unlock shoulder pain caused by nerve restriction. It’s one of our favorite tools because it’s effective, safe, and easy to do anywhere.

Step-by-Step:

1. Start by standing next to a wall.
   Place one arm out to your side with your thumb pointing up (this orientation is key because it aligns the nerve properly).

2. Place your palm on the wall and gently turn your body away.
   You should feel a light stretch along your shoulder, arm, or forearm but not pain.

3. Don’t hold the stretch.
   Instead, move in and out of it 20–30 times, like turning a light switch on and off.

   • Nerves hate being held under tension, so keep the motion smooth and rhythmic.

   • Think: “glide, not stretch.”

4. Adjust as needed.

   • If it’s too intense, bend your elbow to reduce nerve tension.

   • You can also face the wall and do a smaller range of motion to start.

5. Repeat on the other side.
   This helps balance mobility and prevent asymmetry, especially for overhead athletes.

When done correctly, this mobilizes the median and radial nerves, which often get restricted from repetitive pressing, gripping, or sitting with forward shoulders.

Why Nerve Glides Work

Nerve gliding, or neurodynamics, is all about restoring the normal movement of nerves through the tissues that surround them.
When a nerve gets “stuck”—whether from muscle tightness, scar tissue, or postural compression—it can become sensitive, leading to pain signals even without tissue damage.

By gently moving the nerve in and out of tension, you’re:

• Improving blood flow to the nerve.

• Decreasing mechanosensitivity (the nerve’s overreaction to normal movement).

• Restoring glide between the nerve and surrounding structures.

This process reduces pain, improves range of motion, and often provides immediate relief.

It’s one of those “aha” moments for our patients. Once the nerve is moving well, all those stubborn mobility restrictions suddenly ease up.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Holding the stretch too long.
   Remember, this is not a static stretch. Long holds can make symptoms worse.

2. Rotating your hand incorrectly.
   Your thumb should face up, not down. This ensures the nerve is aligned for safe tensioning.

3. Going too fast or too hard.
   The goal is gentle, smooth motion. Not aggressive pulling.

4. Ignoring pain.
   Mild tension is normal, but sharp or radiating pain means you’re overdoing it. Adjust the angle, bend your elbow, or reduce range of motion.

Why Shoulder Nerve Tightness Happens

There’s no single cause, but these are the big ones we see in the clinic:

• Desk posture: Rounded shoulders and forward head position compress nerves near the neck and shoulder.

• Overhead lifting: Repetitive reaching or pressing (especially in CrossFit, Olympic lifting, or swimming) can irritate the brachial plexus.

• Old injuries: Scar tissue or muscle guarding after a shoulder or neck strain can trap nearby nerves.

• Strength imbalances: Weak mid-back or rotator cuff muscles force the body to compensate, altering shoulder mechanics.

Most people assume they need more stretching or foam rolling  but if your issue is nerve-related, those won’t help much. You need mobility at the nerve level, not just the muscle level.

Integrating This Into Your Training or Rehab Routine

If your shoulder pain flares up during pressing, pull-ups, or reaching overhead, start adding this nerve glide before your workout. Here’s how we typically program it for our athletes:

Pair this with scapular stability drills (like banded rows or Y/T/W raises) for best results.

When to Seek Professional Help

If your shoulder pain:

• Radiates down your arm

• Causes tingling or numbness

• Doesn’t improve after a few weeks of consistent work
  …then it’s time to get assessed by a clinician.

At Bax Performance and Rehab, we look beyond symptoms. We assess your neck, shoulder, and thoracic mobility, test nerve tension, and identify whether the issue is muscular, neural, or structural, then build a plan that fits your training and performance goals.

Our athletes across Pleasanton, Livermore, and the Tri-Valley often say this is the missing piece in their recovery. Once the nerves move freely, strength and mobility come back fast.

The Takeaway

If you’ve been chasing shoulder mobility and stretching every muscle under the sun with little success, the problem might not be your muscles. It might be your nerves.

Nerve glides offer a safe, effective way to:

• Reduce pain

• Improve shoulder mobility

• Restore strength and performance

It’s a small change that can make a massive difference. Whether you’re an overhead athlete, lifter, or just someone tired of shoulder tightness getting in the way.

🎥 Watch the Full Video

Check out our video on nerve glides for shoulder pain to see the full demonstration and technique breakdown.

Ready to Get Rid of Shoulder Pain?

Stop guessing what’s wrong and get the right plan for your body.
At Bax Performance and Rehab, we’ll help you move better, lift stronger, and get back to doing what you love... without pain.

📞 Call/Text: (925) 397-0399
📧 Email: Abigail@BaxPerformanceRehab.com
🔗 Book your session at baxperformancerehab.com

Sources

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke – Brachial Plexus Injuries

• Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy – Neural Mobilization: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

• Physiopedia – Nerve Gliding Exercises