shoulder pain while running, and for a while after - why?

[nerd]

I wonder if anyone has any advice or thoughts on this? When I run I get a pain in my shoulders and neck. It is kind of around where my bra straps sit, so I had wondered if this was the cause - am I wearing my bra too tight? But I don't want to loosen it and have the chest region bouncing all over the place. Or is it just because I am tense and unused to exercise? Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts?

[totalbeginner Graduate]

what does the pain feel like? is it sudden to come on, or more gradual? is it sharp or comes and goes?

Its hard to say my feeling it could be lots of things so it might be trial and error to see if anything helps. My gut says it might be likley to be muscular - ive had similar in the past and its usually achy as if i have had my head at awkward angle. try to maintain good posture as you run, but it could well be your sports bra.does it fit right round the band? if not you may be having to have the shoulder straps to tight to compensate? does that make sense? try adjusting the shoulder straps a little to see if it helps. might be worth gettingnone fitted if you are in any doubt. maybe its not the bra but if it seems to be where the strap is then i would rule it out first. not to sound funny but do you think the size is right? ive had some aches and i suspect mine may not be quite right is why im asking.

also could try some neck stretches?

sorry probably not very helpful

[nerd in reply to totalbeginner]

It is like a cricked neck pain, like when you sleep funny on your neck, if that makes sense. Except it come on while running. I think maybe I am just holding my shoulders too tense. I asked my boyfriend to look feel my shoulders and he said they feel "knotty". Also, no red mark from my bra but I may loosen the shoulder straps by a few mm to see if it helps. I got fitted for the bra so it should fit right. I have started doing a few general neck stretches too.

[TrickyHicky Graduate]

I can help in one respect, I get that sort of pain too on some runs and I don't wear a bra so it isn't that for me. I think it is just muscles tensing up and they do tend to get better by themselves, I tend to get it on days where I'm not feeling 100% before I start running.

[nerd in reply to TrickyHicky]

This makes sense as there wasn't a red mark or indentation from the bra strap and so I guess it is just muscular. Hopefully it will ease as my body gets used to running.

[Hayley81 Graduate]

I had pain in my shoulders when I started running. I spoke to a friend who has run for years and she suggested it was because I was holding tension in my hands causing tension in my shoulders. She suggested for me to pretend that I was holding a crisp between each finger that I wasn't allowed to crush as I ran. Sounded silly but it's really worked and my shoulders are now fine.