They occur in the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is made of four muscles that secure the upper arm in the shoulder socket. They allow the shoulder full range of motion. People likely to suffer from overuse injuries are baseball pitchers, golfers, swimmers, and tennis and volleyball players. People who work with hand tools or do a lot of shoulder movement at work may also have problems.
Overuse injuries develop slowly.
Eventually, pain is felt during and after activity. Seek medical help if pain exists when an arm is raised above the head, or during any activity. Treat a mild case of shoulder pain caused by tendonitis or bursitis with rest. Apply ice during the first day or two, then try heat. Take aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium to reduce inflammation.