Patrick DenardDirector Oregon Shoulder Fellowship, Oregon Shoulder Institute · Director Oregon Shoulder Fellowship at Oregon Shoulder Institute

Signs Your Shoulder Pain Isn’t Just a Strain

17 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief health advisory video, the speaker outlines three key warning signs that a shoulder strain may actually be a tear. The first sign is experiencing pain at night, suggesting the issue is not merely activity‑related. The second sign is pain that persists beyond six weeks despite attempts at physical therapy, which the speaker emphasizes as the most important indicator. The third sign is genuine weakness during overhead movements; while occasional weakness can be pain‑related, true strength loss points toward a more serious injury. The speaker notes that none of these signs are definitive on their own, but the presence of multiple signs increases the likelihood of a tear, prompting viewers to consider professional evaluation.

Chapters

Here are 3 signs your shoulder strain may be more than a strain, actually be a tear. Number 1, if you're in pain at night, that can suggest that it's more than just activity related. Number 2, pain that doesn't get better after 6 weeks, especially if you tried physical therapy. That's probably the most important thing. And number 3, if you have weakness with overhead, it's a little hard to sort out because sometimes that can be pain related, but nonetheless, if you have true weakness. Now, while none of those are perfect, if you have all of those, that's more likely that it's more than just a strain.