Headache After Shoulder Workout: Why It Happens and What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You
A headache after a shoulder workout is often a sign of muscle compensation, limited mobility, or nervous system overload rather than a random flare up. When the shoulder blade, upper back, and core are not coordinating well, the neck and upper trap muscles take over and refer pain into the head.
Addressing shoulder blade stability, thoracic mobility, breathing mechanics, and recovery habits can reduce tension and prevent recurring symptoms. In more persistent cases, working with a physical therapist can uncover the root cause and restore pain free overhead mobility and strength.
Understanding these patterns allows active adults to keep training hard without cycling through tension, headaches, and forced rest days. With the right movement strategy and recovery support, heavy lifting and freedom of mental focus can coexist.
You finished a shoulder workout feeling strong… but the next morning a headache shows up. Sometimes it’s just annoying, but other times it leaves you unable to concentrate and feeling pretty grouchy.
The worst part is that you felt strong in your workout and maybe even went up in weights. So why is your body rebelling against you with a headache? It feels extra overwhelming to have gone from a confident high in your workout to a frustrated low the next day.
We see this pattern all the time and we have even lived it. Because of this, we know exactly why it happens and how to fix it.
Hear us loud and clear- there is a future reality in which you can lift heavy and not have a headache after shoulder workout! We will explain it all to you right now.
Here’s what we are going to talk about in this blog post:
Why a shoulder workout can trigger a headache
Signs your headache is coming from your neck and shoulders
Common reasons you get a headache after shoulder workout
What to do when you have a headache after shoulder workout
When it’s time to get support
Why a shoulder workout can trigger a headache
Moving your shoulder is a complex movement, especially when reaching overhead.
The two important structures involved in shoulder motion are the shoulder blade (aka scapula) and the muscles that support it.
Think of the shoulder blade as the core of the shoulder. The shoulder blade is where all the support for the shoulder comes from.
The crazy part is that there is only one tiny joint that connects the shoulder blade to the rest of the body (it’s called the acromioclavicular joint, or AC joint for short, for you fellow nerds out there).
This means that the vast majority of stability for the shoulder blade comes from MUSCLE.
When reaching overhead, 2/3 of the motion comes from the shoulder joint itself. The remaining 1/3 comes from the shoulder blade rotating upwards.
All this to say- mobility and stability of the shoulder blade is super important! Check out this video to see how much the shoulder blade really moves as the arm lifts upwards.
When there is a breakdown in the mobility and stability of the shoulder blade- meaning the shoulder blade isn’t able to rotate upwards and the muscles that support the shoulder blade aren’t doing their job properly- compensations happen.
The most common compensations include the upper trap and neck muscles hiking upwards to help lift the arm. This is most pronounced when reaching and lifting overhead.
This compensatory pattern repeated over time puts way too much strain on these muscles- they’re working overtime.
When muscles are tense and overworked, they can become painful and also refer pain to other parts of the body. Common referral patterns for the muscles at play here actually go up into the head. This is why you feel a headache after shoulder workout.
Signs your headache is coming from your neck and shoulders
Here are common signs of a headache that is referred from the neck and shoulders:
Pain, tightness, and/or pressure at the base of the head
Pain, tightness, and/or pressure traveling up the back of the head to the top of the head and forehead
Feelings of tightness, pressure, or squeezing around the head
Feeling headache pain or pressure behind one eye
Neck stiffness or shoulder tightness along with the head pain
Feeling like you can’t relax your shoulders, neck, or face
Increase in pain and/or limited range of motion with turning the head
Symptoms improve with heat and gentle movement
Ibuprofen or Tylenol take the edge off
Pressure or massage to the neck improves head symptoms
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, this is great news! It means your headache after shoulder workout can be fixed by addressing the root cause, which lies in mobility and strength of your shoulders.
*Note that this blog is not meant to diagnose, but rather to help you notice patterns and get the help you need.
Common reasons you get a headache after shoulder workout
There are several reasons you get a headache after shoulder workout. Let’s break them down:
Neck muscle overuse or compensation
The shoulder blade needs to be supported and able to move so that you can reach and lift overhead, especially in a shoulder workout. This is what we talked about in the first section of the blog.
When muscles like the serratus anterior, rhomboids, mid trap, and low trap aren’t working properly to support shoulder blade motion, other larger muscles come in to figure out a way to get your arm overhead. These muscles include the upper trap, levator scap, sternocleidomastoid (SCM for short), and neck muscles.
Over time, this compensatory pattern leads to muscle overwork, tension, and pain which manifests as a headache.
Limited upper back and rib mobility
The last 10% of overhead shoulder range of motion actually comes from the upper and mid back (also known as the thoracic spine). The ribs connect into the thoracic spine, so stiffness in the thoracic spine usually is associated with stiffness in rib mobility.
If a certain range of motion is unavailable to the body, which is what happens with joint stiffness, muscles can try all they want but the body will not access that range of motion. It’s like pushing against a brick wall.
Over time, this can manifest similarly to the muscle compensations we just talked about, causing a headache after shoulder workout.
Breath holding and poor core stabilization
Optimal breathing and core stabilization is foundational to all movement in the body.
If you hold your breath when you exercise (aside from a necessary Valsalva with very heavy lifting), then you are not stabilizing well. It means that your body can’t selectively stabilize to control a motion, so it just locks everything down to stabilize…hence the breath holding. You feel like if you don’t hold your breath, you can’t complete the exercise.
The diaphragm is the primary breathing muscle, and it also functions as the top part of the core. So breathing and core stabilization are intimately connected.
Core stabilization is crucial for stabilization and mobility of all parts of the body.
Think of two scenarios:
You’re walking over a rope bridge.
You’re walking over a sturdy wooden bridge.
How do you move when walking over a rope bridge? You’re pretty stiff and slow with your movements, right?
How do you move when walking over a sturdy wooden bridge? You can be loose and free and skip over that bridge if you so choose!
The same thing happens in the body. When there is a lack of core stabilization, everything else tightens up to provide stability…like the rope bridge. But when there is solid core stabilization, everything else can move freely because it’s being supported well.
So for the neck and shoulders to be mobile and free with overhead reaching and lifting, you need good stabilization through the core and shoulder blades, because remember- the shoulder blade is the core of the shoulder!
Nervous system overload
The nervous system is the queen of the body- it rules everything. If the nervous system system is overloaded, then full recovery from a workout doesn’t happen. This can lead to pain and tightness that either builds over time or hits you like a ton of bricks. It can be an underlying factor in your headache after shoulder workout too.
Things that contribute to an overloaded nervous system:
Overtraining
Too much cardio
Not enough rest days
Not eating enough to fuel and recover from your workouts
Chronic mental and emotional stress
Unprocessed trauma
An overpacked schedule
Feeling like you have to “do it all”
What to do when you have a headache after shoulder workout
It’s important to note that if you’re experiencing a headache after shoulder workout, this is your body trying to talk to you. It’s conveying information.
Your body may be trying to tell you that it needs more support, coordination, or recovery. You’re not weak or broken, you just need to support your body in a more optimal way. This will allow you to lift heavy in your shoulder workouts and feel that good kind of post-workout muscle soreness the next day- not reactive pain and tightness.
For quick relief from a headache after shoulder workout, here are a few things you can do right away:
Applying heat to the neck and shoulders for 10-15 minutes
Stand in a hot shower and gently move your neck while the heat loosens the muscles
Stand and sit up straight- no slouching!
Gently move the neck in ways that feel productive and relieving
If you’ve been experiencing headaches after arm day, you need to address the root cause of the problem. Based on the common causes of a headache after shoulder workout we see in the clinic (and have experienced first-hand), here are some things you can do to help:
Get your shoulder blade mobile and strengthen the muscles around it
The first place to start is giving your shoulder the mobility to get overhead. If you don’t have the required mobility, you’re 100% going to compensate when trying to reach or lift overhead.
One of my favorite moves to improve overhead shoulder mobility is called inverted breathing. You can check out a video demo here. Do this every day and incorporate it in your warm up before arm day.
Next, you need to teach your shoulder blade how to move and stabilize while reaching, especially if the movement is overhead. This is important for exercises like a front or side raise and overhead press.
My favorite exercise to start this type of training is the child’s pose rockback. Check out a video demo of this drill. This is another great one to do daily as well as part of your arm day warm up. If you need a harder version of this drill, try the high plank to down dog exercise.
Improve your upper back mobility
There are many ways to improve your upper back mobility, but this is one of my favorites because it targets the upper thoracic spine, which can be hard to access with a traditional foam roll thoracic extension drill.
Try this sphinx pose chin tuck drill. You should feel a really nice stretch in the upper back. Bonus that it activates some shoulder blade stabilizers at the same time! Again, this can be done daily and as part of your arm day warm up.
Improve your breathing and core stabilization
First start with optimizing your breathing pattern, then integrate breathing with core activation. In this core activation breathing video demo, we walk you through the exact steps we teach our clients. This also addresses rib stiffness, like we talked about earlier. Taking shallow breaths leads to limited rib mobility over time.
Once you’ve mastered this, integrate this breathing and core activation into all your workouts. For some specific drills to help with a headache after shoulder workout, try the hooklying pullover drill and the bear plank.
Regulate your nervous system
Be sure to show your nervous system some love. We live in a world of chaos, so it is important to take time to breathe and sit in peace on a regular basis. Even 5-10 minutes per day can make a huge difference.
We love doing this first thing in the morning because it sets the tone for your day. Instead of waking up to chaos, you wake up to intentional time for peace.
Set a 5-10 minute timer and breathe with intention through your heart. Take slower and deeper breaths, which helps to calm the nervous system.
If 5-10 minutes in the morning doesn’t feel accessible to you right now, then find a time that works for you. You can also incorporate 1-2 minutes of intentional breathing any time throughout the day- while going to the bathroom, driving, or brushing your teeth.
When it’s time to get support
If you’re experiencing any of the following, it’s time to get support:
You’ve been on the roller coaster of headaches after shoulder workouts for three months or more
Pain is limiting your training, concentration, or daily life
Your headache is lasting longer than 2-3 days
You feel stuck in a cycle of tension → headache → rest → repeat
You’re frustrated and don’t want to live like this anymore
You’re considering cutting out arm days because if feels easier than fixing a problem you don’t understand
Physical therapists are specially trained to analyze movement patterns, recognize root causes, and help you fix the problem. It’s time to stop putting band-aids on the problem and get professional help. Your longevity and sanity depend on it!
Where to find physical therapy for headache after shoulder workout
Have you tried the strategies and drills we shared with you and want more individualized support?
If you are located in or near Westerville, Ohio we can help you with physical therapy to improve your headache after shoulder workout!
You can get started right away by learning more about our physical therapy services or getting in contact with us.
If you have additional questions, we would love to talk with you, hear your story, answer all your questions, and see how we could help.
You can call or text us at (614) 423-9731 or schedule a free discovery call. You can also learn more about Empower Physio and Wellness + our team or check out other services we offer.