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Pain in the deltoid muscle
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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The deltoid muscle originates from the shoulder blade and collarbone and extends along the shoulder to the top of the forearm. This muscle is also called the triceps, since it includes three bundles: anterior, middle and posterior, and its shape resembles the letter "delta". The functions performed by the deltoid muscle are: flexion, extension and pronation of the shoulder, lifting and rotating the arms. Pain in the deltoid muscle may indicate its injury or inflammation.
[ What can cause pain in the deltoid muscle
The axillary nerve is damaged. Its motor fibers can innervate the deltoid, the small teres muscle, and the sensitive skin of the outer part of the shoulder. Damage to the axillary nerve affects the musculocutaneous nerve located in the supraclavicular fossa, which can cause Erb's palsy. In this case, it becomes impossible to raise the shoulder, and the sensitivity of the skin on the outer surface of the shoulder is impaired.
Pain in active myofascial trigger points of the deltoid muscle is localized in the affected part of the muscle, and does not radiate over a significant distance, unlike other muscles.
Usually, during sports competitions or other physical activities, impact injuries can occur, as a result of which myofascial trigger points are activated and exist for a long time. For example, when the arm is excessively extended at the shoulder, due to the injection of drugs under the skin, irritation of tissues in places where hidden myofascial trigger points are located with chemicals can occur. Myofascial trigger points located in other muscles can affect the occurrence of satellite trigger points in the deltoid muscle.
The absence of arm injuries and a feeling of pain, as with a bruise, may indicate deltoid spasm. Spasms can be caused by sharp contractions of the muscle during exercises; lifting and holding weights at shoulder level, overload when raising and lowering the shoulder (while painting walls, skiing), arthrosis and osteochondrosis.
Shoulder and biceps tendonitis. They may refer to a shoulder injury, since it is the shoulder that hurts. Biceps tendonitis is the result of the tendon coming out of its bed at the top of the hamerus, the largest bone in the shoulder. The biceps tendon needs to be put back in place, since this can cause shoulder disease. If it is in the wrong place, the lateral and dorsal shoulder tendons also experience stress, and after a while they become inflamed and begin to hurt. This can lead to inflammation of the entire shoulder joint. However, the situation can be corrected in 95% of cases.
This does not mean that you will need to exclude loads on the chest. You must ensure that the exercise is performed correctly. First of all, you should adjust and warm up the tendons well. It is advisable not to use a wide grip when doing presses. The ideal option is shoulder width or slightly wider. It is also necessary to move your elbows back correctly: your hands and the point of contact with the bar should lie on the same line.
If such an injury has already occurred, first, it is necessary to completely remove the load on the chest, as well as other exercises that cause pain in the deltoid muscle. After that, in order to return the ligament to its place, it is necessary to remove the swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can help you with this, as well as applying ice to the painful area two to three times a day for about 20 minutes. After eight to ten days, when the swelling subsides, it is necessary to put the ligament back in place. However, this is not so easy to do. Only a few doctors have encountered this problem and can cope with it. Rotation of the arms in different directions is not allowed. It is necessary to control the head of the humerus.
Among other things, pain in the deltoid muscle is caused by various injuries due to improper exercise performance or heavy physical exertion.