Whether you have shoulder pain following a motorcycle accident or just after a day on the open road, motorcycle shoulder pain is no joking matter.

Motorcycle accidents occur across the United States every day, with an average of 236 crashes that result in injury daily. Because of the lack of coverage and protection afforded by motorcycles, these accidents typically result in a high rate of injury. 

Research from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) found that lower-extremity injuries tend to be the most common for motorcyclists. However, motorcycle shoulder injuries are also fairly common, because the immediate reaction of the rider is to reach out and stop themselves from a fall. Injuries to the upper arm and shoulder are seen in ERs following motorcycle collisions because the amount of force delivered to that area on impact is too much for the joint to handle without some form of injury occurring. 

Many motorcycle shoulder injuries are serious. And due to the complexity of the shoulder joint, most riders feel shoulder pain of some sort following a motorcycle accident. There is an all-natural, conservative treatment for rehabilitation of motorcycle shoulder pain and injuries.

Why Do Motorcycle Accidents Result in Shoulder Pain?

Motorcycle accidents occur across the United States every day, with an average of 236 crashes that result in injury daily. Because of the lack of coverage and protection afforded by motorcycles, these accidents typically result in a high rate of injury. 

The severity of the injuries depends on several things, including:

• the size of the motorcycle
• the size of the passenger vehicle involved
• the speed at which either vehicle was traveling

Patients often require hospitalization and rehabilitation following a crash and minor crashes can still require treatment. 

While motorcycle accident leg injuries are the most common type of injury associated with motorcycle collisions, the second most common motorcycle accident injury is upper extremity injuries. This includes the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, and shoulder. Motorcycle riders over the age of 40 are more susceptible to these types of injuries, specifically to broken ribs. 

The reason is that older riders tend to ride larger, heavier motorcycles, which protect the lower extremities, but can cause injury to upper extremities. However, these bikes overturn more easily, creating the reflex to reach out and brace against a fall. 

Larger motorcycles also take up more space on the road and are therefore at a greater risk of striking a highway structure, like a railing. This scenario could lead to a head, chest, or shoulder injury. 

Can Riding a Motorcycle Cause Shoulder Pain?

Sometimes it doesn’t even take an accident to feel shoulder pain after riding a motorcycle. In fact, it’s fairly common to experience back, shoulder, and neck discomfort when riding a motorcycle. However, it’s not something that you need to just put up with.

Your riding position and even the vibration of the road under the tires can place stress on your body, which results in unnecessary pain. The amount of time you spend on your bike will begin to affect your core, back, and especially your shoulders, which soon start to tire. Eventually it leads to a breakdown in posture, which means undue stress on your joints and muscles.

How Do You Prevent Shoulder Pain When Riding Your Motorcycle?

Whether you ride for fun or to commute to work regularly, you probably feel as if your motorcycle is part of your lifestyle. There’s no need to change or stop riding. You simply need to consider a few preventative measures that help limit the onset of motorcycle shoulder pain. 

Use Proper Motorcycle Posture

Consider your posture when riding. Your posture affects both the handling of the motorcycle and your comfort. Periodically check your posture, including the following tips:

• Avoid locking your shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Doing so makes the bike harder to control and adds stress to your upper body.
• Make sure your grip on the handlebars is firm without being tight. Your hands should maintain a solid grip while being relaxed.
• Engage your core in order to fully support your body weight.
• Lean forward with your chest, not your back. This concept should prevent you from hunching your shoulders, which causes shoulder pain.
• Place weight in your heels to offset the pressure in your back.

While maintaining proper posture may feel weird at first, over time, it becomes natural and truly helps reduce shoulder pain caused by riding.

Build Endurance

If you’re new to motorcycle riding, then you should consider allowing your body to become used to the pressure and stress of riding by building endurance over time. Begin by taking short trips with less frequency and build up a tolerance to riding, allowing your body to become used to the motion and feel of motorcycle riding. Consider taking frequent breaks when first starting out.

While it may not seem like a workout, riding requires that you hold a specific posture for long periods of time. The physical endurance side of motorcycle riding is critical to a safe and comfortable ride. 

Stretch

When you do take breaks while riding, it’s important to use these opportunities to move and stretch in ways that you can’t on your bike. Since you’re pretty much locked into a forward-leaning position while riding, you’ll want to lean backward to stretch your back and rotate your arms to loosen your shoulders. 

Riding for long periods without breaks will mean that you feel sore and stiff. So, be sure to stop and stretch so that you don’t feel uncomfortable during or after your ride.

How Do You Treat Motorcycle Shoulder Pain?

Whether you’ve been in an accident or just ride a lot and are feeling sore, you can treat motorcycle fatigue and shoulder pain with chiropractic treatments. 

If stretches aren’t helping with your shoulder pain and you need some help recovering from the aches that result from motorcycle riding, then consider chiropractic treatment, which is an ideal, conservative option. Whether you’re experiencing strain from repeated trips or from an extended period of riding, your chiropractor can help provide relief and even offer stretches specific to your needs. 

The soreness that you’re experiencing extends across your entire body. Chiropractic care addresses individual pain points as well as giving all of your joints and muscles the attention they need to decrease inflammation, relieve pressure, reduce nerve irritability, and allow your body to relax. 

Chiropractic sessions can be for minor aches and pains, major soreness, or even help with conditions brought on by a motorcycle accident. Gentle adjustments of the spine, neck, and extremities will help realign your body and provide real relief from pain. If you want to ride more comfortably, then schedule a chiropractic appointment online or call us today.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for in-person advice or care from a medical professional.