Shoulder pain

[e-rider]

I've been cycling for a long time (20+ years). About 12 months ago I started getting quite bad pain in my left shoulder whilst cycling; it would go soon after getting off the bike though (15 mins). This has persisted since then (whilst cycling) and is perhaps now even worse as it starts sooner and lasts longer.

Things I have discovered:
It only hurts cycling (and a few days afterwards now if it gets really bad)
No pain on my hybrid bike
Little pain on my MTB
Lots of pain on my road bike

This to me sounds like it's related to my position on the road bike, although that hasn't changed for 5 years, and was fine before. There is certainly more weight on my shoulders riding the road bike, than my other bikes. My right shoulder does get a bit stiff on long rides but no pain as such, the left gets equally stiff but has lots of pain, mainly running down outside of shoulder and upper arm?

I used to swim a lot but don't now, perhaps I have slowly lost strength in my left shoulder?

I guess an easy fix would be to reduce weight on my shoulders by raising the bars (although they are not particularly low anyway) but this is probably not addressing the underlying problem.

any advice? (please don't say 'bike fit')

 

[screenman]

I found lowering the bars worked for me.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

I found that buying a recumbent trike worked for me!

 

[vickster]

Physio for diagnosis

 

[Julia9054]

Go to the doctors. Get a proper diagnosis, anti inflammatories and a physio referral. Do the exercises the physio prescribes and strengthen the muscles that support your shoulder joint.