Shoulder pain and weakness is typically caused by an irritated tendon and/or bursa, which lead to compromised firing of the shoulder muscles that include the rotator cuff and biceps muscles. Some of the conditions that can cause a painful and weak shoulder include rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendinitis, tendinous), sub-acromial pain syndrome (SAPS), or shoulder bursitis.

​Generally a patient will present complaining of pain, weakness, aggravation when lying on the shoulder in bed, difficulty lifting and reaching for things and general pain during activities of daily living. Treatment of a painful and weak shoulder must concentrate on these exact symptoms with techniques used to settle the shoulder down and then build the shoulder back up with isometric and heavy slow resistance exercises, Further education and advice from an experienced physiotherapist about why the rotator cuff related painful shoulder does not like stretching, massage and direct pressure can also help with recovery. Common conditions that are more likely to present as a painful and weak shoulder include: rotator cuff related shoulder pain, sub acromial pain syndrome.