Hopefully your bass isn't huge and doesn't have high rounded shoulders to get past too.
Your problem may stem from seating position and /or bow hold.
I am not tall and would elect to sit differently for playing solos than in orchestra where most notes are on the neck. I would try to angle the bass back across my left knee a little more than usual so that it is lower against my body. To compensate for the neck being a little lower and further back than usually about level with my face I would turn my whole body in a little more to the left. This will bring my right shoulder forward over the bass more and closer to the strings, also making it easier for me to both reach the G string and transition into and out of thumb position more easily. By turning (not swivelling) my body the left arm can avoid constriction of operating space and has the freedom to reach the top notes too.
Turning your bow hold in too far by rotating your elbow up and out too much will cause tension and a hot pain just below your shoulder cap, at the top of the bicep. Only turning in far enough to direct the elbow (a one-directional hinge joint) freely across the strings should remove this tension.
My "kitchen table" bowing technique. Stand in front of your table or bench of about waist height and simulate bowing by drawing your finger tips along its straight edge.
You can see straight away how arm movements blend together to produce a straight line of movement. I don't believe in pronating the wrist or using very florid movements to change bow directions. Try keeping the bow arm long to reach the necessary contact point. While keeping the bow hair flat on the bottom string it will naturally end up turning in slightly on the G string as you roll across. Flat hair is not needed on the G string which is lighter and moving much faster. Neither is turning in too far to jam weight into the string. You will too easily crush tone and cause the pain you described.
Your problem may stem from seating position and /or bow hold.
I am not tall and would elect to sit differently for playing solos than in orchestra where most notes are on the neck. I would try to angle the bass back across my left knee a little more than usual so that it is lower against my body. To compensate for the neck being a little lower and further back than usually about level with my face I would turn my whole body in a little more to the left. This will bring my right shoulder forward over the bass more and closer to the strings, also making it easier for me to both reach the G string and transition into and out of thumb position more easily. By turning (not swivelling) my body the left arm can avoid constriction of operating space and has the freedom to reach the top notes too.
Turning your bow hold in too far by rotating your elbow up and out too much will cause tension and a hot pain just below your shoulder cap, at the top of the bicep. Only turning in far enough to direct the elbow (a one-directional hinge joint) freely across the strings should remove this tension.
My "kitchen table" bowing technique. Stand in front of your table or bench of about waist height and simulate bowing by drawing your finger tips along its straight edge.
You can see straight away how arm movements blend together to produce a straight line of movement. I don't believe in pronating the wrist or using very florid movements to change bow directions. Try keeping the bow arm long to reach the necessary contact point. While keeping the bow hair flat on the bottom string it will naturally end up turning in slightly on the G string as you roll across. Flat hair is not needed on the G string which is lighter and moving much faster. Neither is turning in too far to jam weight into the string. You will too easily crush tone and cause the pain you described.
