Prevent and Relieve Pain between Your Shoulder Blades
If you sometimes feel pain or discomfort between your shoulder blades, your rhomboid muscles may be the culprits. The muscles are positioned diagonally between the six vertebrae in your upper back and your shoulder blades (scapulae). Their main function is to retract and rotate the scapulae, and they also assist other muscles in holding the scapulae against the back of the rib cage. Unfortunately, bad postural habits can result in upper- and mid-back pain that originates in these muscles.
Poor Posture Contributes to Pain
If you spend hours sitting at a desk or leaning forward to perform tasks, it’s easy to develop rounded shoulders. This is because remaining in these positions for long periods of time lengthens the rhomboids and shortens the pectoral muscles in the chest (which work in opposition to the rhomboids), creating a muscular imbalance that can result in back pain.
Stretching the pectoral muscles in the upper chest may provide relief, since lengthening these muscles releases some of the “pull” on the rhomboids. To prevent that pull from returning, try to be mindful of your posture throughout the day. Good posture keeps your muscles in balance, meaning that they are neither shortened nor elongated.
Troubled by Tightness?
Even if you don’t have back pain, you may feel a sensation that is often described as “tightness” between your shoulder blades. Often, this isn’t tightness at all—the discomfort is, in fact, due to weakness in the rhomboids. Weak rhomboids make it difficult to maintain proper posture, which is why it is so important to do specific exercises that will strengthen the rhomboids.
Easing Discomfort
If you have mid-back pain, in addition to exercising the rhomboids, over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®), or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®), may provide some relief. Adhere fully to the directions for safely taking NSAIDs, since they are associated with side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding in older adults.
Complementary approaches, such as acupuncture and massage, also may assist in pain reduction—you can find a licensed massage therapist via the American Massage Therapy Association (www.amtamassage.org), while the Acupuncture Referral Service (www.accufinder.com) has a register of qualified acupuncturists.
If your pain does not decrease after a week to 10 days, or if it worsens, consult your doctor to rule out other causes. Pain between the shoulder blades does not always mean you have a muscle condition—the cervical spine (the section from the base of the skull to the bottom of the neck) can also refer pain (“referred pain” occurs in an area other than where the injury or problem is located) to the shoulder region. It is important to know where the pain is being generated in order to get the appropriate treatment.
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