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Your scapular/rhomboid pain is probably NOT your rhomboids! Watch the video to learn why!
Intro (0:00)
Rhomboid Pain (0:15)
Do you experience a deep, dull aching pain along the medial border of your scapula, or that area between your shoulder blade and spine? Have you tried stretching or rolling this area with a lacrosse ball or foam roller only to get temporary relief? Considering the location of the rhomboids, many individuals are led to believe that their discomfort originates from a strain or trigger point associated with these muscles. However, the rhomboids are rarely the culprit so in order to find a long-term solution, we should take a step back and consider a more holistic approach.
It’s Not Your Rhomboids (0:45)
So if it’s not your rhomboids, what is it and why are you experiencing discomfort in this area?
A landmark study by Dr. Ralph Cloward in 1959 applied stimuli to different aspects of the cervical intervertebral discs on conscious patients and had them report where they experienced discomfort. As you can see from the images, a common location for pain was in this interscapular area.
Other studies have replicated this finding as it relates to the discs such as Slipman et al in 2005.
And Dwyer et al 1976 is well known for stimulating the zygapophyseal joints in asymptomatic subjects and mapping their reported pain.
The last consideration, and the focal point of this video, relates to irritation of the lower cervical nerves. You might generally associate this irritation with neck pain and pain down the arm in a nice dermatomal distribution, but Murphy et al 2009 found that occurs in less than ⅔ of cases and around 50% of people report pain in that rhomboid area. In fact, Tanaka et al. 2006 reported “scapular region pain is generally the initial symptom in radiculopathy and can persist alone before the arm or finger symptoms develop.” And in some cases, it might be the only symptom that ever really occurs.
So although you might be experiencing discomfort in the rhomboids, that sensation is likely more of a secondary response.
Also, I understand that issues with the neck or a nerve sound scary to a lot of individuals, but it doesn’t mean anything is damaged, pinched, etc. I just like to think of it as something being sensitive.
Lifestyle Modifications (2:17)
Exercises (4:35)
Outro (6:41)
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Disclaimer: The information presented is not intended as medical advice or to be a substitute for medical counseling but intended for entertainment purposes only. If you are experiencing pain, please seek the appropriate healthcare professional.
Thank you so much for watching! Check out the blog here: https://e3rehab.com/blog/rhomboidpain
I don’t know how YouTube knew I was having problems with this specific spot between my shoulder blades, but I do and this video helped me a lot. Thank you!
I have had this pain for YEARS. I remember the exact moment I first felt it in 2014 and it hasn’t gone away since. I have had my husband literally shove his elbow in between my shoulder blade and spine for 10-15 minutes just working out whatever pain is in there. It always goes away for a little bit but then it comes back full force.
Thank you so much for this video!
This is such a good video. Lack of sleep and elevated stress always makes this pain worse for me.
Thats me as well
True
Love your “to the point” video! I have struggled with this pain for a few years and have found that serious movement away from my computer or reading a book helps, but I like seeing my thoughts validated.
For me, the pain happens only when I am sitting. It is located on one side only (my non-dominant side) and it feels like a sort of tension in a very specific point, a little bit like a cramp but not that intense. Feels like the muscle is stuck in a flexing/compact position. When I am having that pain, tilting my head on the other side (so on my right side for me since my pain is on the left side) feels like I am pulling a very tight muscle. It goes away pretty quickly once I stand up. It never happens on mornings when I just woke up, it usually happens later in the day when I am sitting at my desk (especially if my back is not resting on my chair so kind of straight sitting posture). However, that pain completely vanished during this summer. But now it is back. I’ll experiment and try to do the exercises I was doing this summer that made it vanished and will comment back here if I do find anything useful.
Edit: I said I would come back to share what I found.
So this exercice: https://youtu.be/JiMdrw0KyVU
And also this exercice:
https://youtu.be/GE_l-yKVldI (for the side that is painful, left for me. Note that you don’t need a machine to do it. I do it at home seated with a band around a leg table. Start with the band in your hand, relax, no muscle flexed. Then, pull the shoulder back. Don’t move forearm/hand, just pull the shoulder back. Finally, bring the band all the way back so you make a 90 degree angle as the guy in the video does) These 2 done every morning in combination with other workout exercises (I suggest you work your core muscles (not abs crunch, google exercice for core muscles, they are harder and feel different)) has helped tremendously. You really have to spend a good 20 minutes every single morning/night whenever you want but do it everyday. Hopefully you will get good results.
Thank you so much for posting this. I’ve been having rhomboid pain under my right shoulder blade for years. I’m going to follow these exercises, and continue on with vinyasa yoga, which incorporates a lot of these moves as well.
Man this is soo spot-on what I’ve been experiencing for years now. Definitely have thought it to be the muscles,. but symptoms definitely increase with stress so was interesting to hear about nerve sensitivity. Only thing I’ve found to give lasting relief so far has been strength training. Excited to start implementing the excercises. Thank you for an excellent video.
Pogong biyahiro
Wow i have it now for 3 years because of stress and panic attacks…Good to know that i’m not alone. I was never taken seriously by anyone. Difficult breathing, pain in left arm/ fingers and so on. After i wake up in the morning everything is gone for a moment. I wish everyone who is struggling with this some relief.
WOW.. This is me exactly and I did the exercises and it was almost instant relief after a whole day of pain. Really helpful. I subscribed, Thanks!
Very effective exercise. I feel better and comfortable with your recommended exercise. Thank you so much 💗
Extremely useful! Thank you for the detail and knowledge. I had an shoulder in due to football as well as I’ve been a Quarterback for 20 + years. This certainly will be applied to my continued strengthening and stretching. Keep up the awesome work and content! I finally have the watch hours lol working on subscribers RETURN THE LOVE thx!
You are spot on, it definitely comes from the cervical neck area have been dealing with this for years after 2 major neck surgeries, now fused c4 – c7 have thoracic pain off and on. I am 58 bodybuilder definitely will be using those exercises to help control pain and mobility thanks
Wow, thanks guys, I did PT for this exact pain and his conclusions were the same, lifestyle and posture were big factors in probably some cervical origins of the pain. Loved the really simple exercises to do along the day
I was so impressed when you cited research, and blown away when you cited the repetitions of the experiment–thank you so much for this video! It has quality information and actionable solutions
I have had this pain for years due to indoor painting. My physical therapist told me to lay on my back and touch the back of my neck to the bed and hold it and to do sets of these. Oh my god it helps so much!! I do it every time I get that stabbing pain in my shoulder blade!
5:22 This helped me so much! I will incorporate this into my daily stretches
me too
Guy the same problem is with me
Tired with this do doctor has a cure to it ..theres some noise when i rotate my left hand and same pain as u do feel
I really appreciate how you say there’s no perfect sleeping position for your neck and shoulders and that we should try it out. And same for sitting at the desk. Trying so hard to do it “the right way” just adds stress and makes things worse! So thanks for the more reasonable and practical advice here.
Just started to experience similar symptoms and you expressed it exactly. Will follow your suggestion.. thanks 👍
Is the pain you get is like as if someone’s poking you with a needle?
@Aathira Ajit Yes, like someone poking with needle. Cannot sit on chair or walk for more than 10 mins. Too much pain.. my right hand feels weak. Am a regular tennis player.
right, so beyond appreciative for creators like this
Wow, this is me every since I’ve started feeling this. 😲
Dios te bendiga y Dios bendiga a Todos los que estan leyendo esto! Deseo que tengan un hermoso dia! Buscad a Dios mientras pueda ser hallado! Jesus es el camino y el unico camino y regresa pronto! Recuerda cuando te sientas que no eres amado… el mayor sacrificio se hizo por amor! EL SUICIDIO NUNCA ES LA RESPUESTA!
Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.
S. Juan 3:16 RVR1960
La paga del pecado es muerte (infierno) pero Cristo pagó nuestra deuda en la cruz para nuestra salvacion! Debemos volvernos a Dios y apartarnos de nuestros caminos pecaminosos, confesar que Jesús es el Señor y creer con nuestro corazón que fue resucitado de entre los muertos por Dios, y debemos de ser bautizados en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo y vivir por Su palabra y mandamientos! Confia que Dios ayudara con el resto!
Busca a Dios, antes de que sea muy tarde! Hoy podria ser tu ultimo dia en la tierra!
Que tengas un hermoso dia!
❤️❗️❤️❤️
Best piece of advice is when he said to just be comfortable. I’m definitely working on fixing a few issues, and I’m being very aware of how I’m doing certain things like keeping my shoulders back and back straight but focusing on it too much actually causes more stress which doesn’t help the issue. So when he talks about being comfortable it’s really helpful for me mentally. Thanks E3!
Same here. But I didn’t say a word…
Ikr! Finally someone who understand our pain! It’s enough to really improve life quality!
Thank you very very much. This hit the spot, Doc. Slowly slowly of course but I can feel this will be very effective in my case. Almost instant relief. Peace!
100% agree with everything… yes!!
Haha ‘quality’ is almost am understatement, it’s gold
thank you for this!
i’m having no luck healing or sleeping for that matter. i’m 9 weeks into rhomboid syndrome, my left arm is just agony, when i can get to sleep, it wakes me up after 4 hours as pain in the arm (…and oddly, pain on the back of the hand??!)
my physio has only given me 3 exercises to help, but they don’t.
what else can i do? …i’m really struggling and my mood is slipping now.
will this ever heal?
thank you,
Al
Au look
If you have partial tear in rotator or disc issues in your neck it can cause this
@an 17121981 physical activity did this to me – I have degenerated c5-6 discs.
Don’t be so sure of your criticism
Wow I can relate so much. Had my gf shove her elbow between my shoulder blade and spine last night!!
@Léo ROUX Wow I barely look at the comments on this anymore since it was so long ago but i started acupuncture and it has helped tremendously!
@Hailey Marie acupuncture: interesting! As far as exercises go… did this video help you? Something else?
You phone can read your mind.
Yo literally have been having this issue for awhile & was talking about it with someone & randomly see this video on YT
They peeped how you sit down and watch these videos and said enough is enough homie
Same
Same