Shoulder Blade Pain Annoying You? How to Fix It

Shoulder blade pain can be a debilitating issue that affects your daily activities, sleep, and overall quality of life. You may feel like there’s a constant ache in between your shoulder blades and feel like you are unable to find a comfortable position to sit in. Understanding its causes, symptoms, and effective treatment options is essential for finding relief. This blog will address your shoulder blade pain and give you some effective strategies for resolving it.

Initial relief strategies

When experiencing shoulder blade pain, immediate relief is what you search for. Here are a couple of methods to try to manage your initial discomfort on your own:

1. Heat therapy: Applying heat can relax tense muscles. Thus, a warm compress or heating pad can improve blood flow and soothe discomfort
2. Gentle stretching and mobility exercises: Additionally, simple stretches can help relieve tension.
   Typically, effective stretches may include:
   • Neck tilt: Gently tilt your head to one side, holding for 15-30 seconds to stretch
     the neck and upper back
   • Child’s pose: This yoga position can stretch the shoulders and upper back while
     promoting relaxation
   • Leaning back over a foam roller or chair back: This position reverses the rounded shoulders posture that most of us spend a lot of time in, and can effectively relieve mid back pain

Preventing shoulder blade pain

Preventing shoulder blade pain involves a combination of proper posture, regular exercise, ergonomic adjustments, and lifestyle choices. Here are several effective strategies to help you avoid and/or prevent shoulder blade pain:

1. Maintain good posture
   • Sit and stand tall: Keep your shoulders back and down, aligning your ears over your shoulders. Furthermore, avoid slouching, especially when sitting for extended periods
   • Ergonomic workspace: Ensure your computer monitor is at eye level, and your chair provides adequate lumbar support. Also, use a chair that allows your feet to rest flat on the floor
2. Take regular breaks
   • Movement breaks: Stand up, stretch, and walk around every hour if you have a desk job. Short breaks help reduce muscle tension
   • Stretching: Incorporate gentle stretching exercises into your routine to relieve tightness in the neck, shoulders, and upper back
3. Exercise regularly
   • Resistance training: First, incorporate exercises that target the upper back and shoulders, like rows, lat pulldowns and shoulder presses
   • Flexibility training: Secondly, yoga or a daily mobility routine can improve overall flexibility and strengthen stabilizing muscles
4. Be mindful of repetitive movements
   • Change it up: If your job or hobbies involve repetitive shoulder movements, take breaks and vary your activities to prevent overuse injuries
   • Proper technique: Use proper techniques for lifting and carrying to avoid straining the shoulder area. Additionally, ask for help or use a tool if you need to lift objects that are too heavy for you
5. Invest in quality sleep
   • Sleep position: Use supportive pillows that keep your neck aligned with your spine. Also, avoid sleeping on your stomach, which can strain the neck and shoulders
   • Mattress: Ensure your mattress provides adequate support for your back. For example, if you are waking up with worse pain, there might be something you need to adjust in your nighttime routine

I still have shoulder blade pain, now what?

Sometimes, the pain can be stubborn and self-management is not resolving your problem to your satisfaction. In this case, you should consult a health care professional such as a Registered Physical Therapist/Physiotherapist. These professionals are trained to assess the movement and muscles of the human body and are experts at dealing with pain. Additionally, regular visits to either Physical Therapy or Massage Therapy may help with prevention of pain and maintenance of a healthy, active lifestyle.

The treatments may include:

1. Manual therapy techniques: This includes hands on work like massage and soft tissue techniques, mobilizations, and more. The goal is to reduce pain and dysfunction in the body
2. Modalities: For example, heat, therapeutic ultrasound, electrotherapy, and more. Your professional will decide what is appropriate for you to help your pain and help you get better quicker
3. Therapeutic exercises: Whether it’s stretches, strengthening, or postural exercises, your professional will create a home program for you to self-manage your pain
4. Acupuncture: The insertion of thin needles into certain parts of the body can stimulate many beneficial effects like pain relief, increased circulation, endorphin release and more

If you are experiencing pain, look for PhysioNow! We have many expert Physical Therapists, Massage Therapists and Manual Osteopaths to help resolve your pain. With 10 locations across the GTA including Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, and Etobicoke, we make it convenient to find help! Book with PhysioNow today for your first assessment and treatment.

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