Nagging Pain Inside The Bottom of the Shoulder Blade

Shoulder Pain

Nagging Pain Inside The Bottom of the Shoulder Blade

How People Describe This Pain Pattern
How You Activate and Intensify This Pain Pattern
Self-Care – Getting Relief on Your Own
Musculoskeletal Anatomy Behind Your Pain
Therapy Notes for Massage and Bodywork

Want to skip ahead?
Here’s a link to my post about
getting relief on your own.

How People Describe This Pain Pattern

People complain of nagging pain in the upper or mid-back, just inside the bottom of the shoulder blade. They have trouble determining what causes it or what to do for relief. They may also complain of sore ribs on that side, just under the armpit or fibrocystic breasts. They usually have a straighter upper back with shoulder blades that wing out instead of laying flatly against the back.

Sometimes, this bothers them while walking or running. That pattern is more common in people who have a rounded upper back. Also, those people are prone to getting a stitch in their side when running or walking.

Often, they have tried many things to take care of it but have not figured out to get relief because the trigger point is not near the site of pain and in a muscle that is seldom addressed.

How You Activate and Intensify This Pain Pattern

Coffee Shop collaboration from www.ringcentral.co.uk

This problem is ordinarily caused by forceful or prolonged retraction of the shoulder blade. The most common cause is resting on the elbows while working on a laptop, especially when bent forward or lying on the floor.

There are great examples in this pic. The gal on the right sits up straight. That’s great. But, look at how her shoulders are high and from leaning on her elbows habitually. The guy in the middle is similar but not even trying to sit up straight. On the left, the guy is in the posture that creates this problem. See how he stretches the muscle by leaning on his elbows. The gal by the window does a great job of dropping her shoulders and elbows.

People also get this pattern from a new routine of push-ups or planks during exercise. One client said this started after more vigorous tennis. Another client fell while mountain biking and landed so that it pushed her shoulder back and strained this muscle.

This problem may follow an illness that involves chronic or prolonged coughing. If you have this or other pain from coughing, look at his post. It has simple strategies for relief from different areas of pain that come from chronic coughing.

This muscle helps expand the chest and during labored breathing and may be present during vigorous exercise. It is the same muscle that crates that stitch in your side while running.

The Musculoskeletal Anatomy Behind Your Pain

Musculoskeletal Anatomy

About these Illustrations…

Serratus anterior is a fan-shaped muscle that pulls the shoulder blade forward from the back border. It is highly variable. Read more in this post about serratus anterior.

Getting Relief on Your Own

Clinically Proven
Self-Care Strategies

There are stretches and exercises that can help. Look at this post for ideas that are clinically proven to work.

Therapy Notes for Massage and Bodywork

Better Bodywork
Through Shared Expertise

Review these clinic notes for a more complete approach to treatment.

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Tony Preston has a practice in Atlanta, Georgia, where he sees clients. He has written materials and instructed classes since the mid-90s. This includes anatomy, trigger points, cranial, and neuromuscular.

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Tony Preston

Tony Preston, LMT has been treating adults and children since the early 90s. He has authored a number of texts on neuromuscular and craniosacral techniques. He has taught Neuromuscular Therapy for ASHA School of Massage and craniosacral the National Institute of Craniosacral Studies. He currently teaches seminars in Integrative Craniosacral techniques at The Body Guild.