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Discover the latest insights and tips on physiotherapy, wellness, and health.
Discover the latest insights and tips on physiotherapy, wellness, and health.
If you’ve ever experienced upper back ache be your shoulder blades, additionally known as interscapular pain, you know how uncomfortable it can be. This is becoming an increasingly common condition, especially with the increased use of laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
Using these devices can contribute to poor posture, a decrease in range of motion, tightness, and pain.
Shoulder pain is any discomfort you feel around your shoulder joint. The shoulder is a complex joint that allows you to throw a ball, reach for an item, or give someone a high five. Because of how often you use it, your shoulder is more at risk of injury and damage, which can cause pain.
Pain in this region can stem from multiple sources, ranging from musculoskeletal strain to more serious internal conditions. Below are the common causes, grouped by type:
Musculoskeletal pain refers to pain that starts in your muscles, bones, joints, tendons, or ligaments. It's very common and can happen at any age. Almost everyone has it at some point in their lives. If you've ever strained your back, twisted your ankle, broken a bone, or ached because of arthritis, you've had musculoskeletal pain.
At the upper back can happen due to lifting heavy weights or from overuse injuries from overdoing any activity outside of your routine. The muscle fibers are loaded beyond their capacity and get injured. This causes sharp pain and inflammation around and under the shoulder blade. This can result in sudden stabbing pain under the right shoulder blade or persistent pain on the left side.
Poor posture overloads the spine and puts unequal stress on the structures around the spine. Often, you may need to maintain continuous postures while working. You may be working at your desk as an IT professional, or bending continuously while doing your chores. A poor posture can overload the muscles of the upper back and cause pain under the shoulder blade.
Pain under the shoulder can be caused by a fracture of the shoulder blade. The pain may also extend around the shoulder blade and make moving the arm painful.
Cervical disc herniation causes the ‘slipped’ disc to put increased pressure on the ligaments, nerves, and muscles of the neck and the upper back. The pain is often felt under the shoulder blade due to weakened upper back musculature.
Trauma is when we experience very stressful, frightening, or distressing events that are difficult to cope with or out of our control. It could be one incident or an ongoing event that lasts over a protracted time.
Most of us will experience an event in our lives that could be considered traumatic. But we won't all be affected the same way. Trauma can happen at any age. And it can affect us at any time, including long after the event has occurred.
Physiotherapy is a safe and effective way to manage shoulder blade pain. A licensed physiotherapist will assess your condition, identify the underlying causes, and develop a personalized treatment plan. Here are some ways physiotherapy can help:
Physiotherapists use techniques such as massage, heat therapy, and ultrasound to reduce pain and inflammation in the affected area. These treatments can help you feel relief quickly, while preparing your muscles for further rehabilitation.
Postural correction is a key focus of physiotherapy for shoulder blade pain. Exercises that strengthen the back, shoulder, and core muscles can help improve posture, reduce strain, and prevent future pain.
Targeted exercises help relieve muscle tension and strengthen weak muscles. Common exercises include scapular squeezes, shoulder rolls, and thoracic extensions. Strengthening the muscles around the shoulder blades ensures better support for your spine and shoulders
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Manual therapy techniques, such as joint mobilization and soft tissue manipulation, can help restore movement, reduce stiffness, and improve overall function in the shoulder blade region.
Physiotherapists often provide guidance on workstation setup, lifting techniques, and daily habits to prevent shoulder blade pain. Simple adjustments, such as raising your computer monitor or using a supportive chair, can make a significant difference.
Good posture is the foundation for preventing shoulder blade pain. Poor posture puts extra strain on the muscles around your shoulder blades.
Strong back and shoulder muscles support your shoulder blades and reduce pain.
Keeping an active routine helps your body maintain its strength and flexibility of your body. Regular exercise, whether yoga, pilates, swimming, or gymming, will contribute to a healthy lifestyle to keep you pain-free.
An active lifestyle supports typical body strength, flexibility, and joint health. Activities like yoga, swimming, Pilates, or gym workouts contribute to a pain-free upper back.
In some cases, a stabbing pain under the right shoulder blade might indicate nerve compression or referred pain from internal organs.
Pain under the left shoulder blade may signal different concerns. It is occasionally linked to cardiac conditions such as angina or early signs of a heart attack, especially if accompanied by other symptoms like chest discomfort or shortness of breath.
Physiotherapy plays a vital role in managing and relieving shoulder blade pain, especially when the discomfort is chronic, recurring, or due to muscular strain, postural issues, or nerve compression.
At its core, physiotherapy aims to identify the underlying cause of pain under the shoulder blade, whether it’s from overuse, poor posture, or referred pain from the cervical spine or internal organs. Once diagnosed, a personalized treatment plan is developed to target the root issue and prevent future recurrence.
Shoulder blade pain can interfere with daily life, but it’s often preventable and treatable. Identifying the cause, practicing good posture, staying active, and working with a physiotherapist are key steps to relief.
If you are struggling with pain under or around your shoulder blades, don’t wait. Schedule a physiotherapy consultation to get a personalized plan that reduces pain, improves mobility, and strengthens your upper back for a healthier, more comfortable life.
A: It depends on the cause. Simple muscle strains may heal in a few days to weeks, while postural or chronic issues may need longer physiotherapy.
A: Exercises done incorrectly may aggravate pain. Always follow a physiotherapist’s guidance and start with gentle, targeted movements.
A: Occasionally, yes. Pain under the left shoulder blade can sometimes indicate heart issues. Seek immediate care if the pain is severe, sudden, or accompanied by symptoms.
A: Posture improvements help significantly, but combining them with physiotherapy and regular exercises provides the best long-term results.
A: Resting briefly can help during acute pain, but extended inactivity may weaken muscles. A physiotherapist will recommend safe, gradual movement to aid recovery.
