Stress, bad postures, inappropriate gestures… Contractures located around the shoulder blades can have various origins and handicap daily life. Solutions exist to overcome it. The shoulder blades are the two triangular-shaped floating flat bones located at the very top of the back.
"Many muscles and ligaments fit into it since the shoulder blades are the messengers between the spine and the shoulders", explains Benoit Saout, masseur-physiotherapist. They are therefore heavily used in everyday life. Prolonged poor posture in the neck or forearm can cause a lot of muscle tension in this area . Pain can also come from deep back muscles.
Better to dissipate them as soon as possible, otherwise stiffness can set in for a long time, hamper movement, prevent deep breathing and disturb sleep.
As soon as the contractures appear, some judicious stretching can alleviate them.
Start by standing up with your legs slightly apart. Cross your arms and place your hands under your shoulders. Turn the bust to the left and hold this position for ten seconds, then do the same by turning to the right. Repeat several times in a row.
To stretch the neck muscles: brace your back against a wall, bend your knees slightly and turn your head slowly from side to side. Then gently tilt your head to each side, bringing your ear closer to your shoulder, ten times in a row.
To release tension between the shoulder blades :roll a rubber ball between the wall and the top of the spine. You can place a hand on the shoulder on the opposite side to lift the scapula slightly and better access the dorsal thoracic muscles (rhomboids).
If the shoulder blades remain painful, consult an osteopath or a physiotherapist. By mobilizing the tetanized muscles, they will release the recalcitrant tensions. Daily self-massages can also be helpful. For greater effectiveness, add 5 drops of wintergreen essential oil (anti-inflammatory and analgesic) to 20 drops of vegetable oil used for massage.
Video of the day:Another solution:percussion therapy using high frequency massage guns (Theragun or Hero FX). These devices, once reserved for physiotherapists, are now available over the counter.
"They relax the muscles by improving their oxygenation and promoting the drainage of lactic acid produced by sports practice or by prolonged contracture", specifies Matthieu Gauch, physiotherapist and osteopath. Simply place the tip on the painful areas, "about two minutes per muscle, emphasizes Benoit Saout. For the shoulder blade area, massage the base of the neck, the back of the collarbones, on either side of the thoracic vertebrae , as well as the muscle mass at the back of the pit of the armpit".
Avoid in case of fracture, inflammation of ligaments or tendons, shoulder prosthesis or wearing a pacemaker.
Prolonged elevation of the arm is the cause of a lot of pain in the shoulder blades. It is therefore necessary to review the ergonomics of your workstation in order to be able to rest your forearm when handling your computer mouse. A desk armrest or cushion helps to remedy this. Similarly, avoid bottle-feeding your baby by keeping your elbow up. Lean it on the sofa armrest.
Sitting, take care not to arch your back and roll your shoulders forward. To relieve the thoracic vertebrae, the back must remain straight, the shoulders low and aligned. And since stress often rebounds in the upper back, take up yoga, Qigong or mindfulness meditation to block it.
Please note:Unusual shoulder blade pain is not necessarily related to neuromuscular dysfunction. This can be a symptom of a disorder in the stomach (ulcer) or gallbladder (gallstones) . If the pain occurs after a violent shock or an intense sports activity, it can also reveal the presence of a fracture or dislocation of the shoulder. Faced with these situations, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
And if the pain comes on suddenly, radiating from the left side to the shoulder or arm, it may be a sign of a myocardial infarction. Immediately dial 15.
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