Shoulder Blade Pain May Be Neck Pain in Disguise
Have you noticed your shoulder blade hurts when you sit for long periods? Does your shoulder blade pain intensify when you turn your head/neck to look over your shoulder? Is your shoulder blade keeping you awake at night? These are all signs that your shoulder blade pain may be neck pain in disguise.
At Loop Physical Therapy in Chicago, IL, our physical therapists are musculoskeletal experts and can help you identify the source of your pain and, more importantly, how to resolve it.
People with pain in their shoulder blades often mistake their condition for a shoulder problem. The shoulder blade (scapula) is the triangular bone in your back’s upper/midway aspect. This bone is the socket part of the ball and socket shoulder joint.
Fortunately, at Loop Physical Therapy in Chicago, IL, our physical therapists know how to distinguish the source of your shoulder blade pain and your neck. And in situations where it is both shoulder and neck, we have solutions too!
Request an appointment today, and let us help you get to the root of your problem and find solutions that help you feel better again!
Common causes of shoulder blade pain
The shoulder blade is integral to our ability to reach and lift with our upper extremities. It is also connected to how the spine functions and our ability to use our necks correctly.
Pain is our body’s way of alerting us to a potential problem and stopping us from doing something that might cause an injury or alert us of actual damage. Pain in the shoulder blade is no different.
The leading causes of pain in the shoulder blade area are due to the following reasons:
- Poor posture: Slouching while sitting and/or looking down for extended periods causes sustained pressure on the neck joints and the muscles supporting the neck and shoulder blades. Prolonged sitting with poor posture may eventually cause pain underneath the shoulder blade.
- Neck pain: The lower joints of the neck (aka cervical spine) refer the pain to the shoulder blade. The cervical five nerve roots (C5) and C6 nerve roots typically affect the upper aspect, whereas the C7 and C8 nerve roots affect the middle and lower parts of the scapula.
The research literature has concluded that people with stenosis and/or herniated discs at these levels often experience scapular pain.
- Heart condition: Some heart conditions can present as pain in the shoulder blade region. For example, a heart attack may present as pain in the upper back and/or shoulder blade (especially in women).
- Muscle strain: Improper lifting and/or repetitive lifting may lead to pain in the upper back and neck muscles. You are especially vulnerable when you lift with a forward head or if the object is too heavy or held away from the body.
It’s important to see one of our physical therapists for an assessment, especially if your pain is persistent and/or severe. We can help identify where your pain is coming from and offer solutions to feel good again!
How physical therapy can help your shoulder blade pain
Our Chicago, IL physical therapists are experts in pinpointing the source of your aches and pains. We will develop a plan to help you quickly relieve your pain so you can get back to doing what you enjoy.
No matter what the cause of your shoulder blade pain, there are simple steps you can take to have an immediate impact:
Find your natural posture: The spine does not like to remain in one position for extended periods, especially in a slouched posture. The neck is susceptible to forward head postures and prolonged looking down. Learning to find your natural posture will begin to counteract the prolonged posture you find yourself in throughout the day.
Start by lifting your breast bone (i.e., sternum) towards the sky. This will naturally cause your spine to straighten out, lifting you into your natural posture. Many people try to squeeze their shoulder blades together to improve posture, but this is not effective, nor is it a natural way, and only aggravates the already overused muscles.
Limit how long you sit: More and more research has shown the negative impact of sitting. When considering the effects on the health of your scapula, there is no doubt the longer you sit, the more vulnerable you are to developing pain.
Although adjusting your posture while sitting is helpful, standing up periodically throughout the day is another effective solution. Limit your sitting to 30-45 minutes for the best results.
Our physical therapists are movement experts. They will identify the source of your shoulder blade pain and give you the tools to resolve it once and for all!
Contact us today to request an appointment!
Our physical therapists will design a treatment plan at Loop Physical Therapy in Chicago, IL to help you find relief and teach you how to protect your body from future injuries and pain.
Request an appointment at Loop Physical Therapy today and learn more about how we can help you live pain-free!