When you think of shoulder pain, your mind probably jumps to scenarios where you slept on it wrong or that you overworked the joints while playing a sport. But it’s also possible to experience pain between the shoulder blades. The pain can limit your range of motion and interfere with your quality of life.
Your shoulder blades play a large role in the overall function of your shoulders. When you’re experiencing pain surrounding the bones, it can be difficult to comfortably move your upper extremity. That’s why it’s important to learn about the potential causes for pain between the shoulder blades. Then you can determine the most effective way to treat it.
Learn about the basics of pain between the shoulder blades, potential reasons behind the ache and how physical therapy can help.
What does it mean to experience pain between the shoulder blades?
The scapulas, or shoulder blades, are flat, triangular bones that connect your collarbone (clavicle) to your humerus (upper arm bone). They help your shoulder joint have a complete range of motion for movements, including rotations and elevation.
Shoulder pain is one of the most common types of pain that people experience every now and then, affecting up to 26% of people at any given time. That means that any sort of ache in the shoulder region isn’t unusual, including around the shoulder blades.
Pain between the shoulder blades often refers to an issue stemming from the back, neck or surrounding muscles. The pain can range in severity depending on the cause, from a dull ache to a shooting pain. Pain between the shoulder blades can make it difficult to move your arms and limit your overall mobility.
Possible reasons that you’re experiencing pain between the shoulder blades
It may be attempting to just brush off the pain you’re feeling. But it’s important to learn about the potential cause behind it so that you can properly treat it to reduce the risk of further damage.
There are a few different injuries and medical conditions that may explain pain between the shoulder blades, including:
- Muscle strain — One of the most common causes for upper extremity pain is a muscle strain. It means that the tissue connecting your muscles and bones have been overstretched or torn. This is a soft tissue injury that can occur from poor posture, heavy lifting or exercising without properly stretching. It’s possible to strain the muscles or ligaments that are located between your shoulder blades.
- Rotator cuff tear — Your shoulder joint is held in place by a group of muscles that keep the head of the humerus in the shoulder socket, called the rotator cuff. Trauma or gradual degeneration can cause the rotator cuff tendons to tear, resulting in pain and weakness that can be felt between your shoulder blades.
- Herniated disc — Also known as degenerative disc disease, a herniated disc means that the nucleus of a disc located in your spine has leaked through a tear or crack in the exterior. It can push against nerves or the spinal cord, causing pain or numbness. If it’s causing an ache between your shoulder blades, then the herniated disc is likely located in your neck (cervical spine) or thoracic spine (upper back).
- Arthritis — If you have arthritis in the neck, called cervical spondylosis, it can cause pain and limited mobility around your shoulder blades. Cervical spondylosis means that the spinal discs and bones located in your neck have been affected by wear and tear over time.
How physical therapy can help treat pain between the shoulder blades
If the pain between your shoulder blades has made it difficult to carry out your daily physical tasks, then it’s time to explore treatment options that can help alleviate it. One of the most effective treatments for any type of shoulder-related pain is physical therapy.
A physical therapist can carry out an evaluation of your symptoms to determine the possible cause behind the pain. Then they can design a personalized treatment plan based on the cause and severity of the ache.
Your treatment plan will likely include manual therapy techniques, such as soft tissue mobilization. It involves them using their hands in massage-like movements around the shoulder blades to break up scar tissue and release the painful tension.
Targeted exercises can help alleviate the pain as well as reduce the risk for future pain or injury. Your physical therapist will walk you through safe and effective stretches that will increase the area’s range of motion. You’ll also learn exercises that will strengthen the surrounding muscles to reduce the likelihood of muscle strains or injuries.
Alliance PTP is ready to help you find top-notch PT for pain between shoulder blades
At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need.
Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help you address pain between shoulder blades.
Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform.
Come find help for your injury or chronic condition today!