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If you have pain between shoulder blade and spine, rhomboids trigger points are the most likely cause. The rhomboid muscle runs from the inner border of the scapula (shoulder blade) up to the spine.
They act to stabilise the scapula as you’re moving your arm, and move the scapula over your ribs. These muscles are posture muscles, and are used all the time. Because they’re relatively weak, they are likely to get trigger points. If the triggers aren’t treated, these muscles can cause persistent pain.
Trigger points in these muscles are incredibly common. This is because nowadays, so many of us spend time hunched over computers, tablets, cellphones, and car steering wheels.
Poor posture and tight or rounded shoulders will turn on rhomboid trigger points, leading to muscle pain between the shoulder blades.
There are three main trigger points in the rhomboid muscle. They’re all located nearer to the scapula, and they all cause pain locally between the shoulder blades.
You can treat your rhomboid trigger points best by using a trigger point tool. This is because it’s hard to reach them yourself.
You can use a tennis or lacrosse ball to put pressure on the trigger points, or a tool like a Theracane, Back Knobber or Trigger Fairy.
The rhomboids are a superficial muscle, close to the surface, so they’re easy to reach once you have a tool positioned. Press gently on the muscle to make sure you’re in the right place, then use the ischemic pressure method to release the trigger points.
Because the rhomboid muscles are overlaid by the trapezius, it can be hard to know exactly which muscle you’re treating. However, as long as you’re accurately finding and turning off trigger points, the result is the same.
After treating the rhomboid, it’s important to finish off with a stretch. This is to reset the length of the muscle, and make the trigger point release last longer.
To stretch the rhomboids, round your shoulder blades as much as you can. Hunch your shoulders forward, and you will feel the rhomboids stretching in your back.
If you’re interested in finding out more on trigger points, and how to create strong, flexible, pain-free muscles, here’s where to download your free trigger point manual >>