One of the most common causes of pain between the shoulder blades is poor posture, which is characterized by rounded shoulders and a head that is distorted forward. This type of posture puts excessive strain on the rhomboid muscles, stretching them too far and weakening them. Over time, this can lead to scar tissue formation due to small tears, resulting in chronic pain. To understand the causes of rhomboid muscle pain and how to treat it, it's important to first understand the anatomy.
The rhomboid muscles are a large collection of muscles located in the upper back. The two main types are the rhomboid major and rhomboid minor. These muscles are responsible for maintaining shoulder stability and, when they become overstretched, can cause pain between the shoulder blades. If it is not possible to change the posture or ergonomics of the workplace, then the only option is to strengthen the postural muscles.
This can be done by stretching and strengthening the trapezius and rhomboids. It is also important to observe your posture while driving and evaluate how it affects your ribs. In addition, you may have active trigger points in some of the muscles that cause pain to descend down your arm. You can strain or injure your rhomboid muscles by overloading your back, shoulders, and arms when doing any activity that puts pressure on these areas.
Ultimately, the best way to reduce rhomboid muscle pain is to look at your posture and identify any factors that may be predisposing you to feeling pain in your left shoulder blade in particular. By stretching and strengthening the hyperactive rhomboid muscles, you will help them relax and reduce pain between the shoulder blades.