severe rhomboid/lower trap pain, from overuse??? tightness?

go2gal · Post by **go2gal** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:56 pm

hi 2 all. jersey girl needs 2 know what's goin' on?? newbie @ this, and
am developing nicely, good form, proper breathing, not xcssively
overdoing it, however,,,, i am suffering from some crze mid back
pain. not lower, but in the middle in between shoulder blades and a lil
upper and on the flat bone of the shoulder blades
know enuff that i need 2 do some more core work, bcuz i
sit alot,on comp, in school, etc and am properly stretching before after and during. heat pad is the only relief, can't take an ibu evry day! properposture is also better than avg,. so please someone ... xplain! backxcercises include, seated row, and the usual lifestyle fitness machine
so what gives?

Post by **Jungledoc** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:22 am

Questions:

1. What do you mean by "the usual lifestyle fitness machine"?

2. What stretches are you doing?

3. What core exercises are you doing now, and what are you thinking of doing when you talk about needing to do more core work?

4. Are you squatting, deadlifting or military pressing? In fact, why don't you outline your whole routine in detail for us. There's almost no part of the body that can't affect another part in some way.

5. When exactly do you experience the pain? (While lifting? After the workout?) Is it constant, brief, intermittent, or what?

By the way, you can take an ibu every day. Some people have to take many ibus every day. But it would be better to find and correct the cause of the pain.

nygmen · Post by **nygmen** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:37 am

In addition to answering Doc's questions, this sounds sort of similar; (I'm thinking especially Ironman's post at the bottom.) Read this, it is quick: http://exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4965

Also, one thing Deadlifts have taught me is that what I thought was above average posture, is actually horrible. I sit all day at work 10-12 hours including driving time, 16-20 hours from January to April, my posture is awful, and DOMS lets me know. So don't rule out posture.

This is just a shot in the dark, but could it be muscle cramps? I know if I haven't drunk enough water, or have drank too much coffee in a day, I can cramp up like crazy. But it is normally in my hips, legs and feet… So that might be irrelevant.

KPj · Post by **KPj** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:17 am

I'm going to stop my overactive mind for now - would like to see answers to Jungledocs post to get more of an idea of what the OP is doing.

However, since there's some mention here about desk jockeys and lifting, then I thought I would post these 2 articles, by Tony Gentilcore, dedicated to the computer guy and how he (or SHE) should be training.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... mputer_guy

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... _hours&cr=

KPj

Post by **Jungledoc** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:24 am

Another example of the OP asking for help, and then not coming back to look or reply?

nygmen · Post by **nygmen** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:44 pm

Jungledoc wrote:Another example of the OP asking for help, and then not coming back to look or reply?

Seems like it, to bad too, this could have been pretty informative…

Although KPj - Thanks, those articles are great… And pretty much, outside from what I do in the gym, fit me pretty accurately. I sit with my legs under my chair and phone to the right and computer to the left everyday for hours, among other things...

KPj · Post by **KPj** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:27 am

Glad they helped.

I've pretty much came to the conclusion that people who sit at desks all day basically beat up their joints more than guys working in some kind of manual labour. When going to universtity and working (3 part time jobs, all of which required prolonged sitting) and then leaving uni and working full time (sitting at a desk), my posture changed quite dramatically. It was the 'real' cause of a chronic shoulder injury. Although my stupid training program only made things worse. Before university I would just sit down during School and was very active out with school - never much into computer games or anything.

Also, Chiropractors and Massage Therapists and other various experts are making a fortune from my work place. Men and Woman around 30-40 years of age all hobbling around as if they're war veterans or something. All they 'do' is nothing, ya know - it's very bizarre. One of the directors in my company pays a physiotherapsts and chiropractor regularly to sort her aches and pains, and get's a Personal Trainer to help her lose weight (clearly, none of it is working). That's exactly why i'm going to get certified - try and get people like that to consolidate all their fees into one fee and i'll fix everything

I mean, if the trainer knew how to design a program around her posture then he would know to stretch whats tight, strengthen what's weak, and bang on about making an effort to sit in good posture and move around some more, which would be the answer to allof her problems which, right now, are taking 3 seperate payments to 3 seperate experts, and it's not even working. It's crazy.

My work place has some pretty extreme examples though - people who sit all day and sit all night, and sit all weekend, and have done this most of their lives.

Ok, couldn't help but rant there. If you follow the advice of those articles, you'll do very well. I would actually say that about everyone, not just 'desk jockeys'.

KPj

caangelxox · Post by **caangelxox** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:39 am

I am complete opposite. Mine is the upper trapz (overactive and tight), so I need to work on mid/lower trapz/rhomboid work. I have also noticed when looking in the mirror that my left shoulder is longer than my right and when I have my PJ top on, my left shoulder a lot of times wants to go almost naked (the collar goes toward my left shoulder). My right upper trapz is what is mostly tight and overactive and causing the problem; however, I am not so sure. One of my friends went down the back of my neck and one of the little thingys in my neck spine is going the other direction. That is probably due to the overactive/tightness.

I should work light weight on the tight side and same weight of course on the other side until the problem is fixed. I have seen a chiropractor before and have been adjusted; however, in order to stay in alignment I have to work on my strength and weaknesses. chiropractor adjustments are only temporarly I have noticed; otherwise, anyone who would get adjusted would only need to go only one time no matter what. I wonder how well this one guy I saw left before I went in the last time I went kept his adjustment in place. His adjustment was big because his ear was almost touching his shoulder on one side when he went in and then when he came out, perfect posture just like me when I come out.

the hardest part is keeping yourself align and keeping the adjustments. My tailbone also always pops a lot after I see my chiropractor from fixing the twisted pelvis.

so yeah...your situation...read... http://www.t-nation.com/article/perform ... shrugs&cr= by billhartman and mike robertson. Me myself has to try to stay away from anything that involves the upper trapz, which is hard.

huwwaters · Post by **huwwaters** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:52 pm

caangelxox wrote:I am complete opposite. Mine is the upper trapz (overactive and tight), so I need to work on mid/lower trapz/rhomboid work. I have also noticed when looking in the mirror that my left shoulder is longer than my right and when I have my PJ top on, my left shoulder a lot of times wants to go almost naked (the collar goes toward my left shoulder). My right upper trapz is what is mostly tight and overactive and causing the problem; however, I am not so sure. One of my friends went down the back of my neck and one of the little thingys in my neck spine is going the other direction. That is probably due to the overactive/tightness.

I should work light weight on the tight side and same weight of course on the other side until the problem is fixed. I have seen a chiropractor before and have been adjusted; however, in order to stay in alignment I have to work on my strength and weaknesses. chiropractor adjustments are only temporarly I have noticed; otherwise, anyone who would get adjusted would only need to go only one time no matter what. I wonder how well this one guy I saw left before I went in the last time I went kept his adjustment in place. His adjustment was big because his ear was almost touching his shoulder on one side when he went in and then when he came out, perfect posture just like me when I come out.

the hardest part is keeping yourself align and keeping the adjustments. My tailbone also always pops a lot after I see my chiropractor from fixing the twisted pelvis.

so yeah...your situation...read... http://www.t-nation.com/article/perform ... shrugs&cr= by billhartman and mike robertson. Me myself has to try to stay away from anything that involves the upper trapz, which is hard.

Have had the same problem. Check the upper trapezius muscles for any knots etc. and possibly get them massaged. Stop doing or limit workouts that heavily work the upper traps such as snatches, deadlifts, cleans, shrugs etc. and focus on strengthening seratus anterior and lower trapezius mucles to pull the shoulder blade down. Throw in a lot of rowing motions with emphasis on trying to keep your shoulder blade down and close to the body.

Also stretch the internal rotaor muscles. A method I used which worked very well was to lie on your back with the side to be stretched perpendicular to the body and fist pointing towards the ceiling. Turn to lie on your side, on the side to be stretched, and lean past square to the floor in order to restrict movement of the joint. Try and get the palm now to touch the floor. You will probably feel a large stretch on your dominant side. See picture.