Back pain is something that affects virtually everyone in the world, both men and women of all ages. It is said that more than 80% of us will seek relief from severe back pain at one time or another.
Causes…
While not as common as lower back discomfort, many people experience back pain between the shoulder blades (the scapulae). This upper back pain between the shoulder blades can be caused by a number of factors:
- Being physically fit and trying to look good has never been more common, so many young people spend a lot of time exercising. They often overdo it, do the exercises incorrectly, don’t warm up or stretch properly. This makes the muscles that run from the neck down between the shoulder blades very easily tense. Muscle exhaustion also causes back pain between the shoulder blades, so don’t push yourself beyond your effective limits.
- Many of us are spending more and more time in the office, sitting in uncomfortable office chairs (with poor posture), taking phone calls (phone resting between ear and shoulder), lifting, turning, bending, and doing tasks that cause than our bodies to draw. When your body gets tired, usually your back begins to sag and back pain between the shoulder blades begins.
- As mentioned, those of us with poor posture tend to slouch, which can cause pain throughout your entire back, not just your upper back.
- Overweight men and women and women with larger-than-average breasts tend to have back pain between the shoulder blades thanks to the added stress of weight placed on the spine.
- Add in potential medical conditions and diseases like a pinched nerve, herniated disc, degenerative disc, and others…and your upper back muscles don’t stand a chance.
These things are just some of the things that can cause back (chest) pain, but they can cause discomfort ranging from mildly annoying to very painful, chronic, and debilitating.
It is important to do everything possible to address and alleviate these problems. We have enough to worry about under normal circumstances without adding back pain.
First…as always, before seeking upper back pain relief and beginning self-treatment, see your doctor for a diagnosis of what is creating your particular problem.
The causes of an upper back problem and back pain between the shoulder blades are many and varied, and you should find out what condition is causing your pain before you do anything that could make it worse.
Be sure to follow any advice your therapist recommends. It constantly amazes me how many of us pay for professional advice and then ignore it.
There are exercises for back pain that help loosen muscles and strengthen the back, but those who exercise should be sure not to overexert themselves when biking, running, training on the elliptical machine, or other activities. Be sure to stretch well both before and after exercising.
Those who spend a fair amount of time in the office should make sure they have comfortable chairs to sit in. A poorly designed chair is a more common cause of chronic back pain between the shoulder blades than most of us realize.
I like to see a shapely leg as much as any man, but many women wear heels that are too high, and heels that are too high contribute to back pain. (In addition to damaging the feet). Wearing comfortable shoes in the workplace is vital to relieving back pain. Save the heels for a night on the town.
Poor posture can easily lead to a herniated cervical disc. It’s easy to slouch, but correcting your posture will go a long way to avoiding potentially serious back problems.
If you suspect you have poor posture, look in the mirror to check. If your chin is more than 2 inches in front of your chest, then your head is probably too low and hunched.
Roll your shoulders back and lift your head toward the ceiling. Straighten your back and lift your chest to correct your posture. You must make the effort to walk with good posture, it can be a pain, but it is easier than surgery, years of physical therapy, medications and visits to your doctor.
People with large breasts should make sure to wear bras that offer enough support. Women with larger breasts can visit a bra specialist for information on what type of bra is best for providing the necessary support.
Taking these small steps to change can help you reduce the amount of back pain between your shoulder blades that you experience, and you may find that these small changes are the difference between acute discomfort and a pain-free life.