Three issues that cause pain in the shoulder blade area

The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, but it’s also one of the most likely to cause pain. 

In fact, researchers reveal that 15.4% of men and 24.9% of women report having weekly episodes of shoulder pain. People who are experiencing pain in their shoulder blade area can have a particularly tough time. After all, pain in this area can make it difficult to grab a water glass from a cabinet. It can also make getting through your workday much harder. Understanding the source of your pain is the first step in the treatment process, and physical therapists can help you take this important step. 

Pain in your shoulder blade area could be caused by these three issues

Physical therapists can help people find the cause of many different kinds of shoulder pain. Typically, they’ll do so by performing an assessment on the affected shoulder. This might involve asking you questions about your pain, such as when it happens and how bad it is. Your therapist will also have you do certain movements to determine which ones lead to pain. 

The information gathered during your assessment allows your physical therapist to pinpoint the cause of pain in your shoulder blade area. Some common causes your therapist might discover include: 

1. Poor posture — Do you catch yourself sitting hunched over a computer or cellphone every day? This is something that far too many people do. Unfortunately, it can have negative effects on your neck, shoulders and upper back. In addition, forward head posture and other forms of poor upper body posture are all too common. One study reports that almost 64% of the university students surveyed had forward head posture. 

2. Poor lifting technique — Lifting objects over the head is a common action. However, it can easily lead to shoulder pain. This is especially true if you are: 

• Lifting objects that are too heavy
• Holding the object far away from your body
• Lifting with a misaligned spine

3. Overuse — Using the shoulders too much is a common source of injuries and pain. For instance, overuse can cause inflammation in tendons. It can also lead to ligament sprains and muscle strains. Certain occupations are particularly likely to lead to shoulder overuse. Some of these include house painting, furniture moving and carpentry. In addition, people who regularly play sports that involve a lot of throwing, like softball or baseball, are more susceptible to overuse injuries in their shoulders. 

Pain in your shoulder blade area? Back in Motion can help

Are you looking for a physical therapy team that can help you learn what’s causing the pain in your shoulder blade area? Look no further than our Back in Motion Physical Therapy team. We offer free screenings intended to reveal the root cause of your shoulder symptoms. Our therapists also excel at constructing personalized therapy plans designed to treat your specific shoulder issue.