Most commonly pain in the inside of the shoulder blade region is caused by stiffness in the lower neck.
This stiffness is usually a result of a gradual loss of movement in the lower neck caused by sustained forward head postures. Gradually, these joints settle into a protruded position so they get stuck and can’t move into retraction (chin tuck) very well anymore.
When the joints get stuck, the soft tissue around them begins to refer pain into the top of the shoulder or the shoulder blade region.
Massage might provide relief, but until these joints are freed up and remain free with self-treatment techniques, the referred pain will always return.
You can assess for this lower neck stiffness and treat this with retraction (chin tuck) movements.
If this movement is stiff, try beginning with chin tuck movements first to see if it frees up the pain. You’ll need at least 20 repetitions of this movement each day for at least 7 to 10 days to achieve a significant change.
If there is no effect after 7 days, we recommend to come and see us.
But if it makes the pain worse and it remains worse after a few different attempts at the exercise over 24 to 48 hours, we also recommend to come and see us.
