UPPER BACK PAIN

As thousands of hours a day across the world are spent at a desk or computer, involving the young and the not so young, it is hardly surprising that upper back pain effects many.  How often do you see someone reaching behind their back,  trying to bring relief to a desperate spot between the shoulder blades..?

Muscular cause, and some....!

Many of the scapula stabilisers, if they contain trigger points, will refer pain right into the unreachable part of the middle back.  This can be felt as a deep ache or perhaps a burning pain.  These trigger points can restrict movement of the scapula so subjecting other surrounding muscles to overuse and eventually, further formation of trigger points.  The rhomboids, below, can cause double havoc.  As well as being tight and restricting movement of the scapula (shoulder blade) poor posture and slumped/ rounded shoulders can put these muscles on a permanent stretch so pulling on the attachments (medial border of the shoulder blade and the cervical and thoracic vertebrae) which in turn can cause irritation and pain at these attachments.   So you have trigger points, referring pain, together with mild inflammation at the attachments. 

Rhomboid Trigger Points, Travell and Simons, The Trigger Point Manual, Vol 1.

FURTHERMORE....!

Less apparent is the fact that there are other muscles far removed from the sight of pain that could be causal to upper back pain.  Trigger points in the scalene muscles refer pain in a remarkably unsuspecting manner including the upper, medial border of the scapula (shoulder blade)  similar to the rhomboids.  Equally the upper abdominals refer pain in a tight band across the upper back (as the lower abs do to the lower back). 

Scalene Muscles, Clair Davies, The Trigger Point Workbook, Ed 2

Abdominal Trigger Points, Travell and Simons, The Trigger Point Manual, Vol 1.

CORRECT YOUR POSTURE...

Start by sitting correctly.....

Then.... Find a knowledgeble therapist!

A knowledgeable trigger point therapist will treat the functional unit, i.e. all the muscles that could, and most likely are, contributing to upper back pain.  When your upper abs are now checked for trigger points you will understand why!  Follow the advice given after treatment and your work station could be a much happier place.  

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