Image of a man's back, he's touching the bottom of his left shoulder blade.

 

Stretch for shoulder blade pain

Body Part:
Shoulder Blades

Equipment:
None

Level:
Beginner

Roland Liebscher-Bracht in a white shirt is kindly smiling.

Roland Liebscher-Bracht

Germany’s trusted pain specialist

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Roland & Petra

THE PAIN SPECIALISTS

Over 30 years of research and hands-on experience make the Liebscher & Bracht pain therapy what it is today: an outstanding approach to naturally treating pain conditions. Making use of the mechanics of the body, it offers people the chance to free themselves of their discomfort by using unique and incredibly useful techniques. All this happens without having to rely on medication or operations.

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The Liebscher & Bracht Shoulder Pain Guide

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A 2-Minute Stretch for Shoulder Blade Pain

If you are experiencing soreness, a dull ache, or burning between or under your shoulder blades, this 2-minute stretch can help relieve your discomfort and restore your range of motion. Our stretch also helps relax muscle tension in the upper chest. All you need to perform our exercise for shoulder blade pain is the corner of a room. Jump to our routine and start exercising, or keep reading to learn more about the shoulder blades and where that pesky pain comes from.

The Shoulder Blades

The shoulder blades, also known as the scapulas, are flat, triangular-shaped bones on the upper back. These sturdy bones connect the clavicle (collarbone) to the humerus (the upper arm bone). The scapulas play a crucial role in the smooth movement of the shoulder joint: seventeen muscles are attached to each shoulder blade, all of which help the bone elevate and lower, rotate upward and downward, draw back and extend. 

Because we use our arms so frequently each day, pain under or between the shoulder blades can be an obstacle to even the simplest movements.

What Causes Shoulder Blade Pain?

Common causes of scapular or interscapular pain are:

  • Poor posture when you’re working in front of the computer. According to a recent study, shoulder and neck pain is a habitual complaint from employees who spend prolonged periods at their computers. 1) 
  • Sleeping in an awkward position.
  • Overworking your shoulders during exercise or sports.
  • Lifting objects that are too heavy or lifting heavy objects and not using proper technique.
  • An injury to surrounding muscles or tendons.
  • A pinched nerve in the neck. (Common if you’ve slipped or herniated a disc in the cervical spine.)
  • A torn rotator cuff. Tearing a rotator cuff can cause pain that radiates down the arm to the shoulder blade. 
  • The area around your shoulder blades is inflamed.
  • Osteoporosis (a condition that weakens the bones, leaving them vulnerable to breaks) in the shoulder or neck area.
  • Arthritis in the shoulder blades.

Symptoms of shoulder blade pain are soreness, a dull ache, or shooting pain. You may feel the pain under or between your shoulder blades, or the pain may spread across your upper back. Your range of motion may be limited, and your affected arm may feel weak. You may find it difficult to lift your affected arm above your shoulder.

Roland Liebscher-Bracht is helping a woman stretch her shoulders in the corner of a room.
  • Stand facing the corner of a room with your feet hip width apart. If you need support, step forward with one foot.
  • Straighten your arms and raise them until they are at about a 30° angle to your shoulders.
  • Place each hand on the wall and lean your chest into the corner.
  • You’ll feel a stretch through your pectoral muscles and between your shoulder blades.
  • Lean closer to the wall to increase the intensity of the stretch.
  • Hold the position for 2 to 2.5 minutes.
  • Slowly take your hands off the wall and finish.

The Routine to Relieve Shoulder Pain.

Get on a stretching schedule to relieve pain in your shoulder blades. Stretch 6 days a week and leave 1 day for rest. As soon as the burning between your blades goes away and your range of motion has been restored, you can adjust how often you stretch.

Sources & Studies

  • ↑1 Andersen, C. H., Andersen, L. L., Zebis, M. K., & Sjøgaard, G. (2014). Effect of scapular function training on chronic pain in the neck/shoulder region: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 24(2), 316–324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-013-9441-1.

Get More Exercises for Shoulder Pain

Download our free shoulder pain guide and discover stretches, foam rolling massages, and Osteopressure that help fight shoulder pain.

The Liebscher & Bracht Shoulder Pain Guide

All gain. No pain.

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