Self help for Midback Pain

That nagging pain between the neck and shoulders which pledges so many of us with desk jobs or rounds our children’s shoulders forward who are a bit too video enthusiastic can be improved or even resolved if you or they are motivated to contribute to your own recovery. Start by seeing a Chiropractor and get your spine realigned. Next help yourself and your Chiropractor by being self-motivated to do a few simple exercises so he or she can do more important things than symptom management.

The three main muscles, which are weak and contributing to nagging upper trapezium pain (commonly thought of as shoulder pain), are the serratus anterior, the latissimus dorsi and the rhomboideus group. If these muscles are unfamiliar please toss the names into a search engine and familiarize yourself with them. Remember all muscles do is contract so the exercises are easier to understand and remember if you have a good mental image of what each muscle looks like and what each muscle attaches to.

When these three muscles are toned and strong they position the shoulder blade well back on the upper ribs effectively shortens the upper trapezium fibers. By shortening the distance the trapezium fibers travel from their origins on the skull / spinous processes of the spinal vertebra to their insertions on the scapula you will decreases to the stress on the region. Additionally you will increases the blood supply and decongest the region putting you on the road to recovery and self-management of this particular nagging problem.

Since the latissimus and the rhomboids exercises are commonly described I will concentrate on the serratus anterior which is an uncommon muscle to get advise on how to strengthen. To begin with the principle function of this muscle is to stabilize and protract the scapula. The best two exercises to target this muscle principle functions are ball rollouts and extended push-ups. Ball rollouts sounds like exactly what it is. While on your knees with your hands palm down on top of an exercise ball roll the ball away from you allowing the ball to remain in contact with your hands and forearms. This forces the serratus to stabilize the scapula and builds tone pulling the scapula flatter to the ribs and pulling the shoulders back. The final exercise I will describe is to do push-ups while your elbows are locked. Sounds strange but the point of the exercise is to protract your scapula not to work out your triceps.  For a video demonstration of the extended push-ups search you tube for me, Dr. Castilloux and or Contemporary Chiropractic. It is best to practice on a wall first before going to the floor for the actual extended push-ups. Remember to keep your elbows locked and don’t bend them. I hope this self-help article help you or your family.

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