Pain in the shoulder blade

Not quite a month ago I wrote a post about raking leaves and waking up the next day with pain at my shoulder blade.  I was able to relieve it after a few minutes of exercise.  Well.... it came back after a weekend of hovering over my computer.
This time I had a different strategy:  address the tension in my neck and pectoralis minor.
Due to the attachment on the coracoid process of the scapula, tension in the pec can pull the scapula forward lifting the bottom edge away from the body, potentially creating dysfunction for the entire shoulder girdle.
I was inspired by Jill Miller's YogaTune Up® Blog on the pec minor. So I share with you pics from my 2 minutes of myofascial work with a tennis ball, and "bam" no more pain!  I used a tennis ball for this, but I recommend the high grip rubber of the Yoga Tune Up massage balls.

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Find the deltopectoral groove at the front of your shoulder.

Place the ball at the groove, just under the clavicle.

Find a corner and lean into the wall.

You can add more pressure by shifting your weight forward into a lunge. Find a tender spot and allow your muscles to release. Come down farther onto the ribs and find another spot. Work 2-3 minutes.

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I felt good all day!  Until I woke up the next morning and there it was again: pain in my left shoulder blade!  This time I released my pec minor AND added the ball release to the muscles at my neck just above my clavicle.  Five minutes later, no pain!   Check out how I did it by watching this video on the right. The video on the left is a another great way to get into the pec minor.

Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT.  Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignintegrationandmovement.com.