Everything you need to know about a rhomboid injury
A rhomboid injury can be very painful, and it is quite possible you will need physical therapy after an injury to these muscles. There are two rhomboid muscles. Both the major and the minor rhomboid muscles are responsible for moving your shoulders in different ways, and injury them can cause a lot of upper back pain.
Causes and symptoms of a rhomboid injury
There are a couple of possible causes of an injured rhomboid muscle. The most common cause of this type of injury is repetitive motion, especially motion that is done over head involving the arms and shoulders. Other common repetitive motions that cause this type of injury include rowing, carrying a heavy backpack, especially if the load of that backpack is shifted to one particular side.
Another very common cause is some kind of trauma to the shoulder or arm.
There is really only one symptom of an injury to a rhomboid muscle. That symptom is pain, and the pain is usually located in the upper back toward the middle.
Treatment of a rhomboid injury
After the injury to the rhomboid muscle occurs, there are several things the patient should do to help in the recovery process. Of course the first thing involves mitigation of pain, and the best way to do this is to use hot and cold packs. Use hot packs for about 10 to 15 minutes, and then switch them out for ice packs. You can do this several times per day, alternating between hot and cold a couple of times each sitting.
Doctors will also recommend limiting the motion of the shoulder to help it heal. However, this must be balanced with stretching and physical therapy through exercises. Doctors may also recommend anti-inflammatory medications, and even ultrasound and electrotherapy in some cases.
There are several exercises that are recommended specifically for those who are trying to recover from an injured rhomboid muscle. The point is to get the injured muscle moving in a normal way once again. Start by standing with your hands clasped in front of you at chest height. Drop your head down and begin pushing your hands forward, feeling the stretch in the back of your shoulders.
Another good stretching exercise involves standing facing a wall. Put both hands slightly above your head on the wall, and step a short distance away from the wall. Begin to press your hands into the wall, feeling the stretch in the back of your shoulders.
In addition to stretching, patients should also make sure to keep these injured muscles in motion. One of the easiest ways to do this is to shrug the shoulders. Just make sure to do it very slowly and in a completely controlled motion. You should feel the muscles in the back of your shoulders really work as you shrug.
Some patients also find that massage helps with an injured rhomboid muscle. Patients won’t be able to return to normal activity until the pain is completely gone while doing their stretches.