Why Upper Back Stiffness Could Be the Root Cause of ...

Clinically, upper back joint stiffness in both the spinal and rib joints is a highly underrated feature in many shoulder complaints. Cart 0 Home AboutUs Services OurExperts OurPartners Testimonials Forms Blog Contact Back PhysicalTherapy SportsLab GolfLab LaserTreatment NutritionalCounseling MassageTherapy Back PhysicalTherapists SupportStaff Back Contact ReferaFriend WhyUpperBackStiffnessCouldBetheRootCauseofYourShoulderPain Inourlastarticle,wediscussedhowalackofhipmobilitycouldbeahiddencauseoflowbackpain.Theideaisthatalackofmovementdirectlybelowthelowerbackfundamentallychangesthewayweloadthelowerreachesofthespine-potentiallyleavingthedooropenforbackpainanddiscomfortovertime.Interestingly,thereisoftenasimilarconceptatplaywiththeshoulder.Functionally,theupperbackplaysaveryimportantroleinsupportingnormalshoulderfunction.Soanyjointortissuerestrictioninthisareahasthepotentialtoleadtopainandinjuryovertime.Solet’sdiscusssomehelpfulthignstoknowanddotomakesureyourshoulderhasthebestchancetorecoverandrecoverquickly.ImportantAnatomyoftheShoulderAsyoucanhopefullyappreciateintheimagebelow,theshoulderitselfismorethanjustasingle,isolatedjoint.It’ssurroundedbyanumberofmusclesthatspanlargeanatomicalareas.It’salsoinfluencedbyanumberofbonystructures. IfwetakeamuscleliketheTrapezius,youcanseethatitnotonlyinfluencestheshoulder,butalsoanchorstotheupperback,theneck,andalsothebaseoftheskull.Thismusclealonetiestogetheranumberofareastotheshouldermakingthemimportantconsiderationswhentryingtounderstandwhyshoulderpainoccurs.Beyondthis,wecanseethattheshoulderobviouslyattachestothetopoftheverymobilescapula.Thescapulasitsontopoftheupperbackallowingtheshouldertoslideandglideinwhicheverdirectionweneed.However,whenweintroducerestrictedupperbacktissueintotheequation,thingshavethepotentialtogoawry.Clinically,upperbackjointstiffnessinboththespinalandribjointsisahighlyunderratedfeatureinmanyshouldercomplaints.Inshort,ifyourupperbackhasahandbrakeontheshouldercouldbethestructurethatsuffersovertime.Soifyou’restrugglingtoshakeashoulderinjury,oryoujustwantyourshoulderstofunctionbetteragain,it’simportanttogolookingaroundtoseewhatyoucanfind.Or,betterstill,haveyourfavoritePhysicalTherapistsdoitforyou!HowtoFigureOutifYourUpperBackisStiffHavingshoulderpainandknowingtheupperbackmightbeconnectedisonething,butfiguringoutthespecificsofwhat’sgoingonbehindthescenescanbealittletrickier.Thankfully,there’sareallysimpleexercisethatalsodoublesasaself-diagnostictoolthatcanhelpyoufigureoutexactlywhat’sgoingbetweenyourupperbackandshoulder.Allyouneedisalacrosseballortennisball,somewheretoliedown(orawalltoleanupagainst),andanexploratorymindset. Astheabovevideohighlights,here’showtoassessyourupperbackandgetasenseofhowitmighttieintoyourshoulderpainordiscomfort:Doapre-testbyraisingyourarmupintheair.Takenoteofhowitfeelsandhowfaryougosoyoucancomparethingsafterward.Gentlylettheballpressintotheareasomewherebetweenyourshoulderbladeandthemiddleofthespine.Prioritizeareasthatfeelstiff,tight,orrestrictedmoresothanjusttenderspots.Resisttheurgetorollaroundandlettheballsinkin.Ifyouhavefoundaparticularlytightandtenderspot,gentlyliftyourarmashighasyoufeelcomfortableandgentlyoscillateitinandoutofyourendrangetosheerfreesomerestrictedtissue.Huntaroundforanyotherareasthatstandouttoyou.Re-testyourinitialarmlifttogaugeanychange.Oneofthebestthingsaboutusingaballinthiswayisthatitwillgiveyouaninstantideaofwhereyoumightberestricted,andanimmediatesenseofhowthatrestrictionisaffectingyourshoulder.Andonceyouhaveastrongsenseofwheretheseareasare,youcanusetheexactsamediagnostictesttogofreetheseareasup.It’ssuchabrilliantlyeducationalandpracticalthingtodoforanyshouldercomplaint.Soifyou’resomeonewho’sstrugglingtoovercomeshoulderpain,makesureyoutakethetimetoexplorehowstiffyourupperbackmightbe.Itcouldgenuinelybeoneofthemissingpiecestoyourpainpuzzle!Ifyou’restrugglingwithshoulderpainandwouldlikeoneofourexpertPhysicalTherapiststohelp,pleasedon’thesitatetocalluson(949)4435442.Alternatively,whynotjoinusinoneofourfortnightlyFREEshoulderpainworkshops!Youcanregisteryourinteresthereandaskasmanyquestionsasyoulike! JohnThomasMay1,2021shoulderpain,shoulderpainexercises,shoulderpainreliefComment 0Likes Previous Here'sWhatYourShoesAreReallyTellingYouAboutYourAches&Pain PhysicalTherapyJohnThomasMay25,2021shoes,footwear Next TheRoleofDecreasedHipMobilityinLowBackPain JohnThomasApril29,2021lowbackpain,backpain,backpainrelief,hipmobility,hipstretches