Low on the list of priorities, atleast compared to what others here are having to deal with (and good luck to everyone who’s having to deal with something right now - heal quickly!). But this is driving me nuts:
For the last decade or so? I’ll occasionally get a knot in my scapula that I just can’t get out. When it happens, it’s enough to take my breath away thr forst couple of days, and then just irritates fora few weeks and gradually gets better.
Happened again a few weeks ago, and this time it’s brought a new wrinkle: my left arm feels like I whacked my funny bone, pretty much constantly. I presume that it’s compressing a nerve somewhere, but I had some tests run last year (for a separate - but apparently related - issue) and they couldn’t find anything wrong.
I’m currently doing dynamic stretching and some body weight exercises, and that seems to help once everything is warmed up. But it’s only temporary, and really comes back at night, and will wake me out of a sound sleep unless I ay perfectly still all night (doesn’t happen often).
I’ve also tried lacrosse balls, massage, door frames, static stretching, and some topicals that all give temporary relief, but it’s never gone.
I thought I was getting on top of it this year with a better strength training regimen, but apparently it wasn’t enough.
Anyone with any ideas on what else to do, or am I just gona hafta wait it out? Appreciate any feedback anyone has. Wel, constructive feedback, at least…
I’ve been able to sleep on my left side on occasion (it’s in the left scapula), but never on my right. Been sleeping on my back since it happened, essentially.
I’ve gotten that done quite extensively (worst part I’ve ever had needled was the arch of my foot - there aren’t swear words strong enough to describe how uncomfortable that was).
It certainly helps as a quick fix but IME doesn’t really solve the root cause of the issue.
OP: are you still participating in other forum activities? I had issues with my scapula that bothered my for years as well that turned out to be rotator cuff related, most likely from swimming. I strengthened those with the help of a physio program and the issue has not returned.
Each state has their own practice acts, so in some states PTs can’t do dry needling, in some states there’s no guidance on whether they can do it or not. Most states they can do it these days.
Not sure if states vary on whether electrical stim can be used along with the dry needling.
My hypothesis was that maybe sleeping on your side was compressing your scapula against the muscle, and causing the problem. But, if you’re mostly sleeping on your back and the problem persists, that hypothesis is probably wrong.
I’ve had similar issues over probably the last 10 years or so. Minor occasional discomfort and tightness much of the time, and then over a day or two I can feel a knot or two develop, and if I don’t get on top of it quickly with heat and massage, it will lock up my upper back to the point where it causes neckaches, headaches, discomfort while sleeping, etc. When it was at its worst, I got a similar radiating pain down my right arm to the elbow and occasionally further down the forearm.
I’ve had some success moderating it by addressing it right away when I feel it starting. I have a massage gun type of thing that I can hammer through the shoulder blades and upper back. I also watch my posture pretty carefully. I can feel tightness starting if I’m sitting on the couch looking at my iPad too long or something like that. I also found that stretching can worsen it if I don’t stretch the right way. If I’m rounding my back or pulling my arms across my chest, that just tightens the knot. I have to stretch or move to get my shoulder blades to squeeze toward each other to help give the knot some slack to release. Sometimes just some quick pulses with my elbows out and backward can help.
Sorry, but I haven’t found any silver bullet type of fix.
What you described is how I would verbatim describe what happens to me. I always thought it was related to doing work with my mouse or something like that.
Interesting. I can feel it coming on, at times, and so long as I don’t overdo it - but maintain - I can generally keep it at bay.
For example, I had to re-roof the camp this fall, and it was, for the most part, just me over a three-day weekend. I knew that I’d put a lot of stress on it, bending over and lumping bundles onto the roof, but I stretched and didn’t overdo anything else and it mostly relaxed. It wasn’t until 6 weeks after splitting some wood one weekend that I felt it tightening again. Then, when I reached in the back seat to grab my laptop/tool bag one day that next week, that’s when it locked. In the past, it has locked up on me if I’d overloaded on push-ups or chin-ups/pull-ups, but I can understand the splitting kicking it off.
I have not tried a massage gun - I believe honey actually has one somewhere, so maybe that’s something to try. Not sure I can reach correctly, but it’s worth trying.
I do find those shoulder ‘pulses’ seem to help warm it up and loosen it some.
Interesting. I don’t generally have the problem when I’m in the office, but I had been doing a lot of traveling (driving) lately, so I wonder if maybe there’s something to being in the car for hours that helps trigger it?
Periodically I’d get a knot in the same area. Usually would go away after a couple of days. Got a knot about 8 weeks ago now. Won’t go away. Tried, yoga, massage, heat, cold, massage gun, tens machine, foam roller, lacrosse ball. About 2 weeks ago went to acupuncture. After the 2nd session it’s starting to lessen. Hoping another 2-3 sessions will fix it. Maybe give it a shot.
I had a chronic hamstring thing going on and nothing seemed to help until i tried acupuncture. Was skeptical going in but i was good to go in a few visits. When those needles hit home it feels so good. If its the right tool for the job, its magic.