Deep dull ache / tightness upper back / shoulder

Hi everyone,

I have been having upper back / neck pain on the right side for about three years now. I've been trying to find information about this problem but unable to find what I want.

I'll try to describe the pain: It feels like a deep tightness and ache in my upper back around the area between my shoulder blade and spine. I've tried rolling on tennis balls and baseballs and getting my girlfriend to massage the area but neither of these seem to be able to hit the right spot. I've also been doing lots of neck stretches but likewise, it doesn't seem to stretch the right bit. If I take a deep breath and hold it, then tuck my chin in and try and get my head towards my hips I can feel the musclestretching (or contracting?). But I can't hold it for long as I have to breath out. Also, if I am in the gym and lie on my back on a bench and place like a 30kg dumbell on my chest I can feel it stretching and easing a little but it soon comes back.

Can anybody help? If anyone even knows the muscle responsible then that would be fantastic. Please fire more questions at me and I'll try helping you help me.

Thanks for reading.

Hi Force 10, I'm going to make a few assumptions here and just fire a few possible reasons, so please tell me if I'm wrong. You mentioned the gym so I'm guessing you lift fairly often. How are your pecs? Tight pecs, particularly upper fibres which attached to the coracoid process (should blade) can protract and upwardly rotate the shoulder clade and therefore effect the scapulothoracic joint and affect the function of the muscles on your back which may result in pain and discomfort which you are feeling. Also I'll assume you have a forward head posture when looking from the side which will effect the cervical spine, thoracic sine and therefore the muscles in your back. Specifically muscles as you asked, the picture sort of outlines the attachments of trapezius, but when people talk about 'should blade pain' typically it can be the rhomboids, levator scapula (particularly in forward head posture) and the erector spinae in that region which if you have a slight curve in your mid back (kyphosis) will be perpetually lengthened and not working efficiently which will result in trigger points and pain. You mention breathing a few times so I think your thoracic spine is probably stiff and therefore can't expand to allow you to breathe properly so a deep breathe will cause discomfort. Treatment wise I could go for deep tissue release of your upper pecs, and shoulder blade muscles, mobilisation or manipulation of your thoracic spine and do some low level strengthening of your core. It sound slike your abs and big prime movers in the core are probably strong but you may need to gain control of the small muscles. Stuff like this youtube video Beginner Pilates - 4 Point Kneeling arm and leg extensions - YouTube Hope this helps! Ben

As BenMort said there could be a number of muscles involved. As it's a long term problem there may be more than muscles involved and not all muscles need stretching if it's a postural problem. Some are short and not working correctly and some are "longer" and not working correctly. The muscles on the surface so to say may be trying to compensate for deeper postural "instability" of the neck and need some reprogramming. (the small muscles mentioned above) You don't say what you do for a living but there may be an ergonomics/posture in every day life issue that needs assessing and correcting by a physio for example. I suggest you go to a good physio soon now as it's been so long without improvement. Maybe reduce the amount and intensity of neck stretches you do in the meanwhile as well and see what hapens. Lots could be contraproductive.... keep us informed!