Are you not able to continue your cherished hobbies or everyday activities because of sharp pain in your neck when you move? With our expert doctors’ help, you can get to the root of your symptoms and get back to doing what you love quicker and easier.
Shoulder blade pain is a condition that involves the popping, grating, grinding, or “snapping” of bones and tissue in the scapula (shoulder blade) area when lifting and moving the arm. The snapping symptoms may be painful, and are sometimes audible. Snapping scapula syndrome is most commonly diagnosed in young, active individuals who perform repetitive overhead movements, such as stocking shelves at the local store, or engaging in sports like weight-lifting, swimming, or baseball. Other causes can include scapula or rib-cage bone conditions, such as fractures, muscle weakness or atrophy, or tumors. Snapping scapula syndrome is usually the result of overuse of the arm, poor posture during sport activities, or incorrect joint motion, but can also be caused by a single episode of trauma to the scapula area. A physical therapist treats the pain, muscle weakness, loss of arm motion, and swelling of soft tissue that can occur with snapping scapula syndrome.
What are common causes of shoulder blade pain?
Shoulder blade pain is a condition that involves the popping, grating, grinding, or “snapping” of bones and tissue in the scapula area when lifting and moving the arm. It may be caused by a number of bone or soft tissue problems.
Bones can be malformed from birth, or fractured, causing them to be misshapen. When the scapula moves, it may bump against a misshapen bone as it glides over it, causing a grinding or grating feeling, or sound.
Soft tissues include muscles and bursae. The muscles between the scapula and the rib cage (subscapularis and serratus anterior) can become tight, shrunken, scarred, inflamed, or weak. As a result, the scapula will become positioned too close to the rib cage, and may rub painfully on the ribs during arm movement.
Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that act as cushions and normally reduce friction between the scapula and the rib cage, or between the scapula and the muscles. The scapula may rub and irritate a bursa cushion. Popping or snapping can occur from a bursa becoming inflamed, from being rolled over during scapula motion, or from inadequate reduction of friction by a bursa.
Snapping scapula syndrome can be caused by:
Repetitive activities, such as reaching overhead or throwing a ball
Incorrect sports training techniques, such as overtraining, or training without enough prior strengthening
Incorrect posture
Weakness in the shoulder area
Muscle tightness in the chest, neck, shoulder, or scapula area
Neck conditions
Shoulder joint problems
Tumors
Unhealed fractures of the ribs or scapula
Inflammation of the muscles or bursae
Nerve damage in the shoulder area
Complete recovery from snapping scapula syndrome can sometimes take 3 to 6 months, although improvement is often felt after just a few weeks. Healing time varies, depending on the cause and severity of the condition and each individual’s fitness level and goals.
Where does it hurt?
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What are common symptoms of shoulder blade pain?
A person with snapping scapula syndrome may experience:
Pain in the back or top of the shoulder when lifting the arm overhead or shrugging the shoulders
A snapping, grinding, grating, or popping sensation or sound in the scapula area when lifting the arm
A feeling of weakness in the arm
“Winging” of the scapula, which makes it appear as if 1 edge is poking out away from the body
Difficulty performing overhead arm motions due to pain or weakness in the scapula area
A visible difference in how the painful scapula moves
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“I came to Pursuit Therapy with neck and shoulder pain tightness […] immediately experienced results after my first session. I am not only pain free and have full range of motion, I also have the knowledge to prevent this from happening again. I wouldn’t think twice about recommending Pursuit Therapy!”
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What outcome can you expect from treatment?
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How is it diagnosed?
If you see your physical therapist first, your therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation that includes taking your health history. Your therapist will also ask you detailed questions about your injury, such as:
How and when did you first notice the pain?
Do you hear or feel any popping, grinding or snapping when moving your arm? What activities are you performing when you hear or feel these symptoms?
Do you have any pain or stiffness in your neck?
Does your shoulder area feel weak or “tired”?
Your physical therapist will perform special tests to help determine the likelihood that you have snapping scapula syndrome. Your physical therapist also will determine whether your pain is coming from your neck, shoulder joint, or other areas, or if it is limited to your scapula.
To provide a definitive diagnosis, your therapist may collaborate with an orthopedic physician or other health care provider, who may order further tests, such as an x-ray, to confirm the diagnosis and to rule out other damage to the spine, ribs, and scapula. An x-ray test is not required in all cases.
Your physical therapist will work with you to design a specific treatment program that will speed your recovery, including exercises and treatments you can do at home. Physical therapy will help you return to your normal lifestyle and activities.
The First 24-48 Hours
Your physical therapist may advise you to:
Rest the area by avoiding lifting your arm overhead or performing other movements that cause pain.
Apply ice packs around the scapula area for 15–20 minutes every 2 hours.
Make sure you keep your spine in an upright posture when sitting or standing.
Consult with a physician for further services, such as medication or diagnostic tests.
Reduce Pain
Your physical therapist may use different types of treatments and technologies to control and reduce your pain and symptoms, including ice, heat, ultrasound, diathermy, laser, iontophoresis, electrical stimulation, taping, exercises, and hands-on therapy, such as massage.
Improve Motion
Your physical therapist will choose specific activities and treatments to help restore normal movement in the shoulder, neck, and spine. These might begin with “passive” motions that the physical therapist performs for you to gently move your arm, shoulder, neck, and scapula, and progress to active exercises and stretches that you do yourself.
Improve Flexibility
Snapping scapula syndrome is often related to tight muscles in the chest wall, shoulder, and neck. Your physical therapist will determine if these, or any other muscles, are tight, and teach you how to gently stretch them. Your physical therapist may apply hands-on techniques, such as massage and trigger-point release, to help loosen and stretch the muscles.
Improve Strength and Speed Recovery Time
Certain exercises will aid healing at each stage of recovery; your physical therapist will choose and teach you the correct exercises and equipment to steadily restore your strength and agility. Your physical therapist is trained and experienced in choosing the right treatments and exercises to help you heal, return to your normal lifestyle, and reach your goals faster than you are likely to do on your own.
Return to Activities
Your physical therapist will discuss your goals with you and use them to set your work, sport, and home-life recovery goals. Your treatment program will help you reach those goals in the safest, fastest, and most effective way possible.
Prevent Future Injury
Your physical therapist can recommend a home exercise program to strengthen and stretch the muscles around your shoulder and arm to help prevent future injury. These may include strength and flexibility exercises for the muscles of the neck, shoulder, arm, and scapula.
If Surgery Is Necessary
Surgery is not frequently needed in the case of snapping scapula syndrome. If surgery is needed, you will follow a post surgery recovery program over several weeks guided by your physical therapist. Your therapist will help you minimize pain, regain motion and strength, and return to normal activities in the speediest manner possible after surgery.
“After at least three years of doctor-hopping […] looking for someone to alleviate my constant dizziness and neck pain, I finally found Dr. Miller. I have more energy and less pain, and have halved my dependence on painkillers. He shouldn’t be the last stop on your road to recovery, he should be the first.”
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How much does it cost?
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How long are sessions?
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Is there anything that I can do at home to help with shoulder blade pain?
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To help prevent a recurrence of the injury, your physical therapist may advise you to:
Maintain good, upright posture and avoid slouching.
Maintain the strength in your scapula and shoulder joint muscles.
Use proper athletic techniques when performing sports that require overhead arm movements.
What are next steps?
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BECOMING PAINFREE IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK
Step 1:
Call our expert team.
Step 2:
We’ll work with you to find and treat the root of your pain.
Charles DeNave
Lisa Bywater
