I know Im not the first guy to strain or pull a rhomboid (or other smaller upper back muscle) so I'm looking for some ideas. It's been 3 months since I injured myself doing heavy rear delts on a fly machine. Started of with the doc and a rx for flexeril because that worked fairly well for a similar lower back injury. Didn't do what I thought it should so I went to the chiropractor. Adjustments felt great for a day or two, then back to more pain and muscle relaxers. Then came the deep tissue massage, which I hate, but at least that lasted for a little more than a week. So my question is, is there anything else I'm over looking? I still have residual pain between my shoulder blade and my spine. It's not enough to keep me from the gym, but it just doesn't feel normal at all
Strained Rhomboid and Very Frustrated
- Thread starter ta2dfreak
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CH3NO2
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Bad posture will do it. It could also be how you sleep. How old is your mattress? I got a new one about 4 years ago and it was a life saver. My old one was not a pillow top and I got a badass pillow top latex mattress that does not hold heat so I no longer sweat my ass off and toss and turn all night. Just something else to think about.
Not sure if stretching your upper back would be what uou want for a strain, but after several weeks maybe it would help. I'm going to attempt to describe a yoga stretch my ART chiro showed me that is the ONLY way I get any relief from the tightness I get in that area:
Feets a little more than shoulder width apart.
Bend at the waist (legs straight) and grasp RIGHT ankle with LEFT hand, "overhand". That is, palm on the front of uour ankle with fingers on "outside".
Now, while holding right ankle with left hand, rotate at the waist, raising your right arm (with elbow straight) to point to the ceiling AND TURN YOUR HEAD and look at the ceiling as well. Hold for 15 or 20 seconds, then switch sides.
I hope the description translates; it's easy to demonstrate! Try it, it works really well for me.
Feets a little more than shoulder width apart.
Bend at the waist (legs straight) and grasp RIGHT ankle with LEFT hand, "overhand". That is, palm on the front of uour ankle with fingers on "outside".
Now, while holding right ankle with left hand, rotate at the waist, raising your right arm (with elbow straight) to point to the ceiling AND TURN YOUR HEAD and look at the ceiling as well. Hold for 15 or 20 seconds, then switch sides.
I hope the description translates; it's easy to demonstrate! Try it, it works really well for me.
CH3NO2 - Thanks for the heads up. My bed is only about 1 year old. I used to have a softer mattress with a pillow top and it killed me. I need a counter top with a sheet over it 
But I am a side sleeper, curling my shoulders forward even when I sleep I'll try to set something up to try and stay on my back and see if that helps. EMW14 - I think I can visualize what you're describing. After a week or two of stretching my chest out and keeping my posture (sitting up straighter as I'm typing ) in check, I'll give it a try. Thank you both for the good suggestions
But I am a side sleeper, curling my shoulders forward even when I sleep I'll try to set something up to try and stay on my back and see if that helps. EMW14 - I think I can visualize what you're describing. After a week or two of stretching my chest out and keeping my posture (sitting up straighter as I'm typing ) in check, I'll give it a try. Thank you both for the good suggestions
CH3NO2 - Thanks for the heads up. My bed is only about 1 year old. I used to have a softer mattress with a pillow top and it killed me. I need a counter top with a sheet over it
Same here bro, i hate soft mattresses! I desperately need a new bed! Mine is old and hurts my fucking back after a few hours of sleep i wake up from the back pain cause soley by this mattress!
Been stretching my chest out a few times a day for the past couple of days and things seem to be getting a bit better. Thanks for the advice
Presser - I got my mattress from IKEA. Don't know if you have one near by, but the price was great and the mattress is awesome....$599 if I remember correctly. I had a sleep number bed but gave it up in a divorce. Expensive as F*#K but it was the best bed I have ever owned.
Presser - I got my mattress from IKEA. Don't know if you have one near by, but the price was great and the mattress is awesome....$599 if I remember correctly. I had a sleep number bed but gave it up in a divorce. Expensive as F*#K but it was the best bed I have ever owned.
thnx bro, and not for nothing or not too sound like a posh prick, but no way i would only spend 599$ on my mattress, I've gone the cheap route when i was younger and they brake down so fast, at least the 2k$ ones last 5 or 6 years before breaking down. Ill bet you paid a pretty penny though for the old sleep number bed!
I spent $1,200 on a firm one they promised the sides would not break down and promised i wouldn't leave an indent in, and well in a year it was garbage, felt like taking it back and throwing it through the mattress store windows, royal piece of shit!
My wife told me over and over ya can't get a nice mattress for less then a couple grand and i thought she was insane, well she was right of course lol
I gotta tell ya, buying a bed is consistently THE MOST FRUSTRATING experience for me! My wife and I tried the sleep number bed and were totally unimpressed. It didn't work for us AT ALL! Glorified air mattress, was our impression; we sent it back. I forget how many thousands it was, but WAY too many!! Then, we bought a name brand, upper middle range (I'd say high end, but not quite) conventional pillow top for a couple grand at Sleepy's. Actually, I think it retailed for almost $3,000 and we were going back and forth between Sleepy's and another place and got it down to under $1500. It was wonderful for about 2 months. Then there was a crater where I sleep and we were both waking up feeling like we just stepped out of the UFC ring! Tried to get it warranteed - after all, it has a 20 year warranty, right? What a crock of shit! They wouldn't replace it. The crater was a "normal body impression"!! We started looking at Tempur Pedics. You ever price those??? They're big blocks of foam, for crissakes!!! I ended up buying a "memory foam" mattress on ebay for $400 with shipping, and we've had it for about 8 years!!! It is now to the point where I am sometimes sore in places when I get up, so time for a new one but the cheapo ebay gamble turned out to be the BEST mattress we've had in years!
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I had the Grand Daddy of the Sleep number beds - Just over $5000 . It worked amazing for back pain. The wife (at the time) had her soft side and I had my weight bench side. This was the one item I wish I did not give up in the divorce. I do get not going cheap on a mattress Presser, and no you didn't sound like a posh prick . Sometimes you take a gamble and win. Guess I got lucky this time. Either that or it's just easier and cheaper to make a rock hard mattress. Anyway, the constant stretching of the chest muscles has helped quite a bit and I think i'm gonna give a moderately heavy shoulder/upper back workout a go and see what happens.
. It worked amazing for back pain. The wife (at the time) had her soft side and I had my weight bench side. This was the one item I wish I did not give up in the divorce. I do get not going cheap on a mattress Presser, and no you didn't sound like a posh prick . Sometimes you take a gamble and win. Guess I got lucky this time. Either that or it's just easier and cheaper to make a rock hard mattress. Anyway, the constant stretching of the chest muscles has helped quite a bit and I think i'm gonna give a moderately heavy shoulder/upper back workout a go and see what happens.
I had the Grand Daddy of the Sleep number beds - Just over $5000
Yeah I've never had a sleep number bed but would like one lol
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