Strained Rhomboid & Traps

[Peshmerga]

Hey Bros, I have a chronic problem with strained Rhomboids and mid/lower Traps. All the doctor did was give me muscle relaxers and Motrin and he told me to lay on a heat pad for a few days. It is getting better, but I want to try and strengthen these muscles so I can prevent this from happening in the future.

Any suggestions?

 

[JL_204]

Try doing BB rows. Here is a link for a good description.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366601

My back has increased in strength and size since I started doing BB rows this way.

 

[Peshmerga]

Try doing BB rows. Here is a link for a good description.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366601

My back has increased in strength and size since I started doing BB rows this way.

Thanks a lot for the help, Bro. Karma to you!

 

[bignate73]

quick guess....and I'm shooting from the hip here: any behind the neck movements?

any direct neck work?

I used to get that twinge between my shoulder blades all the time when I did behind the neck movements and also before I started training my neck.

just 2 possibilities. hope this helps!

 

[musketeer]

I'd reccomend getting some heat into the area by taking a hot bath every day, and lying back so that the neck and head is submerged. This will increase blood flow and relax the muscle without painkillers. From there, try doing stretching exercises afew times a day by looking as far as possible over each shoulder, and then looking up/back as far as possible, and then looking down and holding our chin on your chest, loko at each shoulder. Do not put your head back, and then roll it side to side as the vertebra may touch.

 

[Mr_Sinister]

I've had problems with pain btwn the blades in the past. The best routine I found for alleviating the pain was:

1. Get a PVC or foam coated pipe (these are softer) and lay down on it and roll along the scapula with your arms raised above your head. I did this every morning after waking and before bed.

2. Before and after you work out, roll back and forth on a swiss ball and hang around on a pullup bar.

3. Start rowing, barbell/machine/seated, then finish up with kelso shrugs. These are shrug variations done behind the back, on an incline bench or pullup/pulldown bar (keep arms straight and pull with scapula). And if you feel the need, finish off with reverse flies.

After a couple of weeks of this you'll notice some new thickness along the mid-traps and rhomboids. And significantly less pain and better posture.