How I find stretches for shoulder pain beneficial
Here's what I do when I experience an uncommon type of shoulder pain
My shoulder is a common source of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) pain. It hasn’t been the same since I had a terrible soccer injury as a teenager, before my diagnosis.
Usually, my EDS pain affects the same muscles that my original injury directly affected: my trapezius and rhomboid muscles. Every once in a while, though, I’ll have a flare-up of the muscles that run underneath my shoulder blade. That pain feels different from my usual types of muscle pain.
When I’ve told my massage therapist about the problem, she usually says it’s in the infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles. Because they run underneath a bone, there’s no good way to access them. There’s so much I could do with my heating pad and massager if I could just reach the spots.
When this happens, my best approach is stretching to relax the flared muscles. In fact, I stretch multiple times a day when the areas hurt.
Here’s my technique. I stand with both my arms down by my sides and try to consciously relax my muscles. Then I cross my right arm across my chest, keeping my elbow straight, and place it into the crook of my left arm. Then I use my left forearm as a brace, and I push with my right arm. I focus on pushing my right shoulder down and back. This method stretches pretty much all of the muscles in my right shoulder and helps provide me some relief. And then I do the left side!
Stretching doesn’t always provide me with pain relief, though. In fact, I’ve learned over the years to take care when stretching. I learned where the healthy limits for my joints should be so that I don’t go past them. While it’s not always a good solution, stretching can really help sometimes.
Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.
About the Author
Val A
I apologize if I mentioned this before, but in the last couple of years I found a tool that has helped immensely (and I use it on myself) for these mystery pains and hard to reach spots. It's called the Rapid Release Therapy Pro 3. It's a vibration massager designed for massage professionals. The Pro 2 was very good but the 3 is next level. I use it a lot around the side ribs and shoulder blades where you mentioned. It has also helped me untwist, as my EDS makes adhesions and marbles everywhere that affect my posture and range of motion. It is expensive, but they have a good warranty and the company is US based and excellent service. I couldn't afford enough massages to make the difference it's made, and it is super empowering to have a tool I can use myself. I use it every day and have recovered so much lost range (I'm older than you so it's built up longer).
S D Singer
I have EDS, and last year while traveling, I managed to fall and completely tear my infraspinatus and supraspinatus. Since they couldn’t be repaired, I had to undergo a complete reverse shoulder replacement. I am now six months post-op, and my physical therapist of seven years performs a scapular stretch that is painful but helps to free my shoulder, providing more range of motion and relieving quite a bit of stiffness.
Barbara M Bellehumeur
I have vEDS with all the bells and whistles of the other types of EDS>
Pain is a constant companion. Management with meds, stretching, yoga, and a Japanese Cold Spak Tub has allowed me to live a fuller life. The cold soaks make for a good night's sleep and let me stretch in the water when it is near impossible on land.
Thanks for your input and helpful ideas. Sincerely,
Barbare Bellehumeur vEDS 72 YOA