Shoulder and Lower Back Pain Tip; This Pressure Point May help

Shoulder and Lower Back Pain Tip

There could be a link between the pain in your shoulder and lower back pain. This is a simple technique for shoulder and lower back pain . In this video we discuss the relationship between the shoulder and the lower back. We also talk about a pressure point that can be helpful. Watch to learn more.

Many people suffer through shoulder and lower back pain. The thing is that unbeknownst to them there can be a relationship between the two ailments. Most of the time people will think that they are two separate issues.

However there is a muscle that links the lower back to the shoulder. This muscle is the Latissimus Dorsi muscle.

The Latissimus Dorsi

This muscle is a large muscle. It is called the "Lat" for short. As you can see below this muscle has attachments in the lower back to a thickened tendinous tissue called the Thoracolumbar fascia.

As you can also see, it has attachments to the top of the front of the arm, in the shoulder region. This location is named the Bicipital groove.

This muscle is active when you are rotating your arm "in" towards the mid-line, bringing your upper arm behind you and bringing your arm down towards the sides of the body, while there is resistance.

The most common exercises and motions that can focus activation of the Lat muscles are exercises such as the Lat pulldown, chin-ups/pull-ups and rows.

In regards to just daily activities, this muscle can become very tight when performing weighted carrying motions. A typical example is when you cradle or carry a newborn using the same arm over and over again.

This position can also recruit the biceps and deltoids and muscles of the neck. This can give the symptom of one-sided shoulder and lower back pain.

Description of the Pain

Typically the person will complain of shoulder pain to the front and to the lower back. This is towards one side of the body, usually.

When I feel around the lower back and front of the shoulder there is a sense of tenderness and tightness.

When this muscle is short and tight it can "pull" on the area of the lower back and front of the shoulder.

At times the person can complain of a diffuse pain below the shoulder blade along with pain that travels down the back of the arm. This is usually due to a trigger point in the Lat muscle.

Shoulder and lower back pain can be managed. Once the muscle is relaxed and the trigger point is located and released, one can feel a positive difference in their symptoms.

Pain Relief Tip

Typically, if left without management you will require a therapist to manually relax the muscle through deep muscle work. There will eventually come a time when self-care techniques such as stretching and foam rolling minimally have an affect.

Having said this, you can still be at a point where simple self-care techniques can be very helpful. Along with stretching and postural corrective work, pressure points can add to easing the pain and discomfort.

Below is the typical location of the pressure point. Our video discusses the location. Watch it for a more in depth description. You can uses a tennis ball, golf ball or lacrosse ball on this point.

You may want to start with a softer material first before using a more sturdier object. Initially what you will find is that it can be quite uncomfortable. The pain can increase and can refer away from the pressure point. Eventually it peaks and tapers off. Eventually what you will find is a sensation of pressure versus pain.

We do advise to consult with your healthcare provider regarding this and any other technique. Remember this is for educational purposes. You need to seek professional advice.

More Resources:

The incline bench press can cause pain in the front of the shoulder. It can hinder your exercise performance. This is our video that discusses this issue. Watch it now!

From our clinic website. Here are 3 muscles that can be the root of lower back pain.