QuestionHello
2 months ago, I strained a muscle in my back near my right shoulder blade. The doc took some X-rays and they all looked good and he sent me to physical therapy. Shortly before I began physical therapy, the injury finally started to heal quite fast. I did spend a lot of time not using my right arm because that moved the injured muscle. I was told by the doc to start using it because it will become more weak. I started using it for normal activities and then it got better. The therapist I worked with gave me a massage and she really pressed down hard on the injured muscle. Now it is sore again and the doctor also made it sore by pressing and prodding it as well. It is frustrating trying to get this to heal and I am wondering if this will last forever. Do these thoracic strains take a long time to heal? My physical therapist told me it could take months before it is totally gone.
AnswerHi Chas,
Good question! I often wonder why doctors (and others) press so deeply into an already painful area. On the one hand, that could possibly help break up areas of spasm and get more blood flowing but I suspect it's used more as a diagnostic test by doctors.
Sometimes a massage therapist will press into an injured area to increase blood flow and break up restrictions. LOTS of times, however, they are barking up the wrong tree. The spasm may have come from other areas of your body which need treatment such as massage.
By moving your arm in neutral positions in many directions you will be moving all of the tissues that can affect your muscle strain. You will improve your circulation, strength and flexibility. All of those things can help heal your muscle.
If you had a muscle tear it can take longer to heal. If medical people keep re-injuring it, it can take longer to heal. If medical people are not addressing the area(s) that caused the problem in the first place (which is very common) they aren't helping.
Your therapist has information about your condition that I don't and I'm not a doctor but with appropriate care and self-care (as you were doing) I would anticipate much quicker healing than "several months". Sometimes I have seen a knotted upper back area be gone in just one session of appropriate systematic touch. Sometimes it takes several sessions.
Hopefully, the therapist is working all of the muscles that can be causing your knot and if so this is good. That will help prevent it from coming back. They could be in your neck, chest, abdomen or other areas as well as your back.
You can find more information about upper back "knots" and muscle spasms at http://SimpleBackPainRelief.com Just scroll through the titles until you find articles that sound like your problem.
There is also information about massage therapy in the Massage Category at http://SimplePainRelief.com
I hope this helps. Thank you for writing and I look forward to your speedy recovery.
Best,
Kathryn Merrow
The Pain Relief Coach
PS I would appreciate if you would be able to take a few minutes here to tell them what you thought of my response. Thank you!
