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The Rhomboids – It’s Not Geometry

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When you first hear the term “rhomboid”, it might be a flashback for you in geometry class. In this case, we’re talking about a couple of muscles that help up with shoulder movement and stability, but you wouldn’t be far off with the shape. The muscles really are rhombus-shaped – just check out the diagram below to see for yourself!

These muscles are important for good shoulder function and stability. Keep reading to learn more!

The Anatomy & Function

The rhomboids are actually two muscles that attach the shoulder blade and the spine. Rhomboid major (the larger one that sits lower) attaches from the spinous processes of the T2-T5 vertebrae to the medial border of the scapula. Rhomboid minor sits a little higher, attaching from the nuchal ligaments and spinous processes of C7-T1 to the medial border of the scapula.  Both muscles are innervated by the dorsal scapular nerve (C4-5).

rhomboid muscle group

Both muscles also help to pull the shoulder blade back and helps to downwardly rotate it. They also fixes the scapula to the thoracic wall. 

Weakness or dysfunction of the rhomboids can contribute to shoulder pain or upper back pain. It will also impact how well the shoulder and arm can work, especially with things like getting something down from a kitchen cabinet, doing push-ups, or starting your lawnmower. The rhomboids also help to stabilize the shoulder, so if you ever feel like your arm isn’t as stable when it’s out away from your body, this could be an important muscle to focus on.

What to Do About It

Here’s a couple of great exercise variations to work both the rhomboids and the posterior deltoid. They are possible to do without using the rhomboids so well, so make sure that you’re focusing on pulling those shoulder blades back with each repetition. Each repetition should be slow and controlled. Avoid shrugging your shoulders or arching your back.

Version #1: Standard low rows. Keeping elbows closer to the body, start with your arms in front of you. Keep your shoulders down throughout the motion. Initiate by squeezing the shoulder blades back and then pull your elbows back. Avoid pulling back so far that your shoulders start to roll forward.

Version #2: High rows. Still keeping the shoulders down, keep your elbows out to the side, not quite at 90* from your body.

Check out the video on our Instagram feed here.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is to promote understanding of health, wellness, and prevention. The information on this site is not intended/implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing pain, please see a medical professional.

Rotator Cuff Strength is Important!

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The “rotator cuff” is something that a lot of people had heard of, but they’re not really familiar with what it actually does, why it’s important, etc. It’s also commonly called the wrong term – “rotator cup” or “rotary cup”, for example. The name tells you exactly what it does if you really think about it!

It’s a group of 4 muscles in the shoulder that surround the shoulder joint. Together, they provide the bulk of the stability for the shoulder itself, and surround most of the perimeter of the joint, much like any other type of cuff is used. For example, the cuff of a sleeve, handcuffs, and a blood pressure cuff surround another structure and provide some stability. This article will specifically talk about one of the muscles within this group – the infraspinatus.

The Anatomy & Function

The infraspinatus travels from the infraspinous fossa of the scapula (back of the shoulder blade) to the middle facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus (upper arm). It is one of the four rotator cuff muscles. Its innervation comes from the suprascapular nerve (C5-6).infraspinatus

The infraspinatus helps with external rotation (turning your palm away from your body) of the shoulder and participates in abduction (moving your arm up from the side of your body). It also assists with stability of the shoulder joint and capsule.

A dysfunctional infraspinatus can contribute to arm or shoulder pain, upper back or shoulder blade pain, decreased range of motion and function of the arm. It can even be related to pain that travels through the arm, as far as the pinky finger.

What to Do About It

There are many ways to work on strengthening this muscle. This article describes an easier exercise to start with. We’re using a resistance band in this example, but this can also be done with a cable machine. You can use a free weight, but you then have to do this while lying on your side – otherwise, you’re not getting the right line of pull to be as effective.

infraspinatus start

infraspinatus finish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Anchor the resistance band.
  • Stand sideways to that anchor, with the band coming in front of your body.
  • Keep your elbow bent at 90* and keep your elbow close in to your body.
    • If you have trouble keeping it close to your body, put a small rolled up towel or other object between your arm and your body. If it drops, your elbow moved away from you.
  • Keeping your thumb pointing up towards the ceiling, pull the band away from the anchor point.
  • Only pull as far as you can comfortable go without twisting your body or shrugging your shoulder.

Give this exercise a try! If you’re experiencing any pain, hold off on doing the exercise and get in for an assessment with a physical therapist. You can contact us here for an appointment!

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is to promote understanding of health, wellness, and prevention. The information on this site is not intended/implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing pain, please see a medical professional.

Shoulder or Back Pain? Keep Reading!

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When you’re experiencing pain in the shoulder or in the back, there are a lot of things that can be contributing to it. An evaluation with a physical therapist can help assess what all is playing a role in your pain. One structure that can be involved with BOTH areas is a large muscle called the latissimus dorsi.

The Anatomy & Function

The latissimus dorsi (lat) spans a large area across the back, originating from various points throughout the pelvis and low back (at the spinous processes of T7-L5, the thoracolumbar fascia, the iliac crest, and inferior 3-4 ribs). It then inserts at the intertubercular groove of the humerus (near the shoulder on the upper arm bone). It is the largest muscle in the upper body. The innervation is from the thoracodorsal nerve (C6-8).

latissimus dorsi

It helps in many different motions or actions, including shoulder extension (moving your arm behind you), shoulder adduction (bringing your arm across your body), and arm internal rotation (rotating your palm towards your body). The lat also assists with several other motions at the shoulder and helps to support and move at the spine.

If the latissimus dorsi isn’t doing its job, it can contribute to arm or shoulder pain, low back pain, decreased range of motion and function of the arm, and more. It can also make it difficult to pull something towards you. Lastly, it can also affect how you can do exercises like pull-ups, lat pull-downs, rows, and deadlifts.

What to Do About It⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

We’ve got a couple of options to share with you – both a stretch and a strengthening exercise.

Lat Stretchlat stretch
  • Stand with your feet hip width apart or even slighty wider.
  • Hold on to the door frame with your thumb pointing up towards the ceiling. Hand should start around chest height.
  • Lean your hips back, like you’re trying to squat or sit back in a chair.
  • To vary the stretch:
    • Place your hand higher or lower on the door frame.
    • Before sitting back into the stretch, rotate your body so that you’re facing your arm slightly, or so that your arm crosses slightly in front of your body. Then sit back.
Lat Strengthening
lat pulldown start
lat pulldown finish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are several different pieces of gym equipment that can be used for this exercise. However, one of my favorites is the TRX. It adds a dynamic balance component and works the core and hip stabilizers even more than some other options. Here’s how to do it:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
  • Hold on to each of the TRX straps, arms in front of you and straight. Elbows do not need to be locked out in a straight position, however.
  • Lean back, keeping your core engaged with spine and pelvis in neutral.
  • Pull your hands down by your side, while keeping your body in this plank position.
  • Make sure that you don’t let the shoulders hunch or roll forward as you come up to an upright position. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down to avoid this compensation!

Try these exercises and let us know how they work for you! They are two ways to try to combat shoulder or back pain. If you still have pain, give us a call and we can help get you back on track.

Do you have other things that you want to learn more about? Check out other blog posts and our Instagram page.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is to promote understanding of health, wellness, and prevention. The information on this site is not intended/implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing pain, please see a medical professional.