Infraspinatus Muscle Pain Causes:
1) A tight or shortened hamstring muscles.
(Hip Flexors)
2) Tight calves (Adductor Longus).
3) Anterior pelvic tilt.
4) Overly rigid lower back.
5) Poor posture and/or poor sleep habits.
6) Excessive sitting.
7) Poor diet.
8) Too much physical activity.
9) Unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol use, drug abuse, overeating and lack of exercise.
10) Chronic illness such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. 11) Certain medications including NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), antihistamines and antibiotics.
12) Weight lifting. 13) Exercise on unstable surfaces such as stairs, treadmills, elliptical machines and stair steppers. 14) High intensity interval training (HIIT). 15) Low impact cardio like walking and jogging. 16) Yoga. 17) Stretching exercises. 18) Using foam rollers or stretching mats to stretch your muscles out regularly. 19) Taking supplements such as fish oil, vitamin E and zinc to help with recovery from workouts and other activities. 20) Training too much, working out too hard, or engaging in competition when you are still fatigued, ill, or have an existing injury.
What Are Infraspinatus Trigger Points?
Swelling or inflammation in the tendon sheath of the shoulder blade where your shoulder rotates causing pain in the back of your arm and shoulder. Infraspinatus trigger points also have a negative effect on your posture(your ability to stand up straight and tall). The tendon sheath is a protective covering that wraps the tendon to prevent it from being damaged or strained. It acts as a shock absorber and provides a smooth surface for your shoulder blade to move in and out of the socket. Infraspinatus trigger points causes pain when you reach overhead or behind your back, button your shirts, make beds and also puts you at risk of developing shoulder impingement syndrome.
Infraspinatus Muscle Pain:
1) Trying to do too much too soon after a period of inactivity.
2) Sleeping on your stomach which puts pressure on your shoulder and traps the arm underneath you.
3) Slouching or slumping.
4) Slipping down in bed or allowing your shoulder to rest below your pillow while you sleep.
5) Sitting for long periods such as when you are in a car, at work, or watching TV.
6) Typing on a laptop.
7) Sitting at a desk and working on a computer for too long.
8) Performing heavy physical labor that requires your arms to be raised over your head in order to work.
How To Relieve Infraspinatus Muscle Pain:
1) Slow down or stop what you are doing and apply an ice pack or bag of peas to your shoulder for 10 minutes every 2 hours.
2) Take a pain reliever such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen.
3) Apply heat to the area for 10 minutes every couple of hours if you are recovering from an injury or have inflamed muscles.
4) Try gentle stretching and deep tissue massage.
Ice packs can be obtained from your local pharmacy or grocery store while heat can be applied with heating pads or a heating pad.
5) Place a pillow underneath your good arm when you sleep in order to keep your shoulder from dropping or slipping downwards while you are lying down.
6) Sleep on your back or side and not your stomach.
7) Try sleeping with two pillows in order to keep your head elevated slightly and make it easier to breath.
8) Try sleeping in a recliner chair instead of a bed if your pain is very great.
What Are Triceps Trigger Points?
A trigger point is a hyper sensitive patch of muscle that is painful to touch. When pressure is applied to a trigger point it causes referred pain, tenderness, and a tingling sensation in other parts of your arm.
Trigger points are caused by repetitive stress that irritates the muscle enough to cause it to shut down. This means that while you may be doing everything right in terms of stretching and warming up before exercising, you are probably not treating yourself to recovery time after you exercise.
Triggers points can be caused by:
1) Muscle strains or tears.
2) Repetitive stress that is not countered with recovery time such as heavy lifting, jogging, or housework.
3) Sustained positions such as sitting at a computer for long periods of time, watching TV, or holding a baby in your arm for an extended period of time.
4) Poor posture such as slouching or hunching to look at a computer screen.
How to Identify Triceps Trigger Points:
1) While prone, place your fingers underneath the bottom of your shoulder blade where it meets the back of your arm.
2) Press firmly against the muscle until you feel a tender patch.
3) Apply pressure until the sensation of pain changes to a sensation of numbness.
Triggers points in your tricep can cause pain in your:
1) Upper back.
2) Shoulder.
3) Top of your arm.
4) Under your arm.
5) Bicep.
What You Can Do to Ease the Pain:
1) Rest the muscle and only use it for activity that is pain-free.
2) Apply ice or cold packs to the painful area for 20 minutes every 2 hours while awake.
3) Take over-the-counter pain medication.
4) Stretch the muscle in a heating pad, but try to avoid moving your arm around too much as it may cause more pain.
5) Massage the muscle with a heat pack to which a small amount of menthol or eucalyptus oil has been added.
6) Use a tennis ball, lacrosse ball, or other hard round object to massage the muscle underneath your shoulder blade by lying prone on the floor and rolling the ball underneath you.
How to Prevent Trigger Points in the Future:
1) Get an exercise routine that is tailored to your capabilities and repeat it every day.
2) Follow common sense rules for stretching before and after exercising and avoid sustained positions like sitting at a computer, slouching over a desk, or holding a baby in one arm for an extended period of time.
3) Take breaks to stretch or walk around every 90 minutes while working at a computer.
4) Be conscious of your posture and correct it by standing up straight and pulling your shoulders back.
5) Stretch the muscle group you are using before and after an activity.
Muscle knots in your triceps can cause pain in your shoulder and upper arm. The pain is most commonly caused by an injury such as a heavy weight falling on the back of your arm or from bench pressing too much weight, but it can also be caused by a repetitive motion, such as rowing a kayak or using a computer mouse for long periods of time.
In any case, the pain is most commonly felt on the back of the arm where the triceps muscle attaches to the shoulder blade. It can also be felt in the shoulder or elbow.
The pain is felt with activity and warmth, but generally subsides within a few minutes after activity has ceased. In some cases, the pain can be severe enough to wake you up at night.
The best way to identify muscle knots in your triceps is to feel for specific areas of tenderness when pressing in at the location that is experiencing symptoms.
To relieve the pain from triceps muscle knots follow these steps:
1) Heat your arm or take a warm shower until you can comfortably feel your skin.
2) Use the tips of your fingers to press into the knot, moving from side to side to attempt to get some relief.
3) After you have pressed and rubbed the knot, apply a small amount of ice or a cold pack to the area.
4) Massage the knot with your fingers in a kneading motion.
5) Stretch the muscle by placing your arm behind your back and attempting to touch your hand to the elbow.
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