Scapular pain facts

Scapular pain

The human body has a very complex structure, since it is made of many organs, body systems and many bones. All of us have two shoulders and each shoulder has a scapula, which is actually that flat triangular bone that is popularly called shoulder blade. The scapula or shoulder blade is located at the back and it connects the arm bones with the ribs in the ribcage.

When pain in the shoulder blade appears, it is not serious and it is a quite common condition that is, in the majority of cases, caused by the excessive physical activity. Although the pain that appears in the scapula is not serious, it can limit the movement of the complete shoulder significantly. When a person with pain in scapula tries to lift certain heavy object, this movement can cause a sharp shooting pain in the shoulder. The pain in scapula that usually tends to spread to the adjacent body areas is one of the most common symptoms of scapular pain.

Causes of scapular pain

In most cases, the pain in the shoulder occurs due to a strenuous activity. Such pain is normal and is not serious. However, there are certain other causes that can induce the pain in the shoulder blade. One of the reasons for the appearance of scapular pain is improper sleeping position. Many people can experience the pain in the scapula when they wake up in the morning. When one sleeps on one side for a long period of time and does not use the pillow for the head, it can cause the pain in the shoulder blade in the morning, because the excessive pressure was on the shoulder blade during the whole night. Therefore, it is very important to use a pillow to rest the head and the neck. In this way, the shoulders are not under stress during the night. It is also believed that sleeping while lying on the back is the best sleeping position.

Another cause for the occurrence of scapular pain is osteoarthritis. Arthritis is the inflammation of the joints. The joints are protected with cartilage that becomes worn with aging. When this occurs in the shoulder, the pain in scapula appears. When one person experiences the pain in scapula, which is accompanied by the pain in the whole arm, it is the indication that the nerve in the neck is pinched. The shoulder joints are supported by four muscles that are called the rotator cuff. When these four muscles are injured, the pain may occur in scapula as well.