this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2023
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[–] Thorny_Insight@lemm.ee 28 points 1 year ago (7 children)

I've been dealing with this back pain under my right shoulder blade for like 6 years or so and I can't seem to figure out what's causing it or how to treat it. I think it's called "rhomboid pain". I've seen a doctor once and physical therapist twice and the best they can do is recommend I stretch and go get a massage. Yeah thanks guys. Totally haven't tried any of that.

I've always had a bad posture but it's been getting better yet the pain has gotten worse so I don't think it's that. I doubt it's weight lifting either because I had been lifting for almost 10 years before the pain appeared and taking a break doesn't make it better and lifting heavy doesn't make it worse. I don't think it's mountain biking either because the pain started before I bought my bike. I also got a new bed, tried different pillows, tried sleeping on my back, pillow under my knees. Sleeping on both sides with a pillow between my legs. Nothing. Also it's rarely bad in the mornings but rather on the evenings.

Well - it's still early to say, but I have a new idea what might be causing it and I think this might actually be it. I think it's because I switched from a desktop computer to laptop. It perfectly correlates with the time I started experiencing this pain. I now sit for hours and hours every day with my right hand extended to reach the trackpad. It has to be that. I now switched to mouse and a keyboard and let's see if that makes a difference. Only been doing that for few days now but I have zero pain right now.

[–] whoisearth@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I have had chest discomfort for decades. I'm 46 and it started when I was about 25. Doctors never found anything. I'm lucky to have good benefits and have been going to masseuses for over 10 years.

A couple of years ago tried a new masseuse mentioned the tightness and she found a huge lump of scar tissue she massaged out. I'm still not perfect but I'm light-years better.

My point is, get a massage and never give up. You just need to find the right person to find it.

Dude, that's exactly what it is. I get the exact same pain when I'm editing on my laptop. I swapped out for a trackball myself. I can type all day long because I can get things set up to eliminate that strain, but editing takes a lot more awkward movement using the trackpad.

I like a trackpad, they're convenient as heck, but they just aren't good for sustained use imo.

[–] Rawdogg@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I was getting something similar a few months back and it's funny you mention a laptop because I started using one around the time my pain appeared, I think I was a bad knot in my muscle, I helped it go away by lying down on a tennis ball and massaging it out, hope ya find some relief dude.

[–] MorrisonMotel6@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

For anyone wanting to try this tennis ball thing, that might not give you enough of what you're looking for. Lacrosse balls offer less resistance and more pressure

[–] August27th@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do you keep your wallet in your back pocket when sitting?

[–] Thorny_Insight@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Nope. Thanks though.

[–] deo@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I hope the new keyboard and mouse do the trick! I also was experiencing wrist/arm/shoulder pain after I started working primarily on a laptop. I got a split keyboard that i can angle in a more ergonomic manner, and that single change cleared my pain up. Repetitive stress injuries suck. and I hope you find relief with your new work setup.

[–] Thorny_Insight@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It probably doesn't help that I'm also literally sitting in front of my dining table on a shitty chair, but it's not like I had some super ergonomic computer station before either. I really hope this helps because otherwise I'm out of ideas.

[–] deo@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

I would definitely suggest getting a good chair. Being able to adjust the height and stuff is really important, especiallyfor shoulder pain. Take a look at used gaming chairs and/or keep an eye out for recently discontinued models at brick-and-mortar office supply stores (mine was super cheap because they only had the floor model left).

[–] aes@programming.dev 3 points 1 year ago

Yep. I even got this back when cleaners moved my mouse from in front of key keyboard spacebar to the right of the keypad, until I noticed what had happened.

I put my mouse between my body and the keyboard and it goes away.

Good luck!

[–] andrewta@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Track pads suck, I hope this solve your problem