Here’s everything you need to know to fix "Rhomboid pain" for good: What really causes it. The 4 exercises that provide the greatest relief (& why). And how to prevent this upper back pain from coming back.

‘The 3 Essential Exercises EVERYONE Should Do’ …EXCLUSIVE video, only here: https://stefanbecker.mykajabi.com/3...

My COACHING PROGRAM: Over 12 weeks, I help people with poor posture, and upper body issues—like neck, shoulder, & upper back pain—improve their health using sciencebased mobilising, stretching, & strengthening exercises… so they can feel straight, strong, flexible, & pain free again. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM… https://stefanbecker.mykajabi.com/ex....

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0:00 Intro
0:12 What really causes "Rhomboid pain"
0:51 EXERCISE 1. Angled Retraction
1:59 Retraction alternative (for office)
2:35 EXERCISE 2. Lengthen Neck
3:48 Lengthening alternative (for office)
4:13 EXERCISE 3. Loosen Rib Joints
5:02 Loosen rib joints alternative (for office)
5:15 EXERCISE 4. Rib Extension
6:15 Rib extension alternative (for office)
6:29 Is your Pec Minor involved?
6:55 How to avoid the cause of "Rhomboid pain"
8:31 Other causes of Upper Back Pain

Videos mentioned in this vid:

The PEC MINOR RELEASE is the first exercise of this video...
The 3 Most Important Muscles To Stretch. (That You Probably Don't.)
   • The 3 Most Important Muscles To Stret...  

WALL ANGEL type exercises help stretch (& reciprocally inhibit) the PEC MINOR and is shown in exercise 2 of this video...
Strengthen THESE Muscles For Injury Prevention & Better Function
   • The 5 Most Important Muscles To Stren...  

Improve your upper back and neck posture with this video...
The 3 Ultimate Neck Hump Exercises… After 1 Year Of Trying EVERYTHING
   • The 3 Ultimate Neck Hump Exercises… A...  



Rhomboid pain can come from several things, but by far the most common is either…
A. Referred pain from restricted, irritated spinal joints at the base of the neck… due to forward head posture or gadgets placed on the stomach.
B. Or from irritation of the rib joints in the upper back… due to positions that push the ribs forward and round the thoracic cage.

To fix these, we need exercises that focus on reversing those bad positions. Neck and upper back relief exercises that:
1. Retract the neck
2. Lengthen the back of the neck
3. Loosen the rib joints
4. Extend the rib joints

The best Rhomboid pain relief exercises...

1. ANGLED RETRACTION
For the first exercise we use something behind the mid back to help straighten up the spine, mobilise the spinal joints. We move on a 45 degree angle, over the towel or mat, and breathe out to mobilise the spinal facets joints at the base of the neck and upper back. It has the bonus of extending the rib joints nicely too over the towel.

2. LENGTHEN THE BACK OF THE NECK
Next, we lengthen the back of the neck to open up the spinal facet joints. This can be done against a wall, or on the floor…
Lengthening the back of your neck, and breathing out completely as we lengthen, increases space for the spinal nerves and reduces pressure in the facet joints. These joints can cause Rhomboid pain and symptoms down the arm. (‘Cervical radiculopathy’)

3. LOOSEN THE RIB JOINTS
To work on the rib component, we start off by loosening the rib joints with a side bending motion. This separates the ribs, mobilising the costovertebral joints.

4. RIB EXTENSION
Finally, rotating the ribs back fully helps to extend the rib joints that have been stuck in that rounded position. There’s several ways to do this (Thread the Needle, etc) but I find this slightly modified version of the World’s Greatest Stretch is easier for most people. The bonus here is that this exercise uses the Rhomboid muscle strongly, flushing it with blood, which helps improve any muscular portion of the pain.

Is Your Pec Minor Involved?
Just be aware that a tight Pec Minor is your enemy if you have pain in the Rhomboid area. A tight Pec Minor pulls the shoulders forward, which is bad for both the neck and ribs. So, a Pec Minor release and Wall Angel exercise can really help some people.

The KEY Is To AVOID THE CAUSE. (Important!)


#bodyfixexercises #thoracicmobility #rhomboids