What Causes Severe Shoulder Blade Pain After Stretching?

Posted on Wed, 17 Sep 2014

Question: hello, i am asking on behalf of my mother. She was stretching under the bed three weeks ago and the next day she had severe pain in her left shoulder blade. The pain lasted about 2 to 3 days. The pain subsided over that week and she felt better so she decided to cut hedges with electric cutter. The next day her pain returned. She said it help with heating pad on it. She has full mobility and it doesnt hurt initially but like the next day it returns. I dont think it is her roatater cuff. The pain been off and on, not severe as it was thou, this week she is using her right hand and arm to do stuff. She has an intenstianl gist removed 2 yrs ago and on gleevec and I read that radioactive therapy can contribute to left shoulder blade chondrosarcoma. She has a ct scan done every 4-8 months. She has not seen a doctor yet and says she is fine. I told her pain fort hree weeks is not normal and one day she says it is arthtis, one day she says its a pinch nerve, next day she says its frozen shoulder. She was at my house last week and when she was sitting she moved her back against the back of the couch as like it had an itch and you move your body to scratch it. She said she had pain that day. and the day before I asked what she did and she said she put 6 plates at one time away in a cupboard. I would be surprised an action like that can cause pain. I keep reading about discs problems and multiple mylemo. Can you please advise. Thank you

Answered by Dr. Dariush Saghafi (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Evaluation of your mother is reasonable to do

Detailed Answer:
Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Dariush Saghafi and I am a neurologist from the XXXXXXX OH area. I've read your summary which is very thorough and contains a lot of important information.

While I think that there is a likelihood she could've stretched something in the neck, shoulder, or back given her age and physical activity she was performing a few weeks ago I would tend to agree that if per your description this pain pretty much subsided within 1 week but then returned and has not gone away again that perhaps, something should be examined or checked out especially in face of her circumstance and the medication she is on.

I would contact her treating physician and explain the situation with your concern. I'm sure they are going to want to send her some type of imaging study of the shoulder or scapular region to rule out anything of a mass lesion or otherwise before then, sending her on to either orthopedics or physical therapy for an assessment if it really turns out to be something musculoskeletal.

I wish your mom well.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar