Causes of Rhomboid Muscle Pain
Pain in your rhomboid muscle or your upper back and shoulders can be caused by many things, including an injury, a strain, or overuse.
Rhomboid muscle pain can happen from:
- Bad posture, especially sitting hunched at your computer for too long
- Rowing motions
- Pulling motions
- Repetitive motions
- Throwing motions
- Pushups
- Working out your shoulders and back with weights
- Injury
Some health conditions can also cause rhomboid muscle pain. If you have joint problems in your shoulder, the surrounding muscles might be affected.
Myositis. This condition can cause muscle weakness and inflammation. It usually shows up first in your shoulders and hips.
Polymyalgia rheumatica. This is a disorder that causes shoulder and hip pain and stiffness. It typically affects people over age 50. The pain and stiffness may be worse in the mornings and affect both sides of your body.
Rheumatoid arthritis. This is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack your joints. It usually causes a lot of pain and swelling and can lead to joint deformities. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect your shoulders, which might also impact your rhomboid muscles.
Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative bone disease that causes loss of cartilage. This can cause pain and stiffness. You might not have much movement in your shoulder, which can cause discomfort in the surrounding muscles.
