Rhomboid back muscle - functional features and sample exercises. Rhomboid muscle: functions. Rhomboid major and minor muscles of the back Rhomboid muscle training

Back pain often accompanies people with poor posture. Staying in an incorrect position for a long time can lead to pain almost anywhere in the body. The muscles are the first to react to such inconveniences, especially if a person working in a sitting position causes them to overstrain day after day and does nothing to relax the muscles. A weakened or strained rhomboid back muscle is a common source of pain between the shoulder blades. To maintain this anatomical structure, which is also called the anti-slouch muscle, in shape it is necessary to stretch and strengthen the rhomboid muscle.

Exercises to strengthen and stretch the rhomboid back muscle

Each muscle in the human body performs a specific function. Thus, the rhomboid back muscle, consisting of two parts (minor and major), allows us to:

stabilize the position of the shoulder blades;
move the shoulder blades closer to the spine;
maintain correct posture;
raise the inner edge of the shoulder blade.

Unfortunately, overstrain of this muscle is by no means uncommon, especially among people who can sit at a laptop for days on end, slouching and holding their arms up.

Before starting any exercises, it is better to consult a doctor, because pain in the upper back can occur not only due to overstrain of the rhomboid back muscle, but also in the case of various diseases.

If, after an examination, the doctor has concluded that you need to strengthen your rhomboid muscle, we suggest you try the following exercises.

Basic exercise

This movement is simple, but to achieve the effect, you must first perform it at least 3 times a day. A gradual increase in the number of repetitions, frequency or duration of the exercise is possible provided there is no pain.

How to do it:

stand or sit with your back straight;
lower your chin slightly;
move your shoulder blades back slightly;
Slowly tighten the rhomboid muscle, bringing your shoulder blades together as far as possible without causing pain;
hold your shoulder blades in this position for 5 seconds;
repeat 10 times.

Intermediate exercise

The frequency of performing this exercise is 1 - 3 times a week, provided that it does not cause pain. As with the basic exercise, the frequency, number of repetitions and approaches can be increased if the movement is not accompanied by pain.

How to do it:

lie on your stomach;
arms are located along the body;
tighten your rhomboid muscle by squeezing your shoulder blades together and slowly lifting your chest off the floor;
keep your neck straight;
at the end point, hold for 2 seconds;
slowly return to a lying position;
Your goal is 3 sets of 10 reps.

Exercise with an expander

The frequency of execution, as in the previous exercise, is from 1 to 3 times a week. For this exercise you will need an expander.

How to do it:

get down on your knees, keeping your back straight (can also be done in a standing position);
grab the expander as shown in the picture below;
slowly pull your arms back, bringing your shoulder blades together;
hold for 2 seconds;
slowly return to the IP;
perform 3 sets of 10 times.

Pain caused by overstrain of the rhomboid muscle, in addition to stretching exercises, can be relieved by massage.

To strengthen the rhomboid back muscle (provided there are no obvious problems), exercises that work the upper back are also suitable, i.e. dumbbell and barbell rows, pull-ups, swimming.

The rhomboid muscle is located in the upper back. It consists of two parts - the major and minor rhomboid muscles - and acts as a connecting structure between the shoulder blade and the vertebrae of the upper back. Together with the trapezius muscle and the levator scapulae muscle, it connects the shoulder blades, holds them and brings them back.

The rhomboid minor muscle originates from the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra, the major muscle originates from the 4 upper spinous processes of the thoracic spine, and both of them are connected to the angles of the shoulder blades. What problems can arise with this muscle and how to solve them?

Overstrain of the rhomboid muscle - possible manifestations and causes of their occurrence

The main functions of the rhomboid muscles are:

stabilizing the shoulder blades and keeping them on the chest;
movement of the shoulder blades inward towards the spine;
raising the inner edge of the scapula.

Overexertion of the rhomboid muscle or its spasm can lead not only to pain in the upper back, but also to limited mobility of the shoulders and neck. Most often, the cause of such overexertion is heavy load on the arms and shoulders, for example:

raising your arms above your head (while serving in tennis or placing weights on high shelves);
wearing a heavy backpack (including on one shoulder);
rowing;
incorrect posture while working at the computer;
improper lifting technique.

If the rhomboid muscle is weakened, displacement of the shoulder blades and, as a result, stooping is observed. The fact is that the weakening of this muscle entails a whole series of muscle changes, which are called upper cross syndrome.

How to eliminate strains and spasms of the rhomboid muscle

If chronic back pain occurs, it is best to first consult a specialist, especially if the onset of pain was preceded by an injury to the back, neck or shoulder.

The main symptoms of rhomboid muscle strain are:

pain between the shoulder blades, which intensifies when moving the arms;
pain and tenderness in the upper back.

If the pain is too severe, your doctor will prescribe certain pain medications. You can also do massages to relieve symptoms of rhomboid muscle strain. It’s quite difficult to do this on your own, but you can use the tennis ball method:

lie down on the floor;
You can put a small pillow under your head for convenience;
place a tennis ball between the shoulder blade and the spine;
when the ball touches the stress point, you will feel it;
lie on the ball, relaxing your body as much as possible;
swing the ball over the area of the tense muscle.

Stretching and Exercises

Rhomboid stretch:

sit on a chair;
lower your head;
lean forward;
with your arms crossed, grab your opposite knees;
hold the position for 20 seconds.

Upper back stretch

stand up straight;
extend your arms in front of you;
lean forward a little;
tilt your head;
feel the muscles of your back and neck stretch;
after 30 seconds return to the IP.

Cobra pose

lie on your stomach;
legs straight, shoulder width apart;
arms along the body;
palms down;
slowly lift your upper and lower body;
raise your arms along with your body;
hold for a few seconds;
go down;
repeat 10 times;
When taking cobra pose, do not arch your neck and squeeze your buttocks.

We hope that with the help of simple exercises selected by the site, you will be able to relieve pain resulting from overstrain of the rhomboid muscle.

Why do defined muscles make a person attractive? From an aesthetic point of view, the beauty of the body implies physical health.

Strong back muscles provide powerful protection to the spinal column, a complex organ that ensures the normal functioning of internal organs and is sensitive to disruptions in their functioning.

The strong rhomboid back muscle is located under, and thanks to it a person can freely maintain a beautiful straight posture. Antagonists are the pectoral muscles.

A weak rhomboid muscle leads to gradual shortening of the pectoral muscle. And then it’s very close to problems with the spine.

Functional Features

The rhomboid muscle received its name for its resemblance to a geometric figure. In the area between the shoulder blades on either side of the spine, muscle fibers stretch left and right, ending at the lower edge of the shoulder blades.

The muscle consists of 2 parts: the large rhomboid muscle covers the area from 1 to 5 thoracic vertebrae, the small muscle stretches from the 6-7 cervical vertebrae.

The large muscle pulls the shoulder blades toward the midvertebral line, and the small muscle rotates the lower corner of the shoulder blade inward during movements. These are their main functions.

Exercises for the rhomboid muscle group include many basic combinations that also involve other spinal muscles.

These muscle fibers are to some extent independent, since any efforts aimed at strengthening the muscular frame of the back simultaneously have an indirect effect on the rhomboid muscles.

A weak rhomboid muscle causes spinal pathologies in the thoracic region. The back hurts in this area due to the fact that the stretched muscle fibers no longer provide support to the vertebrae, the pressure on which increases.

With increased physical activity, a gradual flattening of the intervertebral discs occurs - and develop.

The problem is aggravated by the fact that the body compensates for the “powerlessness” of the rhomboid muscle by gradually shortening the pectoral muscle fibers.

And then, when a person tries to straighten his back, he cannot completely straighten his shoulders and involuntarily arches his back in the lower back, which is also subject to unnecessary stress.

Thus, a weakened rhomboid muscle becomes the cause of pathologies of the spine in its various parts. To properly pump these muscle fibers, you can perform a wide variety of exercises to strengthen the back muscles.

What movements should you perform?

The anatomy of the rhomboid muscle is designed in such a way that it is involved in almost all back strengthening exercises. You can choose movements that are simple in technique, but very effective. For example, these:

I.p. – sitting, legs slightly apart. You need to sit at some distance from the back of the chair, bend your elbows. Elbows point down. The shoulder blades move towards each other. Having brought them to the closest possible distance, you need to linger for a few seconds.
Good training also occurs when performing this exercise: from the i.p. – sitting, legs bent at the knees – place your hands on your knees in opposite directions. The left hand lies on the right knee, the right hand on the left. Make a slight tilt with your body forward, tilt your chin slightly down. Hold for a few seconds.
Other effective exercises for strengthening the rhomboid muscle include movements that involve the shoulder blades. Bringing them together and spreading them, fixing the chosen position is a good training exercise for the specified muscle group. Fortunately, there are a lot of such variations and choosing the most suitable ones for yourself will not be difficult at all.

Before starting training, it would be a good idea to stretch your muscles with simple movements: walking with moderate swinging of your arms, stretching them, spreading them to the sides, lowering them down - warming up has a tonic, general strengthening effect. When the rhomboid muscles are warmed up, you can begin the main exercises.

It is located under the trapezius and connects to the upper back. Together with the middle fibers of the trapezius muscle, it connects the shoulder blades. It also lifts along with the levator muscle. Consequently, it holds the shoulder blades and brings the shoulder blades together behind.

One of the muscles responsible for beauty is. This is one of the most important muscles that stabilize the back. goes from the spinous processes of the upper thoracic to the inner corner of the scapula, in the direction from top to bottom (from to). In addition, it is divided into two parts: on and. The minor begins from the spinous process of the sixth cervical. The rhomboid major muscle runs from the first to fifth spinous process there to the corner of the scapula.

Problem

The muscle is prone to weakness, usually on both sides. In this case, the shoulders shift forward and a slouch is formed. Antagonist muscle: The pectoralis minor muscle will shorten if weak. Which will further increase the forward displacement of the shoulders. A shortened pectoralis minor muscle can put pressure on the neurovascular bundle, which will lead to goosebumps in the arms.

Also the second sign of its shortening: turning the hand with the back side forward (if you lower your arms down while standing). Having weakened, it shifts both and all forward, which causes shortening of the pectoralis minor muscle. Following the shoulders, the head and head move forward, since the long extensor is attached in the same way as to the upper thoracic vertebrae. And with weakness, their fixation and displacement occurs and the long extensor cannot function normally.

The complex set of muscle changes associated with stooping is called upper crossed syndrome.

Diagnostics

The pain that occurs in the muscle is felt along the inner edge of the shoulder blade. It does not depend on movement - it can be felt during rest. Not only is involved in the structure of pain. But you will feel its participation only when you eliminate tension points in the trapezius muscle, the levator muscle, and the infraspinatus muscle. If you hear a clicking or crunching sound when you move your shoulder blades, or feel pain in your upper lower back, there may be pressure points in the rhomboid muscle as well.

Stretching and static exercises

1. The easiest way eliminating tension points in this muscle is to lie on the floor and place a ball between your spine. You may need to rest your head on a thin pillow for comfort. You will understand where to place the ball when you lie on it and experience pain from pressing on the tension point. As you lie on the floor, allow your body to relax and breathe deeply. Your body's gravity and the compression of the ball will do all the work to relax the muscle.

2. : Sit on a chair, lean forward and lower your head. Cross your arms to grab your opposite knees. Hold this position for 20 seconds. You can also practice side crunches, which also work the diamond.

3. Mixing. One of the simplest and most effective exercises for getting into a healthier state is to bring your shoulder blades together. You can do shoulder blade retraction on your stomach (Boat exercise) + our favorite.
The “Warrior Pose” exercise helps a lot.

Dynamic exercises

There are about 650 muscles in our body, but for some reason we do not train all 650, but only the most important ones, those that form the basis and in the process of which the whole body is transformed. The rhomboids are just one of those muscles that do not need to be purposefully trained, since they develop passively when doing back exercises. Almost every exercise involves these muscles, and therefore you should not worry about their development - they are to some extent independent.

Proximal attachment of the spinous processes of the vertebrae C7—T5.

Distal attachment, Medial border of the scapula.

Function. Raise the shoulder blade while bringing it closer to the spine.

Palpation. To localize the rhomboid muscles, the following structures must be identified:
. Medial edge of the scapula.
. The base of the scapula is a small triangular surface located at the medial border of the spine of the scapula. Most often it is at the same horizontal level with the third thoracic vertebra.
. The inferior angle of the scapula is a triangular surface in the distal part of the scapula. Most often it is located at the same horizontal level with the seventh thoracic vertebra.
. Spinous processes of the C715 vertebrae.

Place the patient on his stomach with his head resting comfortably on the pillow. Ask the patient to place their hands on the lower back, palms up. As he begins to lean his upper body back against the resistance created by your arm, the rhomboid muscles will become visible.

Palpate the rhomboid muscles in the space between the spinal column and the medial edge of the scapula as much as the fibers of the trapezius muscle.

Pain pattern. The pain is concentrated along the medial edge of the scapula, but can also spread laterally through the supraspinous part of the scapula. Local superficial aching pain is felt at rest and does not depend on movements.

Causal or supporting factors. Chronic overload caused by prolonged periods of working in a hunched position. Postural overload due to excessive contraction of the pectoralis major muscle.

Satellite trigger points. The levator scapulae, trapezius, supraspinatus and pectoralis major muscles.
Affected organ system. Respiratory system.

Associated zones, meridians and points.

Dorsal zone. Bladder foot meridian tai yang. BL 11 - 15, BL 41 - 44.

Stretching exercise. Sit on a chair. Bend forward with your head down, cross your arms in front of you and clasp your knees on opposite sides. Fix the pose until the count is 5 10.

Strengthening exercise. Lie diagonally across a table or bed and hang your arms over the edge. Bend your elbows 90 degrees, retract your shoulder blades and hold the pose until you count 10. Relax and repeat the exercise.

D. Finando, C. Finando