Update on my Upper Back Issue

In January, I made a thread here

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3255

To sum it up, I was experiencing problems with a winged scapula. I would get pain after doing pressing exercises, as well as generally being prone to problems in my upper back/shoulder

So, 5 weeks ago I saw an orthopedist. She told me that I have scoliosis, which probably is which led to a muscle imbalance and winged scapula. My shoulders are not at the same level, one side of my rib cage sticks out, and my torso has a little bit of a tilt to it. I got a few tests to make sure there weren't problems with my nerves, and it was indeed an imbalance

Anyway, I've been doing physical therapy for the last month. To give you an idea of whats going on, here are the exercises I do. I do not use any weights

1. Shrugs, Pinches, chin tucks, 2 sets x 10 reps

2. Theraband rows, extensions, external rotation, 2 sets x 10 reps each

3. Bend upper body over, lift arms as if in a reverse fly, row, extension, and diagonally forward, unweighted, 2 sets x 10 reps each

4. Isometric presses against a wall: with elbow along side and forearm at a 90 degree angle, press 10 times with each arm forward, inward, outward, and backward.

5. Lying down, open book stretch 5 reps each side. Also, supine stick rotation and supine punches 2x10

6. PNF patterns

7. On all fours, 20 raises of one leg, one arm, alternating sides

I went to see the orthopedist again, and she said that my musculature is much more balanced, and the winging is better.

However, I'm still getting the same pain, so she recommended 4-6 more weeks of physical therapy to hopefully correct the problem even more

When I asked her what happens after physical therapy, she said Ill probably have to keep doing these exercises indefinitely. Because of my scoliosis, my upper back is prone to inbalance and/or injury.

Anyway, I was also given the green light to start doing other exercises again. I suspended all other exercise during the last month. For the record, I do mainly bodyweight exercise, and nothing at the level of the gymnasts on this forum. Some things I'm going to try starting are pullups, pistols, and L-sits.

So, does anybody have advice for ways to get back into some old exercises? Perhaps due to long periods of being sedentary, back flexibility, or scoliosis, I find that I get a lot of little pains, where my muscles and joints might feel stiff or out of the ordinary, later or the day after exercise. For the record, I'm 17, and most of my friends don't have similar tendencies

Also, as I detailed in my older thread, almost whenever I press against a floor (i.e. pushups), I get a dull pain in the muscles of my middle-upper back. It feels beneath the surface, and I feel it especially when I lie down flat and/or exhale deeply. Neither the orthropedist nor physical therapist have given me advice on pressing other than to do the physical therapy exercises and hope that the problem goes away. I've been worried that I might be doing something wrong with pushups

Thanks

So, nobody has any feedback?

I started to do pullups, which are going fine. I tend to get into things too quickly, without preparation/warmup

Today, I was in the school gym with my friends. We were talking about squats, then one thing led to another, and I was doing a pistol while holding a 45 lb plate. I am much better at pistols with my left leg than right, and I think I might be exacerbating an imbalance if I keep doing more pistols with my left leg than right

Well congratulations on your progress first of all

second of all I have the same pistol imbalance.. I guess I can pistol squat like 30 lbs more with left than right.. just a guess though haven't done leg strength in a while.

No serratus punches or scap pushups... eh. For winged scap you need specific serratus anterior work.

Otherwise, looks like a common cookie cutter serratus program. Works fine for 99% of the population. Not much to really say about it which is why I didn't comment.

As long as you're improve it's fine.

braindx said:

No serratus punches or scap pushups... eh. For winged scap you need specific serratus anterior work.

Otherwise, looks like a common cookie cutter serratus program. Works fine for 99% of the population. Not much to really say about it which is why I didn't comment.

As long as you're improve it's fine.

Actually, I am doing serratus punches ("supine punches")

To reiterate what I said before, one problem isn't improving. Almost any exercise I do pushing against the floor leads to pain when I release tension. Nobody can tell me why, and its not improving with the rest of my back

I said in the original post

"Also, as I detailed in my older thread, almost whenever I press against a floor (i.e. pushups), I get a dull pain in the muscles of my middle-upper back. It feels beneath the surface, and I feel it especially when I lie down flat and/or exhale deeply. Neither the orthropedist nor physical therapist have given me advice on pressing other than to do the physical therapy exercises and hope that the problem goes away. I've been worried that I might be doing something wrong with pushups"

Ah, I didn't see that it was so far down, hah.

I think your problem may be a tight serratus posterior superior.

Get in there with some very deep tissue massage to loosen it up then see how you feel.

BTW, if your therapist doesn't do soft tissue massage they are, in my opinion, worthless. STM is amazing done correctly and can cure some problems completely and help a lot of other problems extensively even if there's just swelling for example.