Solution for Overworked Rhomboids & Mid Back

So I get massages once per month, and every time I get them the person comments on my rhomboids, usually that they’re extremely developed, and that there’s something different about them. Fortunately the girl that gave me the massage today is also an exercise physiologist and was able to converse better about what she saw with my back. She noted that my rhomboids were developed, but that that they felt extraordinarily tight.

She said that it was also in my upper back as well, but mainly in my mid back, and that as she worked her way down to my lower back that tightness eased up. She also said that my spinal…something possibly erectors along my mid back were also very tight. She asked if I did a lot of rowing/pullups and that it seemed like those parts of my back were overworked. She also noted that it seemed my lower back wasn’t as developed as my mid/upper back. I asked if something like hyper extensions would help, and she suggested I try something else.

So anyway, to conclude this rambling message: 1) What should I do about an overworked midback? Less rowing for a while? I do feel like rowing always ends up hitting my rhomboid area almost as much as my lats…2) What else could I do for my lower back? I’ve never really liked hypers anyway…

DLs for the lower back.

I don’t know about ‘overworked’ midback though.
I like UH grip for rowing but I never paid attention to rhomboids v. lats.

How tall are you?

POIDH.

You gotta remember, many of these people have never seen anyone with a well developed back before, so they might just not be familiar with what one looks like…assuming your’s is well developed.

Overworked back my tits.

Don’t know how you can call a muscle overworked (over…trained?) just because it’s tight. Hell, it could just as well be weak and tight.
Over-tightness of a muscle could be indicative of some sort of mechanical issue however. But in that case it wouldn’t be an overworked muscle that’s the primary issue, but rather a pinched or out-of-place joint (muscle tightness would be a symptom).

Part of my preparation for PT school involves volunteering and shadowing. One particular clinic I volunteer/shadow at specializes in moving and remobilizing joints (primary issue), which 9 times out of 10 makes muscle tightness/pain/fatigue (symptom) lessen or go away.

Not sure what you could do about it if a mechanical issue was in fact the case though… the PTs I volunteer with don’t know of any other clinics in the country that do what they do.

[quote]Sharp4850 wrote:
the PTs I volunteer with don’t know of any other clinics in the country that do what they do. [/quote]
Oh, of course not! rolls eyes

[quote]hungry4more wrote:
POIDH.

You gotta remember, many of these people have never seen anyone with a well developed back before, so they might just not be familiar with what one looks like…assuming your’s is well developed. [/quote]

This is true as well. My mid back is pretty developed. I’m 5 10 for the person who asked before. I do deadlift at least once per week already…

[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:

[quote]hungry4more wrote:
POIDH.

You gotta remember, many of these people have never seen anyone with a well developed back before, so they might just not be familiar with what one looks like…assuming your’s is well developed. [/quote]

This is true as well. My mid back is pretty developed. I’m 5 10 for the person who asked before. I do deadlift at least once per week already…[/quote]

as a weight trainer your level of muscle tension will be higher even in a relaxed state than a non lifter. I think a lot of massage therapist confuse this with “tightness”. I recommend that you increase your visits to once a week, for a bout a month, if you can afford it and make sure you are getting a deep tissue massage and not some kind of “sports massage”. Tell her to work the knots out. She should be digging her elbows into your rhomboids until you are begging her to stop

[quote]JayPierce wrote:

[quote]Sharp4850 wrote:
the PTs I volunteer with don’t know of any other clinics in the country that do what they do. [/quote]
Oh, of course not! rolls eyes[/quote]
There is a reason professional athletes fly in from throughout the country rather than visit one in their area, but I digress…

To the OP, if you’re not getting serious pain or losing strength in the area, I don’t see why you would need to change anything. How’s your flexibility in the upper back?

[quote]hungry4more wrote:
POIDH.
[/quote]

Careful what you ask for. You might end up with more than you bargained for.

[quote]Sharp4850 wrote:

[quote]JayPierce wrote:

[quote]Sharp4850 wrote:
the PTs I volunteer with don’t know of any other clinics in the country that do what they do. [/quote]
Oh, of course not! rolls eyes[/quote]
There is a reason professional athletes fly in from throughout the country rather than visit one in their area, but I digress…

To the OP, if you’re not getting serious pain or losing strength in the area, I don’t see why you would need to change anything. How’s your flexibility in the upper back?[/quote]

Flexibility of my upper back feels fine, near as I can tell

No pain, no fatigue, and no loss of strength or flexibility. I think it would be reasonable to say that what she was feeling was a result of better than average muscular development in your back.
I don’t have a degree yet though, so take that for what it’s worth.

Either it’s nothing or it’s caused by structural/postural problems. How is your posture? Do you slouch? Do you spend a lot of time driving or in front of a computer?

[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
Either it’s nothing or it’s caused by structural/postural problems. How is your posture? Do you slouch? Do you spend a lot of time driving or in front of a computer?[/quote]

I do slouch. My shoulders round forward like you would not believe. I spend a moderate amount of time in front of a computer; it varies by day. But yeah definitely yes on the slouching. I’m always catching myself doing it