What causes pain in the latissimus dorsi muscle?

The human body is complex, consisting of dozens of organs that all work together to help you properly function. Your muscles play an essential role in your bodily function, because they help you move your body parts, including your limbs. You have more than 650 skeletal muscles throughout your body, including 40 in your back.

One of the 40 muscles in your back is called the latissimus dorsi. When you experience pain in this back muscle, it can feel like it’s spanning all across your upper body, making it difficult to carry out your daily routines. By determining the cause of your latissimus dorsi muscle pain, you can figure out the best way to treat it.

We’re going to discuss the basics of latissimus dorsi muscle pain, potential reasons for your pain and physical therapy treatments that can help alleviate it.

What is latissimus dorsi muscle pain?

Let’s start with what the latissimus dorsi actually is. The latissimus dorsi, commonly known as the lat muscle, covers a wide area of your lower back. It’s a large, flat muscle that connects your upper arm bone to the hip and spine. It’s a climbing muscle that works to extend and rotate your upper limbs.

If you’re experiencing latissimus dorsi muscle pain, it can cause symptoms including:

Pain when you raise your arms overhead.
Burning pain.
Swelling.
Discoloration.
Stiffness.
A lump on the muscle.

The pain can sometimes be hard to pinpoint, because it can be felt across your upper body, not just your back. You may also experience the pain in the following areas:

Lower or upper arm.
Back of your shoulders.
Base of the shoulder blade (scapula).

3 potential causes for latissimus dorsi muscle pain

There are a few possible reasons why you could be experiencing latissimus dorsi muscle pain. The pain can develop in anyone, but it’s especially common in people who play sports, regularly exercise or perform repetitive back movements. While most of the causes come from an injury or trauma, it’s possible that latissimus dorsi muscle pain is connected to a condition that needs further medical attention.

Here are three potential reasons for latissimus dorsi muscle pain:

1. Muscle strain — Latissimus dorsi muscle pain often occurs due to overuse from playing sports that require repetitive upper body movements, such as golf, skiing and rowing. Overuse can cause you to strain the muscle, or develop tendinitis, especially if you don’t warm up properly before the activity.
2. Tear — When it comes to physical stress on the latissimus dorsi during sports, it’s possible for athletes who play at a professional level to tear the latissimus dorsi. Even though it’s more rare than a strain, it’s possible for a high-level athlete, like a gymnast, to tear the latissimus dorsi muscle due to trauma. Tearing the muscle can cause a dull pain while at rest, and an intense pain while trying to move it.
3. Osteoarthritis — If you have arthritis in your mid or upper back, known as the thoracic spine, it can cause pain that radiates to your latissimus dorsi. The most common type of arthritis in this area is osteoarthritis, which causes the joint cartilage to break down, resulting in pain and reduced mobility.

How physical therapy can help treat latissimus dorsi muscle pain

Since latissimus dorsi muscle pain can feel like it’s stemming from different points of your upper body, it’s not always easy to pinpoint the cause yourself. Not only can a physical therapist help determine the source of your muscle pain, but they can figure out which treatments will be the most effective in helping to alleviate the pain and restore your mobility.

Your physical therapist will help you reduce your latissimus dorsi muscle pain as well as increase the affected area’s strength, flexibility and range of motion. The two most common physical therapy treatment methods for back pain are manual therapy and targeted exercises.

Depending on the determined cause of your latissimus dorsi muscle pain, your therapist may recommend manual therapy techniques like spinal mobilization. This technique involves them using their hands to stretch the affected muscles in between the vertebrae to reduce the painful pressure and increase mobility.

Targeted exercises play a vital role in helping you heal from latissimus dorsi muscle pain. Your physical therapist will walk you through safe and effective exercises that will strengthen your muscles to increase their function. You’ll also learn stretching exercises that will improve your mobility and decrease the risk of future back injury or re-injury.

Advent Physical Therapy can help treat your latissimus dorsi muscle pain

Latissimus dorsi muscle pain can interfere with your quality of life. Advent PT can provide you with the physical therapy you need to treat your pain and restore your back’s range of motion. After determining the cause, our exercise plans and manual therapy can get you back to your daily activities without wincing in pain.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.