Tight muscles between the shoulder blades

[Bluenoser]

On longer rides I've had this problem of muscles tightening up between my shoulder blades for many years.  I'm fine for two maybe three hours but from then on I can't seem to avoid what develops into discomfort and fairly sharp pain.  I do my best to remain relaxed, vary positions, maintain good posture and keep my elbows down near my sides which all helps somewhat but eventually I tighten up.

 

What am I doing wrong?  What can I do to relieve what I believe is tense muscles?  

[TEWKS]

What are you riding? Didn’t need bar backs on my RT but the GS yes. Same pain as you describe, it was gone once I pulled the bars up and back ever so slightly. 

[lawnchairboy]

Master yoda’s riding position 

[lawnchairboy]

 

[TEWKS]

And just in case you think lawnchairboy is messing with ya, he’s not it’s a thing. 

See, Luke had the same problem. 

 

The link is somewhere in this forum. I will search for it.

 

edit… Chris did the work while I was trying to be funny.

[Hosstage]

The bars are often the culprit. As mentioned, some pullbacks may help.

[chrisolson]

When I started riding long distance I had the same issue ... pain in upper back / neck ... but after trying and sticking with the MYRP ... the issue was resolved.  As per Dick's write up ...

 

The keynotes to "the" Riding Position are:

• Bend at the HIPS, not waist
• Maintain a SLIGHT arch to the back, not allowing it ever to "curve"
• Move the butt AFT so the weight is OVER YOUR FEET.
• Apply pressure to the feet, using the THIGH muscles, so you are sitting "lightly"
• ELBOWS BENT, now DROP the hands to the bars.

All points must be used in combination and together ... it may at first feel odd or even uncomfortable, but with practice it becomes second nature and comfortable ... at least it did for me regardless of the bike type/style I ride.  Except cruiser types with forward controls where MYRP is pretty much impossible 

[Bluenoser]

11 hours ago, TEWKS said:

What are you riding? Didn’t need bar backs on my RT but the GS yes. Same pain as you describe, it was gone once I pulled the bars up and back ever so slightly. 

Riding a 23 R1250RT and a 99 R1100RT.  The 1100 has the bars moved up and back about an inch.   

[Bluenoser]

9 hours ago, chrisolson said:

When I started riding long distance I had the same issue ... pain in upper back / neck ... but after trying and sticking with the MYRP ... the issue was resolved.  As per Dick's write up ...

 

The keynotes to "the" Riding Position are:

• Bend at the HIPS, not waist
• Maintain a SLIGHT arch to the back, not allowing it ever to "curve"
• Move the butt AFT so the weight is OVER YOUR FEET.
• Apply pressure to the feet, using the THIGH muscles, so you are sitting "lightly"
• ELBOWS BENT, now DROP the hands to the bars.

All points must be used in combination and together ... it may at first feel odd or even uncomfortable, but with practice it becomes second nature and comfortable ... at least it did for me regardless of the bike type/style I ride.  Except cruiser types with forward controls where MYRP is pretty much impossible 

I'll be trying to use this for sure.  Leaving on a six day trip tomorrow morning.

[Bluenoser]

10 hours ago, Hosstage said:

The bars are often the culprit. As mentioned, some pullbacks may help.

My 1100 RT has the bars pulled back, I don't think it can be done on the 1250RT.

[Bluenoser]

11 hours ago, lawnchairboy said:

 

Thanks.  I read the article.  Hopefully I can make it work.

[TEWKS]

17 minutes ago, Bluenoser said:

My 1100 RT has the bars pulled back, I don't think it can be done on the 1250RT.

IIium Works  or Heli has risers. Now are you fine on the 1100 RT or same pain on both bikes? Obvious question you probably already asked yourself I know.

[RandyShields]

On 8/18/2023 at 9:15 PM, Hosstage said:

The bars are often the culprit. As mentioned, some pullbacks may help.

The other culprit is just old age and weakening muscles in the neck and shoulders.  I never had that problem until a few years ago.  Barbacks didn't really help.  MYRP didn't help.  What did help was a regimen of shoulder and neck exercises, particularly isometric neck exercises with a band.  

[Hosstage]

Don't forget good old fashioned drugs, Ibuprofen, Tylenol (arthritis formula available), aspirin, they can all help in small doses

[RTinNC]

On 8/20/2023 at 6:02 AM, RandyShields said:

The other culprit is just old age and weakening muscles in the neck and shoulders.  I never had that problem until a few years ago.  Barbacks didn't really help.  MYRP didn't help.  What did help was a regimen of shoulder and neck exercises, particularly isometric neck exercises with a band.  

WOW ... and here I thought it was only me who had this issue.   Mine actually started with the first BMW I bought, a 1997 R1100RT (thanks to Cary the originator of this site for his guidance) and I love that bike but it did not love me back.  It was that bike that started my neck/shoulder pain that felt like a spike being driven into my body.  I tried all the usually remedies.... bar backs, 3 seats, etc.  None helped and sadly after about 18 months I sold that RT and bought my first NEW bike, a 2002 R1150GS and BAM relief.  No more pain in the shoulder and it handled like a sport bike IMHO    But later in my riding career the shoulder pain that was now set in my body would appear.  I find that occasional doses of Advil and the use of Crioderm Gel on my shoulder help a lot.  Both of my current bikes are very comfortable and the shoulder pain only appears in stressful situations i.e. riding in rain and cold mostly.   But as Randy noted I found additional relief from physical therapy and the exercises recommended.  In addition my therapist used dry needling which amazed me and really helped even more.   Today I am about 80% pain free but do love the electric cruise to relax my right arm at times and help me continue to enjoy my BMWs.  But I honest thought after my '97 RT I would never own another BMW.  Luckily I found that '02 GS and here I am today 

[MT Wallet]

Sounds like I'm in good company.

[Red]

Maybe you need one of these.

[RTinNC]

Lifetime member for sure!

[Lowndes]

On 8/20/2023 at 9:14 AM, Hosstage said:

Don't forget good old fashioned drugs, Ibuprofen, Tylenol (arthritis formula available), aspirin, they can all help in small doses

Vitamin N (naproxen sodium, aka Aleve) as the "adult" leaders in our Scout Troop used to say.

 

If it gets really bad, combine with acetaminophen (Tylenol) on an offset 4 hour schedule.  I learned that the hard way at Fart '22, Natural Bridge.

[Rougarou]

Grunt Candy

 

I used to eat about 3600-4800mgs of this stuff in a day,.....depending on the activity at hand.  Now, one or two doses of the 800mg stuff works fine depending on the previous day's activity.

[Hosstage]

I'm a fan of good old fashioned aspirin, but I know it's not a long term regular routine solution. It seems to work the best for me though, quick relief. 

[Skywagon]

Ibuprofen - there goes your liver

Aspirin - there goes your stomach

 

Careful taking either too often. I get the tight shoulder backpain thing too. If on the road I’ll find a place to stop, preferably a park. I’ll lie down on a picnic table or ground for a few minutes which helps

My knee Doc said when in pain take the cocktail of 1 advil and 1 Tylenol which does help. It helps most if I take it before a long ride. 
 

Crazy, I know but on a long straight road, I’ve been known to put it on cruise, slip back to the back seat and lean against the trunk case. 

[Hosstage]

1 hour ago, Skywagon said:

Crazy, I know but on a long straight road, I’ve been known to put it on cruise, slip back to the back seat and lean against the trunk case. 

I do it all the time on long stretches.

I miss my knees, they were awesome.

[wbw6cos]

Obligatory:

 

 

[Bluenoser]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:17 PM, Bluenoser said:

On longer rides I've had this problem of muscles tightening up between my shoulder blades for many years.  I'm fine for two maybe three hours but from then on I can't seem to avoid what develops into discomfort and fairly sharp pain.  I do my best to remain relaxed, vary positions, maintain good posture and keep my elbows down near my sides which all helps somewhat but eventually I tighten up.

 

What am I doing wrong?  What can I do to relieve what I believe is tense muscles?  

Well the MYRP has been a game changer. I returned from a 4200 km trip in 6 days last Saturday, averaged 700 km each day. Pain between the shoulders is gone. There is still some slight discomfort but I find it shifts around depending on curvature of the lower back, where the bend is focused. Thanks very much for the help.  

I do still plan to investigate bar backs.

[RTinNC]

23 minutes ago, Bluenoser said:

Well the MYRP has been a game changer. I returned from a 4200 km trip in 6 days last Saturday, averaged 700 km each day. Pain between the shoulders is gone. There is still some slight discomfort but I find it shifts around depending on curvature of the lower back, where the bend is focused. Thanks very much for the help.  

I do still plan to I instigate bar backs.

MYRP ???

[Rougarou]

20 minutes ago, RTinNC said:

MYRP ???

 

Master Yoda's Riding Position

[RTinNC]

[MT Wallet]

23 hours ago, Skywagon said:

Ibuprofen - there goes your liver

Aspirin - there goes your stomach

 

Careful taking either too often. I get the tight shoulder backpain thing too. If on the road I’ll find a place to stop, preferably a park. I’ll lie down on a picnic table or ground for a few minutes which helps

My knee Doc said when in pain take the cocktail of 1 advil and 1 Tylenol which does help. It helps most if I take it before a long ride. 
 

Crazy, I know but on a long straight road, I’ve been known to put it on cruise, slip back to the back seat and lean against the trunk case. 

 

I've developed a great respect for Tylenol in the last couple of years but it can mess with you liver is taken to excess and especially if combined with alcohol. NSAIDS hammer you kidneys. So if you're an old guy (like me) with kidney issues beware.

[Etienne Lau]

Somethings to keep in mind. Most office workers spend 8+ hours per day in a seated position, hands and arms in front of us. This results in very very stiff posture, muscles shortened on the front part of the body and this in turn causes pain on the shoulders and back, because those tight front muscles keep pulling on the back muscles. The riding position on a motorcycle only aggravates this. So the best thing we all can do is to do stretches and stretch out frontal muscles, and some back/shoulder exercises to strengthen the back.

 

 

[lawnchairboy]

On 8/30/2023 at 12:31 PM, Bluenoser said:

Well the MYRP has been a game changer. I returned from a 4200 km trip in 6 days last Saturday, averaged 700 km each day. Pain between the shoulders is gone. There is still some slight discomfort but I find it shifts around depending on curvature of the lower back, where the bend is focused. Thanks very much for the help.  

I do still plan to investigate bar backs.

Great!