The rhomboid muscles sit in the upper back, connecting the inner edge of each shoulder blade to the spine. A strain (or a spasm — an involuntary muscle contraction) usually comes from overuse of the shoulder and arm: serving a tennis ball, reaching overhead, carrying a heavy backpack on one shoulder, or simply prolonged poor posture at a computer.
It causes pain between the shoulder blade and spine, sometimes felt as a tight knot, worse with shoulder movement or even breathing.
Early management
Ice for 20–30 minutes, and self-massage — lying on a tennis ball placed under the rhomboids — can ease the tightness. Anti-inflammatory medication may help.
Rehab progression (can start right away)
- Reach-and-pull and pectoralis stretches: stretching the upper back and chest to relieve tension pulling on the rhomboids.
- Scapular range of motion: shrugging, squeezing shoulder blades together, and pulling them down — the same foundational move used across shoulder rehab (see our scapular stabilization guide).
- Resisted scapular retraction: pulling a resistance band toward you while squeezing the shoulder blades together, building the endurance to hold good posture.
Return to sport once the spasm has resolved and you can move your shoulders and arms without pain. Warming up properly before rowing, tennis, or overhead activity helps prevent a recurrence.
Rhomboid strain rehabilitation
This page is educational and general in nature and does not replace an individualized evaluation — see our medical disclaimer.