winged scapula not getting better

[funlife42]

a few months ago I developed (left) shoulder pain while doing pull-ups. my left shoulder felt off for a while (in terms of how it moved relative to my right) but I didn't think much of it until one day after a set of pull-ups I felt nerve pain down my arm. since then I haven't worked out and started physical therapy and while the pain is better it doesn't feel any different in terms of movement. I've been working on external rotation (+overall back strength) since its significantly weaker than my right side. No matter how much work I do I 1)cannot feel the right muscles activating (specifically my lower traps and lats) 2)do not feel a change in strength/ability. The most notable difference with my shoulders is when I hang, my teres and the other muscles on my rotator cuff go crazy on my left when I start to hang but on my right its all my lats. No matter how hard I focus, I can't get my left to mirror my right no matter how much I change my position or make any adjustments. It feels like this space opens up between my scapula and my spine whereas on my right I feel support/tension all throughout my upper back. For months I've done these exercises with the most intense focus I could adopt, recording myself, looking at my back in the mirror, etc. No change. I have no idea what to do.

The only other thing I can think of that I haven't addressed is my left erector spinae. I had a microdiscectomy for a herniated disc a few years back and recently noticed when this muscle activates it spasms and gets much tighter than the other side. This is probably a long shot but im suspecting the tightness is messing with my ribs and throwing off the alignment of my shoulder. There isn't a significant difference in how my shoulders look during rest but I genuinely cannot think of anything else that could be causing this. It feels like a bunch of motor neurons have been severed making it impossible to regain normal function of my shoulder. Nothing I have done in the past 6 months has made me feel closer (at all) to normal and I have 0 clue what to do. This is my first post here so I hope this is an appropriate question--thank you so, so much for any help.

[Fresch]

a few months ago I developed (left) shoulder pain while doing pull-ups. my left shoulder felt off for a while (in terms of how it moved relative to my right) but I didn't think much of it until one day after a set of pull-ups I felt nerve pain down my arm. since then I haven't worked out and started physical therapy and while the pain is better it doesn't feel any different in terms of movement. I've been working on external rotation (+overall back strength) since its significantly weaker than my right side. No matter how much work I do I 1)cannot feel the right muscles activating (specifically my lower traps and lats) 2)do not feel a change in strength/ability. The most notable difference with my shoulders is when I hang, my teres and the other muscles on my rotator cuff go crazy on my left when I start to hang but on my right its all my lats. No matter how hard I focus, I can't get my left to mirror my right no matter how much I change my position or make any adjustments. It feels like this space opens up between my scapula and my spine whereas on my right I feel support/tension all throughout my upper back. For months I've done these exercises with the most intense focus I could adopt, recording myself, looking at my back in the mirror, etc. No change. I have no idea what to do.

The only other thing I can think of that I haven't addressed is my left erector spinae. I had a microdiscectomy for a herniated disc a few years back and recently noticed when this muscle activates it spasms and gets much tighter than the other side. This is probably a long shot but im suspecting the tightness is messing with my ribs and throwing off the alignment of my shoulder. There isn't a significant difference in how my shoulders look during rest but I genuinely cannot think of anything else that could be causing this. It feels like a bunch of motor neurons have been severed making it impossible to regain normal function of my shoulder. Nothing I have done in the past 6 months has made me feel closer (at all) to normal and I have 0 clue what to do. This is my first post here so I hope this is an appropriate question--thank you so, so much for any help.

What level was the microdiscectomy?
What treatment has you been given by the Physical Therapist? Was it for nerve pain?
Did the left scaoula seemmwinged before all this started?

[funlife42]

What level was the microdiscectomy?
What treatment has you been given by the Physical Therapist? Was it for nerve pain?
Did the left scaoula seemmwinged before all this started?

level was l5-s1. I've seen a few physiotherapists but am convinced they're taking the wrong approach. One noted my external rotation was weak and has me work on external rotation, but I think that's more a symptom of what's happening. I feel like I can't even get into a good position to externally rotate so of course its going to be poor.

Its been so long since the discectomy that I can't really recall, but I was very active before everything happened and dont recall ever having issues with my shoulder. Which is why I think this started after. I spent around 5 years being near sedentary because the discectomy was botched and I was afraid to mess anything up which would have given more than enough time for everything to get messed up.

[Fresch]

level was l5-s1. I've seen a few physiotherapists but am convinced they're taking the wrong approach. One noted my external rotation was weak and has me work on external rotation, but I think that's more a symptom of what's happening. I feel like I can't even get into a good position to externally rotate so of course its going to be poor.

Its been so long since the discectomy that I can't really recall, but I was very active before everything happened and dont recall ever having issues with my shoulder. Which is why I think this started after. I spent around 5 years being near sedentary because the discectomy was botched and I was afraid to mess anything up which would have given more than enough time for everything to get messed up.

The surgery att L5-S1 should have no direct effect on your shoulder. If you felt nerbe pain in your shoulder, which is not uncommon, then treatment should have been directed towards the neck and checking if the nerve was moving properly. An issue witht he nerve can lead to the shoulder hitching and create a dyskinesia.

[PCRulesPSDrools]

a few months ago I developed (left) shoulder pain while doing pull-ups. my left shoulder felt off for a while (in terms of how it moved relative to my right) but I didn't think much of it until one day after a set of pull-ups I felt nerve pain down my arm. since then I haven't worked out and started physical therapy and while the pain is better it doesn't feel any different in terms of movement. I've been working on external rotation (+overall back strength) since its significantly weaker than my right side. No matter how much work I do I 1)cannot feel the right muscles activating (specifically my lower traps and lats) 2)do not feel a change in strength/ability. The most notable difference with my shoulders is when I hang, my teres and the other muscles on my rotator cuff go crazy on my left when I start to hang but on my right its all my lats. No matter how hard I focus, I can't get my left to mirror my right no matter how much I change my position or make any adjustments. It feels like this space opens up between my scapula and my spine whereas on my right I feel support/tension all throughout my upper back. For months I've done these exercises with the most intense focus I could adopt, recording myself, looking at my back in the mirror, etc. No change. I have no idea what to do.

The only other thing I can think of that I haven't addressed is my left erector spinae. I had a microdiscectomy for a herniated disc a few years back and recently noticed when this muscle activates it spasms and gets much tighter than the other side. This is probably a long shot but im suspecting the tightness is messing with my ribs and throwing off the alignment of my shoulder. There isn't a significant difference in how my shoulders look during rest but I genuinely cannot think of anything else that could be causing this. It feels like a bunch of motor neurons have been severed making it impossible to regain normal function of my shoulder. Nothing I have done in the past 6 months has made me feel closer (at all) to normal and I have 0 clue what to do. This is my first post here so I hope this is an appropriate question--thank you so, so much for any help.

I've got nothing of value to offer here, but just to compare some stories since I've read your post, and this other one on this same day, and I myself and a co worker can also relate slightly.

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...post1677465333

From post #63

4. Joint pain problems?
No, but recently started experiencing upper/middle back pain(right between shoulder blades) from squatting and deadlifting

This sounds similar to a young guy I worked with recently who is an obvious gym bro ( not my gym bro specifically but he's working out at a gym I've visited a couple times (I helped build it as a tradesmen actually)) This guy looks like he's built to lift, tree trunk legs, thick muscular upper body but recently his scapula started doing a weird thing when he benches so he no longer does. Not only that but I myself have always had a slight issue in my upper mid back, just to the right of my spine, never gave me any real trouble at the gym but certain types of physical work I could sort of feel it develop into a upper back pain many years ago when I worked throwing boxes of sea food products around for really long hours/weeks on end.

Ever since Covid infection, that little trouble spot tingles frequently and feels like there's a little click in there sometimes if I move it a certain way. Other than that it doesn't really effect me in any real tangible way, just strange.