As noted in part 1 of this article, there are times when there is little doubt about why you have a particular pain. But if you have a muscle pain that seems to come from nowhere, factors such as those listed below might be responsible—factors that could be avoided in the future. Of course, when you can’t dodge an ache, it’s time to see your massage therapist!
| Muscle | Location | Stressors of That Muscle |
| Rectus abdominis | Top layer of muscle over the center of the belly | Prolonged driving in the car; collapsed chest and rounded shoulders; excessive exercise; pregnancy or obesity |
| External obliques | Sides of ribs and belly | Actions involving throwing; scoliosis and postures with compressed ribs; prolonged postures involving a rotational component (e.g., sitting at a desk in a sustained twisted position); pregnancy or obesity |
| Internal obliques | Outer edges of the front of the belly | Compressed posture toward one side; leaning toward one side or forward for long periods of time while seated; pregnancy or obesity |
| Iliopsoas | Front of hip bone to spine, through the abdomen | Prolonged sitting with knees above the hip or hip in a jackknifed position; hyperlordosis/anterior pelvic tilt; sleeping in a fetal position; lower limb length inequality or small hemipelvis; excessive sit-ups |
| Pectoralis major | Chest, from breastbone to upper arm | Collapsed chest, protracted head syndrome, protracted/rounded shoulders; excessive exercise (e.g., push-ups, weight machines); sustained lifting in a fixed position (e.g., using power tools) |
| Pectoralis minor | From third and fourth ribs to top of arm; under pec major | Use of a crutch; prolonged compression (e.g., carrying a knapsack with a tight strap); kyphosis, poor sitting habits or poor chair design, poor posture; collapsed chest, respiratory problems, vigorous breathing; prolonged position with arm overhead (e.g., during sleep or painting a ceiling) |
| Serratus anterior | Side of first eight or nine ribs | Excessive exercise such as push-ups, lifting heavy weights overhead; irritation of lungs (e.g., smoking, asthma, chronic cough); excessively fast or prolonged running |
| Deltoid | Top of arm, at shoulder | Intramuscular injections, such as B vitamins, penicillin, influenza vaccine; overhead repetitive strain develops during prolonged lifting (e.g., holding a power tool); any repetitive movement with arms at or above shoulder height |
| Rhomboids | Between spine and shoulder blades, deep to middle traps | Well-developed pectoralis major muscle pulls the shoulder forward, overloading the weaker rhomboid muscle; prolonged leaning forward and working in the rounded shoulder position |
| Trapezius, middle | Top of thoracic spine to top of shoulder | Collapsed chest and protracted shoulders; kyphotic and scoliotic conditions; behaviors associated with forward head posture |
| Trapezius, lower | Mid-thoracic spine to top of shoulder | Rounded shoulders; if there is kyphosis, the lower traps becomes a postural muscle, acting like a fourth erector spinae |
| Subscapularis | Under the shoulder blade | Repetitive/chronic tendonitis; reaching in back seat of car and lifting a heavy object; playing tennis, weightlifting |
| Infraspinatus | Covers the lower part of the shoulder blade | Sleeping on the affected side (compresses and stimulates trigger points); sleeping on opposite side (arm falls forward, stretching affect muscle bands); grabbing backward for support to regain balance or mis-hitting a ball in racket sports |
| Supraspinatus | Covers the upper part of the shoulder blade | Carrying heavy objects (such as a suitcase) with arm hanging down at the side; lifting objects above shoulder height with the arm outstretched |
| Teres major | Stretches from lower part of outer edge of shoulder blade to top of arm | Driving a heavy car without power steering; butterfly stroke during swimming |
| Quadratus lumborum | From mid-lumber spine to last rib | Sitting on a wallet; functional short leg; contracts with high hip or anterior pelvic title; awkward lifting movements; carrying a child on a hip over a long period of time |
| Latissimus dorsi | Lower part of the thoracic spine to top of arm | Repetitive reaching forward and upward, either to manipulate some awkwardly large object or to pull something down (e.g., butterfly stroke); rounded shoulder posture |
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