pain in right scapula area and numbness in fingers


I have been kayaking for over 8 years. This year I have been paddling much more than anytime I have in the past. About a month ago I started feeling numbness in my right hand from the forefinger to the pinky finger. I would typically paddle 5 miles a night. At firet I ignored the numbness (it would go away momentarily when i opened my hand and put it in the water) but eventually that numbness combined itself with pain in my right scapula. I went to get a deep tissue massage from a reputable clinic. They focused on my right shoulder and pectoral muscle. This didn't alleviate the pain.


I took a couple of weeks off from paddling but it still hurts. The only other time my shoulder bothers me is when I'm mt. biking. Then the symptoms are the same so I know it's just not the repetitive motion of the paddling.

I don't believe that it's a torn rotator cuff because if it was my shoulder would hurt doing regular activities. What can i do to alleviate this problem? My guess is that it's a pinched nerve. I don't want to quit exercising my upper body altogether because I don't want to lose any more muscle gain.





No, you're quite right, this certainly isn't a rotator cuff problem.

What's interesting is that it covers two or more dermatomes. That suggests that it's not a pinched in the neck, but probably a problem in the Inter Scalene Triangle where the artery and nerve bundles to the arm pass.

Ask for Adson's test to be done, though it's a difficult and very sensitive test, unless one does it regularly.

The key sign is that raising your arms above your head is likely to increase the tingling, whereas a pinched nerve in the neck would usually lessen.

The fact that it affects your pinkie rules out Carpal tunnel syndrome.

I'm afraid only a thorough chiropractic examination is likely to plumb the mysteries of your pain. Look for an experience thorough local DC. Take this note with you.

I hope this has contributed.

Dr B


Click here to post comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Chiropractic help Questions (General).





Did you find this page useful? Then perhaps forward it to a suffering friend. Better still, Tweet or Face Book it.

Share this page:
Enjoy this page? Then forward it to a friend. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.