Biceps Brachii
The rhomboids run from the spine to the inner border of the shoulder blade and pull the blades together. Their documented pattern is a superficial, concentrated ache along the inner edge of the shoulder blade that does not change much with movement and persists at rest.
Attachments and action
Origin: The long head from the supraglenoid tubercle, the short head from the coracoid process of the scapula.
Insertion: The medial border of the scapula, from the spine of the scapula to the inferior angle.
Action: Flexion of the elbow, supination of the forearm, and assistance with shoulder flexion — every curl, carry, and palm-up lift.
Where the pain is felt: Pain projects primarily upward from the trigger points to the front of the shoulder over the anterior deltoid region — superficial, not deep in the joint — and runs as a faint line down the course of the biceps toward the elbow. A weaker referral reaches the crook of the elbow, and a small skip zone can appear over the suprascapular area on the back of the shoulder (back surface; described here). The belly of the muscle itself is typically quiet. On the figure: the zone wrapping the front of the shoulder, flowing down the line of the biceps and fading above the elbow crease.
Common causes: Curls and pull-ups; carrying with the palm up; racquet sports and violin playing; sudden overload catching something heavy; long periods with the elbow held bent.
Patients say: “The front of my shoulder aches — right here on the surface.” The ache sharpens raising the arm overhead; the arm itself feels vaguely sore but has no single tender spot patients can find.
When to get evaluated: Shoulder pain after a fall or with a visible bulge in the upper arm (a possible tendon rupture), or pain with fever, needs physician evaluation first. Deep joint pain with loss of motion warrants orthopedic assessment.
How this muscle is examined and treated
Examination separates this pattern from bicipital tendinitis: trigger-point pain is reproduced by pressing the muscle belly at mid-arm, not the tendon in the groove, and resisted testing is only mildly provocative. Needling the belly points typically eases the front-of-shoulder ache within visits. Assessment and treatment happen in the same visit.
Related conditions
Shoulder DysfunctionNeck & Cervical PainChronic Pain Patterns
This page is educational. It describes muscle referral patterns commonly associated with pain; it does not diagnose your condition. Individual patterns vary. For evaluation of your specific pain, see a licensed clinician. Seek immediate medical care for emergencies. Eugene Baek, L.Ac. · New Jersey License 25MZ00080600