Hello and greetings from Germany!
First of all I want to thank Austin and Jordan for all the quality content they put out, really appreciate it and learned already new things!
I have been following Jordan’s IG Livestreams for a few weeks now and already tried to ask about my problem twice, but the character limit hasn’t allowed me to be nuanced enough, so I try it here.
To me: I’m 22 years old, weigh currently 87-89kg/194lbs and my best competition lifts are 240/145/250 (529/319/551 in lbs) in the -105kg class (220lbs Bodyweight). So yes, my goals are competing and getting stronger.
My problem is that I have pain and tightness between my right shoulder blade and spine, lower trap area, for over a year now. It has been acute during this time twice, by acute I mean affecting me doing normal Day movements and swelling for a few days, as seen on this picture: Imgur: The magic of the Internet . That was right after a deadlift set, seen here: https://youtu.be/1YmI6f73xhg. I rolled the bar in because I already had tightness for a few days at that point and after the set it completely cramped. That was all last year before German raw nationals, in summer.
Same happened this year again in February after a set of five with 210kg. Funny enough only a day after. This time I didn’t roll the bar in for setup. Everything loading on my spine hurt for a few weeks, so I skipped most compound lifts for just 2 weeks and slowly got back to them, but not Deadlifts.
During this time a started prepping for a Bodybuilding Show, so Deadlifts were no priority for me and okay to skip. I planned on getting back to them after the competition. Everything healed and I had no problems at all, until I also prepped for a sports aptitude test and had to do sprints and swim, that’s when the tightness started coming back, after only one month being pain free. Since then I’ve been dealing again with it and every time I go heavy on Deadlifts I get pain again, which is unfortunate because my goal is to compete again in Powerlifting.
Mostly my lower Trap cramps up when I setup for my deadlift and try to get thoracic extension, following the “chest up” cue. Also barbell rows hurt. Chin Ups and weighted pull ups with thoracic extension give me no discomfort.
Also massages give me relief, so the placebo stuff helps me.
I also had an MRI done of my thoracic spine, well the orthopedic specialist prescribed me one. Now I know about problems shown on an MRI and their link to the pain. Luckily enough nothing negative showed up on the MRI, so there seems to be no problem.
Also to say, that a few weeks before my right trap got tight I had the same problem on the left side (on this picture you can see the swelling: Imgur: The magic of the Internet ). I kept moving, went still training and it was completely gone after a week, so I expected the same to happen again. But here I am, 1 1/2 years later, still having issues and when getting back to heavy Deadlifts and having visited my orthopedic doctor, a massage therapists, a chiropractor because of frustration 
(Now I know why they are scam, luckily enough German health care pays 80% of the costs) and a few physical therapists, with the last one of them telling me to keep deadlifting but to not follow the “chest up” cue, so no thoracic extension, keeping my spine in its neutral position and to start with low weights again and work my self up. But now I’ve got back to a 100kg and tried to engage my traps again, but this time by directly contracting them, not trying to stick my chest out and I feel again more tightness then the 2 weeks before, when I kept the deadlift weight very low.
Here are some Videos of my new deadlift form, prescribed by my PT: https://youtu.be/Xd13Mdw8TRc
Here also the sets with my trap engagement which let me feel tightness again: https://youtu.be/c3w5m56xwFA
For form reference some old videos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPMyXvSBkhi/?taken-by=marcyschaar
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfRonzBax7/?taken-by=marcyschaar
My goal and biggest wish is to finally move freely, without pain and tightness, in training and in normal day routines. To get out of bed without feeling it, being able to lowbar squat without it getting tightened or locking out on Overheadpress.
Are there any more tips or tricks to help get away of this movement pattern causing me pain? Or is it just a thing of keep resetting my deadlift if it hurts again and starting new?
Thanks in advance!