All, last week during my back squats workout (Friday) I was experiencing pain afterwards that I would put at a level of 4 out of 10. It felt like it originated around the scapula region and radiated to the front of my chest on the right side of my body (opposite the heart). After a day or two of discomfort, it went away. Last night while doing my back squats workout, I warmed up with 185, then 205 and by the time I worked my way up to 230 and then finally to 245 I had noticeable pain while the bar was across my back in the low bar position. Pain was so noticeable that I discontinued my workout during the warmup. This is rare for me.

By the time I went to bed, the pain was probably close to an 8 out of 10. The pain no longer radiated to my front but stayed centered around the right-hand side scapula. The pain was so severe that while laying on my back, I could not sleep on my right-hand side, nor could I reach over to my alarm clock with my left had to turn it off. Things that cause my pain are looking down trying to touch my chin to my chest. Rolling my shoulders does not seem to bother me at all. Turning my neck all the way the right or left causes a very sharp pain in the scapula region. Based off my own research, costochondritis may explain but does not seem to spot on.

Any ideas on what I've done?

Sounds like it is coming from your neck or upper back based on your description.

It sounds that way but it's not. If I crank my neck looking all the way to the left or right, I feel pain just to the right of my spine in the region of the scapula. But for that matter, I feel that same pain if I look down. Pain is not in my neck area, but more coming from my back.

Location of pain in that are is not reliable due to proximity of the spine. The neck rotates the spine to about T6. Most likely lower cervical or upper/middle thoracic based on location but you would need to tease out based on movements not location. Could be costoveterbral in upper to mid thoracic region.

Yes, not sure. The pain I felt last week started in the scapula area and radiated out to my pectoral muscle on my right side. It went away after a day or two. Squatting last night with the bar across my back, I could feel extreme discomfort across the area just below the scapula on my right side. Neck? I don't think so, but I really know nothing about anatomy and realize that where pain manifests may not be where it originates.

How's your thoracic mobility?

Could simply be a muscle spasm. I don't have advice of what causing it, but I will re-itterate what I have said before... There is no reason to be using a straight bar to squat unless you are competing in an event that you must use a straight bar. Go with a cambered bar or safety squat bar.

If if you don't have access to those, then use what we always called the claw grip. Put your little finger under the bar. It feels different but it is easy to get used to. It allows you to get your shoulders in a better position.

Heal up, then give that a try. No harm switching to leg press, hack squats, etc. while you heal up.