Theracane; Instrument of Torture or Helpful Tool?
 

Years ago during a session of pt I was told I had knots that I needed to break up in my trapezius muscles. As a way to do this at home it was recommended I use a theracane. I now wonder if all the kneading and crunching of my traps actually hurt more than helped my TOS. The thought of grinding plastic into entrapped nerves seems pretty damaging.

Any thoughts? Just worried about others being subjected to more pain as a result of bad advice. (I'll mention again that I've been in chronic pain for over thirty years. Thirty years of Harvard-educated docs not knowing what caused my pain and dismissing it as the beginnings of arthritis,...or stress. Ugh.)

I think those tools are mostly for use on trigger points.
I got the pressure pointer and only used it a few times, the wooden ball was too smooth/slippery and too hard.

they should have used rubber tips on it, instead of a wooden ball.

For me a firm rubber dog ball or tennis ball and leaning against a wall or laying on the floor and applying pressure that way worked the best for me.

Good point (haha), Jo*mar. Tennis balls were good because they aren't as pointy. It just seems that grinding nerves and muscles that are already compressed into nearby bones (scapula and clavicle) would hurt more than help. I guess I'm in so much pain post-surgery that it's hard to imagine at the moment.

I have the Backnobber II. I chose it over the Therecane because it breaks apart for easy traveling. It is more effective for trigger points than tennis balls IMO. Definitely worth the $25 I spent on it.

I did use a golf ball a few times, but sometimes you need someone with a thumb or finger to get just the right spot.

You aren't grinding on anything with trigger point, it is finding specific spots or knots and then applying a steady pressure to that area - hopefully until it releases. Only should take 20-30 seconds, if it doesn't fade away then it is not a TrP or you aren't on the main spot for that one.
The pressure pointer website does have really good info on the User Guide page and a click able pain chart page to help locate trouble spots by symptoms.

There are active TrPs and then latent TrPs.
usually you tx the active ones first, then the latent ones may show up more, then tx them.

But I wouldn't take them on yourself so soon after surgery, I hope you can get some expert PT after the area has healed , and that they will treat any triggerpoints manually =hands on, for you, as well as massage and other pain reliving treatments.
Or perhaps a therapeutic massage practitioner that specializes in TrPs and healing, more than a focus on strengthening and such -like many PTs seem to do.