Exercise with TOS - good or bad
 

What are your opinions? I know it varies according to how afflicted we all are but I struggle here. Being an ex-athlete and one who loved to stay fit I know the value of it mentally and physically. I try to do very gentle stuff like short walks and ride a stationary bike but results are mixed. Where I have landed is if I am in a flare of any magnitude do not do any of it as it will only make things worse. However do what I can when things are not too bad but be very careful about overdoing it. If I do anything that requires deep breathing it causes hard pain right at the outlet and can trigger a 3 - 4 day flare.

I do remember what a doctor told me who reattached muscles that tore away from my scapula as part of all this. He said things will just get weaker if you don't use them and put you in a bigger hole. He is right but therein lies the dilemma doesn't it? I am trying to eat healthy and have just started trying to pound the fluids all day even though I am not thirsty. That at least helps the gastro problems that come with meds.

My opinion is that anything upper body is bad. Walking or sitting stationary bike is ok.

I was diagnosed with TOS and started doing PT last year. While I've seen an improvement in my symptoms I am by no means back to normal. I continue to do exercises to help my posture and try to keep my shoulders strong.

When I do front/lateral arm raises I have to concentrate on my shoulder blades to keep them down and back the whole time, otherwise I flare up. I use a light weight, I'm up to 2 sets of ten with 5lbs but I started with only 3 lbs last year. If I feel worse, I stop for a couple weeks until my muscles aren't so tight and concentrate mainly on stretching. I also do YTML's (google it) again with a light weight. I'm up to 2lbs thinking of upping it to 3lbs.

If I'm feeling bad, I can normally still do pelvic tilts/leg raises for abdominals so I feel like I'm at least doing something. Also, I take a walk with the dog. Running is out of the question, (I ran cross county/track back in the day)mainly because I can't always take full, deep breaths. Not that it hurts, like it does with you, just that my ribs get tight and don't want to expand.

I try to focus on what I CAN do instead of what I can't do anymore. I agree with you though, the whole thing is a bit of a paradox. In order to improve your posture/symptoms you need to strengthen your muscles but while attempting to strengthen your muscles your symptoms worsen.

I can only speak for myself, and I don't even know if I have TOS. But exercise for the muscles in the upper back could be good for counterbalancing the muscles in your chest, which could be too tight and contributing to TOS. However I would avoid exercising anything on the front of your neck, shoulders or chest. Again, this is just based on my personal experience.

ditto

also i think improving circulation is good however you do it, hot baths etc

Exercise
 

The more professionals who contact me and explain the anatomy and what the heck is going on with our systems falling apart, shutting down, flaring the more it's evident that light exercise and stretching is critical to TOS health. Makes so much sense. Now most MD's do not have the education in physio as a therapist does. It is their speciality, their education, their practice to release the pain, get us moving, the circulation flowing, the oxygen dispersing to all organs and systems from scar tissue build up and years of constriction, surgery(s) and injuries.

Perfect scenario for TOS, RSI CRPS pain patients needs are:

• the correct PT - fascia and connective tissue massage or myofascial release
• Stretching, light yoga
• Feldenkrais
• swimming
• stationary bike
• walking short distances
• floor stretches/exercises from the head, spine to the tips of our toes such as Peter Edgelow Protocol, Alexander technique, Sharon Butler all integrating

Amazing and simple as it sounds it is. More of us would be healthy(er) if we research the importance of the fascia and focus on it's release and healthiness

Thanks everyone and I agree we have to keep moving. I've got to figure out something for the myofascial aspect of this. I am 9 months post op and feel like I am losing range of motion in my neck turning towards the surgery side. It just hurts so I turn my entire upper body instead which I know is not good.

I am by no means an expert but I almost wish the doctor had just removed my rib and skipped the scalene removal. That's where I think I have built up scar tissue and it is causing me problems. There have been a lot of surgeries in that same general area with two fusions and another neck surgery. My neck muscles are atrophied on that side but massaging them around too much causes serious flares.

If anyone has anything on very gentle myofascial release of a compromised neck please let me know. I am stretching my shoulders with a pole every day as I have found things get worse when I skip this and they start losing range of motion. I have experienced a severely frozen shoulder as part of all this but find I can keep that at bay by stretching them daily.

I have found the MELT therapy type SOFT rollers which have worked wonders on me in having better range of motion and less pain. MELT method has many names depending on the therapist but it is all about the Facial release and restoring the fluid motion of connective tissues that support our bones, nerves, muscles etc.....

I hope this helps

re: ex. & TOS
 

U probably never experienced this if your male. Housecleaning especially washing walls, scrubbing shower causes extreme flareups for me, as does lifting 2 lb wts. I have no choice no one else will do these chores in my house.

LOVING Sue's protocol with the MELT METHOD :)