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- - Question? (https://www.neurotalk.org/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/32325-question.html)

Does anyone know which muscle it is that gets so tight at our shoulder blade with this TOS?

Does anyone haves a recomendation for a certain stretch that works the best for them?

I know there are several out there, but what works the best for everyone?

Just curious!

Peggy

does this help to pinpoint it?
or the area at least?

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...ckmusclesa.jpg

shoulder stretch

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peg24 (Post 168348)

get on all fours sit back on the heals of your feet while allowing your head to dip below your elbows with your hands stretched far in front of you

My main muscles in the shoulder area as my MT tells me are my levator scapula, my infraspinatus, trapezius is a big one and my serratus....

I do a hang upside down type stretch like a yoga stretch. I bend at the waist and allow all to hang over my hips and as far down as I can get that day.....I then grasp both elbows with my hands and hand for a little while it takes the stress off the muscles. I also do a pendulum swing. Again bending over at the hips keep your back perpendicular to the floor hang on to a wall or something if you need balance and then let your arm hang straight down. Your arm starts by doing little circles then graduate up into larger ones....so pretend you are drawing circles on the floor and let your arm do the work.

I also do a yoga stretch called childs pose....
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/475
good step by step instructions here.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/fin...rapeutic_focus
check that link out and see if you can find a pose or stretch that you like.

I also have a round bolster that I lay on top of and allow my arms to fall at my side. This opens up the shoulders and the chest muscles as the pec is sometimes an issue eith me and my shoulder posture. so perhaps try lying on a rolled up blanket like in a hotdog shape (the meat not the bun:p) and lay with it right on your spine and let yourself just hang over it. This feels great but do it for short periods and frequently this can be too rough if you don't do it slowly....I have had a sore chest from a long lie on the bolster....great stretch though....so with caution for all and go slowly

google shoulder stretch and see what you get and as you know....no overhead and always go easy on yourself...also I have found asking my MT is a great resource. She will tell me the exact exercise to do for the muscles in question!!!

Take care and hope some of this helps
love and hugs,
Victoria:hug:

I sometimes get a sore spot in the rhomboids-
it's more like under the edge and very close to the scapula vs a more surface muscle pain from the traps.

The rhomboids are pretty much a weak muscle and can get overstretched easily by a forward shoulder posture.
at least that is what causes mine to get sore spots- as soon as I work a few times on keeping my shoulders back that soreness goes away.

I can't remember what site I read that info on - but if you think it is your rhomboids don't try to stretch it out.
do the lay on the floor things like Victoria mentioned just on the floor or with some sort of roll, depending on how it feels for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebigdog3@verizon. (Post 168468)

get on all fours sit back on the heals of your feet while allowing your head to dip below your elbows with your hands stretched far in front of you

There is no way I could tolerate this without a major flare resulting.

I do slow, gentle stretches like I'm 80 years old and I still can get flares. I can stretch one night, and maybe by the next day I'm swollen and have to wait and work it out maybe for a few days or even weeks. I try to be so careful to get some stretching and some exercise into my life, but without causing extreme flares, as then I am forced to have no movement and walk around like Frankenstein, which seems counterproductive.

This "position" is waaaaay too extreme for what my body can handle.

I know we're all different, but I just want to point that out again...

Also for the knife in the back (a grape sized lump that forms under or right next to the inner area of the shoulder blade right next to the spine) or, for the pain along the sides of my neck going up into my ear, or for the pains on top of my shoulder, or right on my upper arm below my shoulder, the ONLY thing that gets these to calm down and stop hurting is for someone to gently use their flat palms with oil / lotion and softly, gently go along the grain of the muscle to smooth them out.

Any other technique may work temporarily, but then the knot will come back with a vengeance, or it will cause new knots.

Does this ring a bell with anyone other than myself?

bell is ringing!!

YUP same for me Tam....but massage once a week really helps this for me...and stretching either in the shower or after helps so the muscles are warmed up.....I had a theracane but it 'disappeared' during my move....so I got something similar (but not as good) it is great for getting out the knots on my own as we can't reach the scapular area.....so I put my heat on my back with a heating pad then go at it with the 'theracane' like hook. It works out trigger points by you putting as much or as little pressure as you want to on your muscular trigger points and then you hold it there till you feel some relief or rub up and down to get the muscle massaged as you do it.......tennis ball on the wall and rub around also works....but squash ball is harder and more effective.........more thoughts.....

take care,
love and hugs,
Victoria

You guys are so super!

Jo, that is a great chart!

Victoria, I do find so much relief during a flare up to lean all the way over as you say at the waist and just let the shoulders relax.

I am going to try all you guys have suggested here.

Thanks so much!