Hi All

Yesterday my physio taped up my shoulders (shoulders back and a little up), so I feel like I'm walking round with a pole up my back...however, the pain levels in my arms has gone right down and I can actually hang them by my sides without the awful pulling/gripping sensations.

Is the idea that this is how my posture should be normally? Or is it just to take the strain off the nerves temporarily? Has anyone else had this? Not looking forward to ripping it off!

Pretty much.

Stand with your hands at your sides, keep your arms at your side and rotate your thumbs away from your body. Your shoulder posture should automatically correct. Hold this shoulder position when you bring your hands back to neutral to locate your ideal postural position.

A few of us have had the kinesiotaping. My problem is that the tape starts pealing off after a few days (you have to be really careful when showering). I found that the IntelliSkin postural garment is much more effective (and more expensive) than kineisiotaping.

www.intelliskin.net

Thanks Marc - will look at intelliskin now - I was actually thinking to myself if only there was a top or brace i could wear to make me stand like this!

Based on the reduction of my pain in this position, can I assume then that my tos is due to posture, and that my posture has caused chronic shortening of scaleni etc over many years?

This may very well be the case. Some muscles will shorten and/or hypertrophy while others atrophy. These imbalances worsen your posture and you get stuck in a vicious cycle.

I always thought my TOS was due to my scalenes but it turns out I had multiple rib disfunctions that were pushing my 1st rib up while my scalenes are actually fine. The IntelliSkin worked wonders for me as I was never able to correct my posture through exercise. I had my left rib resected 8 days ago and I just did the test I posted:
My left shoulder is now already very near to the ideal position while my right is still slumping far forward. This is now making me think that TOS in and of itself can cause the postural problems.

I should add that I think I am in the minority in which the scalenes are not the primary culprit. However, it makes me believe that folks should have their ribs evaluated in addition to the scalenes.

I believe that if you can identify the root of the problem and find the right practitioners early on, surgery can be avoided. It was just a little too late for me.

My scalenes were minimally hypertrophied per a 3D MRI from a few years back. I had constant sensations of strangling pre-MRI, so I'm not sure what their condition is today.

The radiologist who read the MRI said "I would not get out of "it" without a scalenectomy at minimum." So how does one have minimally hypertrophied scalenes and the recommendation to remove them?

With manual PT, my scalenes rarely give me the strangulation feeling now. Over talking, yelling and singing seem to make them scream a bit though. I'm headed to a Coldplay concert now, so I'll see what my scalenes think of it.

I bought the Intelliskin because of Nospam and I love it so far! My PT is even impressed with what I can do wearing it and the lack of negative fall out, especially scapula instability.

Thanks guys! Anne, do you mind me asking if you wear the shirt or bra? I've been looking at other posture braces but most seem to put pressure on the clavicle/plexus area so am thinking these wouldn't be good for tos. Enjoy coldplay!