I've had success with PT, but it's been PT that all my TOS experts would not have prescribed for me. I came to the conclusion that if something isn't working, even though the Doctors have told me to do it, get off that train and hop on to something else!

I've regained a fair amount of function through myofascial release, but I've come to the point where I need strengthening and neuro-muscular re-education. I met a PT, who I'm working with now in conjunction with my myofascial PT, to help retrain my muscles. Where he differs from ANYONE else I have met through this arduous process is he is "militant" (originally used the word a-nal but it got censored) about what the rest of my body is doing when I'm given an exercise. Many others have given me wall angels, dead bug and other scapula work and I've had no success. In contrast, this PT cares about what my arms are doing during the exercises, but more importantly, everything from my pelvic floor to the top of my head MUST be stable and multiple things need to be going on (ie. breathing correctly, pelvic floor engaged, etc) before I move my arms. When this happens, I can move without negative repercussions, because the correct muscles are doing the work. When I use the correct muscles, the tension literally melts from my neck.

The negative/positive of being able to increase function is experiencing a lot of problems with my lower back (a previous injury to TOS). I'm not stable because of compensation and spending years unable to do much of anything. Before, I couldn't cook. Now I can throw dinner parties. Before I couldn't go to a store and buy a plant. Now I can buy the plant and dig a hole for it in the garden. All of this twisting and turning is something my body is not use to and the correct muscles are not firing to support me. My homework for the week is to get these muscles sparked up and engaged.

From my experience, I have yet to meet a PT who has all the talents needed to treat TOS wrapped up in one package. You need a team. I don't think you read a lot of success stories about TOS PT, because the time and financial toll to amass a team is daunting. Keeping positive and knowing a door will always open is my answer to this syndrome.