[chroma]

Lately I've been working on my SCM with my hands. I do ischemic compression, massage strokes and pin-and-stretch. Seems to help.

Is anyone doing this type of soft tissue work for their scalenes? How often do you do it? How much does it help? What techniques do you use?

[Jomar]

I do a variety when they start to get irritated, pinch and stroke across, slight pulling, etc.
Chiro did the hook thumbs in and slight pressure stretching when my spasms were really bad yrs ago, so I kind of copy that when I need it.

He also anchored the heels of his hands below my clavicles and did a downward tension & hold to release that area too. hold for about 20 seconds+/-.

Didn't realize the top ribs were raised and stuck until a month or 2 after the spasms were resolved..
I felt much better over all , but still had use limitations..that was one reason I sought out the advanced PT teacher.

[mspennyloafer]

i looooooooooooove pin and stretching stuff

this woman named (hilda?) on youtube has a pin and stretch type exercise for your scalenes but i think it got my scm too. anyways, it was a god send. my scm around my collarbone was so tight that it made me dizzy (not spasming at all just shortened). i started doing this stuff every day in addition to pressing around my pec minor. major improvements.

now my scm up by my ear and jaw is still a mess. working on relaxing my jaw. that area is more sensitive and if i massage it can get a massive headache.

(post whiplash to myself)tmj+mouth breathing really messed up my neck. i think even more so than tos. the whole collarbone area locks up again if im not paying attention

[chroma]

Take a look at this product:

Body Back Buddy & Mini-BBB Self Massage Tool
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N8YXL6/

The little tan piece is the Mini-BBB. It caught my attention when I read this (emphasis mine):

Quality of life just went up, January 12, 2012
By bsmith5598

The Body Back Buddy is amazing - helps me with all those so hard to reach trigger points. Keeps me moving around in less pain. How it compares to the Theracane: heavier and a little more awkward. Curve is tighter. Sometimes the Theracane is just a better tool, but overall the BB Buddy does offer several unique features. The Mini BBB is the FIRST THING I HAVE FOUND for - the scalenes! Anyone who is using the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook (which is a must have for anyone in chronic pain - fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, overuse injuries, etc.) knows about The Scalenes! They are the bane of our existence if we sit at a desk, type on the computer..... Do not let a doctor tell you that you have carpal tunnel or a range of other "disorders" of the elbows, wrists, hands - until you have properly treated the scalene trigger points. I have been using my hands to work the scalene points until THIS item came into my life. (Which is hard on my poor hands~!) Now I have just the right tool. I don't find it that helpful for the shoulders or upper back (which is what it is advertised for) because it is too small to give me much leverage, but for those little scalene points - oo la la.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R29IV8Q..._res_rtr_alt_1

But I can't say that I have confidence in how to work my own scalenes at this point.

[Djaragon]

Hello,

Do you have a link to the video?
Thanks