I think we all know by now that forward head posture contributes to TOS symptoms. Your scalenes start to do more work and get tight. So if we somehow inhibit the scalenes to disengage something needs to pick up the slack.

Right?

So the question is, what neck muscles, posterior muscles I'd gather, need to be strengthened?

I've been watching videos today on exercises that are best for a pinched nerve. All of these videos show one movement over and over:

* The double chin exercise

Now last time I had an episode I did start doing this pretty frequently. The symptoms disappeared and I stopped doing that exercise.

I'm wondering if maybe this kind of strengthening and others could help give the scalenes a break.

KY

My pt is having me strethem my muscles in the back of my neck in preparation for my scalenectomy.

How so?

I would think if you were to lie on the floor face down and lift your head up repeatedly and then with resistance, that would do the trick.

No takers?

I'm guessing the muscles you have to strengthen here are your cervical extensor muscles. Usually if there is a muscle imbalance you have to loosen one muscle, but strengthen the other. In this case, loosen scalenes and tighten the extensors.

I think I'm not the only one who has noticed that loosening the scalenes is no small feat. But maybe if you strengthen the extensors it becomes easier.

One exercise I've read for this is to lie prone on your stomach, keep the head neutral, lift your forehead off the floor by an inch and hold for a few seconds. Repeat.

Going to try it today.

The one you mention above really works for scalenes! For the head to be in neutral, place a towel folded flat under your forehead, pillow under your stomach and lift the forehead about an inch off the towel and hold for 30 seconds and do 3 repetitions at any given time. You can start with fewer second holds and work it upto 30 secs. The hold is important!!!

Interesting -- I am wondering if you guys have a link with more description that you can share ??

Did this work for you?

I've got to think that you have to strengthen those muscles so you can give the scalenes a break. Once they feel like they're not needed as much maybe they'll give a little.

I just did 4 sets at the gym on a bench. Raised my head to neutral position, held for 5 seconds, repeated for 15 repetitions.

I must say I'm a bit flared up right now.

I lie flat on my back with a pillow under my head. Then with my chin slightly tilted down (move you chin up and down doing this at first to find the appropriate tilt) then push your head back slightly into the pillow, maybe half an inch or so, then relax, and repeat. Once or twice per day, fifteen or twenty reps.

It is the neck extendor muscles that you would want to strengthen. Live strong has another exercise for these muscles, I just tried it, it is more difficult, but seems to engage more of these muscles.