[chroma]

I started a new thread for this as it deserves to be its own topic.

Originally Posted by kyoun1e

Has anyone self massaged their scalenes with any success?

I have an appt. with a massage therapist Monday. That's an eternity from now in my mind.

I've been looking at Youtube videos and attempting self massage myself. Combining the massage with the usual scalene stretches seems to work for short term relief. Of course, once you stop the pain returns. It would seem you really have to beat these muscles up repeatedly to actually "lengthen" them.

KY

This is huge on my list. I tried a few months back. First attempt was great! I had more circulation through my arm and hand. Felt nice and warm. And more sensation in my fingertips. You can test your sensitivity before and after trying something by lightly scraping your thumbnails across your fingertips. I learned this during my appointment with Dr. Gelabert when he examined me.

Man, I thought that was by breakthrough to "90% better" which is my goal. The effect reset overnight.

On my 2nd attempt, I gave myself an awful flare up that lasted the rest of the day and night, and prevented me from doing anything. Ug.

Working on the scalenes requires digging into your neck and knowing what you're pressing on. I probably did something stupid the 2nd time like work on my brachial plexus instead of my anterior scalene.

There's also questions about which approach to take. Rub up and down vs. across the muscle. Rub in circles vs. straight lines. Don't rub; just press. How long to do any of this for.

I took a break from that to work on some other things, like trying variations in inversion, using iPosture and doing Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to let go of past anger which would surface up to distract and stress me. These things have had utility, but I still need more scalene relief.

I plan on returning to the scalene attempts in a few weeks.

Like you, I have been getting my tips off youtube. One musician suggested lying on your back so you could relax your neck; I agree.

Somewhere I read a massage therapist saying that she got better results just pressing on the scalenes instead of any kind of movement. I lost the reference.

Also, I was prying my anterior scalene towards my center and pusing my medial scalene towards the outside, with the goal of making the thoracic outlet space larger.

So yeah, I would like to work up to something that looks like:
1. massage the scalenes (and scm and whatever else)
2. gentle neck stretches
3. shove the first rib down

I hope all that helps in some way.

As people gain experience and tips about self massaging the scalenes, please post them here.

[DiMarie]

My self massage is by two means. One the tennis ball....between the wall and my traps. Especially after my shower and Biofreeze. One night I was really knotted, I took ball and trapped it between me and the wall. I pressed to dig into the knots.
Wild expressions of oh huh and ahh escaped my mouth like a hair shampoo commercial!

Everyone stuck their heads out of bedrooms to see what the clatter and chatter was. I felt terrific. Then I sit against the heating pad with the Biofreeze working in and a Valium. The next day was greatly reduced in my flare. If it is so terrible I feel like crying, a ṭradol, Valium and pain pill added before the recliner helps. My son has learned great knowledge of the trigger points and working them out, so no more tennis ball. He is going to massage therapy school to be licensed.

The second thing, is my hot tub, if you don't have access to one a pulsating shower head aimed right on the traps helps too.

[kyoun1e]

My biggest problem is knowing if I'm actually hitting the scalenes. I'm guessing that what feels like an iron rod in there is either the anterior or middle scalene.

Any good videos that people know of for locating the anterior and middle scalene?

Also wonder if there's some other "tool" besides my fingers that could help with the massage.

Been doing this the last 48 hours. Feel like my fingers are going to bust through the skin at some point.

KY

[Coop42]

Vacuum cupping the neck and scalenes has worked well for me.

[chroma]

Originally Posted by kyoun1e

My biggest problem is knowing if I'm actually hitting the scalenes. I'm guessing that what feels like an iron rod in there is either the anterior or middle scalene.

Any good videos that people know of for locating the anterior and middle scalene?

Also wonder if there's some other "tool" besides my fingers that could help with the massage.

Been doing this the last 48 hours. Feel like my fingers are going to bust through the skin at some point.

KY

I have the same problem regarding palpation. Another problem, which maybe you don't have, is that my scalenes can only take so much attention or they will flare up.

The only tool I've heard of so far is the Mini-BBB here:
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Back-Budd...dp/B000N8YXL6/

Search the reviews for "scalenes".

[chroma]

Originally Posted by Coop42

Vacuum cupping the neck and scalenes has worked well for me.

Do you palpate your scalenes before and after the cupping?

[radtech]

Originally Posted by chroma

I started a new thread for this as it deserves to be its own topic.


This is huge on my list. I tried a few months back. First attempt was great! I had more circulation through my arm and hand. Felt nice and warm. And more sensation in my fingertips. You can test your sensitivity before and after trying something by lightly scraping your thumbnails across your fingertips. I learned this during my appointment with Dr. Gelabert when he examined me.

Man, I thought that was by breakthrough to "90% better" which is my goal. The effect reset overnight.

On my 2nd attempt, I gave myself an awful flare up that lasted the rest of the day and night, and prevented me from doing anything. Ug.

Working on the scalenes requires digging into your neck and knowing what you're pressing on. I probably did something stupid the 2nd time like work on my brachial plexus instead of my anterior scalene.

There's also questions about which approach to take. Rub up and down vs. across the muscle. Rub in circles vs. straight lines. Don't rub; just press. How long to do any of this for.

I took a break from that to work on some other things, like trying variations in inversion, using iPosture and doing Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to let go of past anger which would surface up to distract and stress me. These things have had utility, but I still need more scalene relief.

I plan on returning to the scalene attempts in a few weeks.

Like you, I have been getting my tips off youtube. One musician suggested lying on your back so you could relax your neck; I agree.

Somewhere I read a massage therapist saying that she got better results just pressing on the scalenes instead of any kind of movement. I lost the reference.

Also, I was prying my anterior scalene towards my center and pusing my medial scalene towards the outside, with the goal of making the thoracic outlet space larger.

So yeah, I would like to work up to something that looks like:
1. massage the scalenes (and scm and whatever else)
2. gentle neck stretches
3. shove the first rib down

I hope all that helps in some way.

As people gain experience and tips about self massaging the scalenes, please post them here.

I learned how to self massage the scalenes from Clair Davies in the triggerpoint therapy workbook. In the book, Mr. Davies gives detailed instructions with diagrams including concerns regarding hitting a nerve or a blood vessel. Here is a link for the chapter on scalenes on Google books.

http://books.google.com/books?id=DLb...alenes&f=false Scalenes start on page 126

Triggerpoint therapy workbook is my "go to"self help book.

[radtech]

here is a link for a free ebook download of the triggerpoint therapy workbook.

I haven't tried to download it because I already own the print book. I might download it to my tablet to have it with me all the time.

http://ebookee.org/Clair-Davies-The-...ef_732895.html

[Coop42]

Originally Posted by chroma

Do you palpate your scalenes before after the cupping?

Not really. Any self-massage I do on my neck is very brief. Nothing very aggressive.

[kyoun1e]

Jeez...I'm having a hell of a time finding my anterior scalene.

Feel like I need someone to guide my hands vs. just reading it online.

KY