I have just been looking through some threads and came across a link to ecentral.com....this doc mentions pain in shoulder blade and pain which is in the collarbone (i mentioned in my other thread about my collar bone being painful, slightly protruding and a little bony). Anyway, he thinks that pectoralis minor syndrome often accompanies TOS....i have copy & pasted this from his site....

During the year 2005, we have become aware of a large number of patients who, in addition to these symptoms, also have pain in the anterior chest wall, just below the collar bone along with pain over the shoulder blade. Until recently it was thought that these later symptoms were also due to TOS, but now it has been learned that they are due to a condition frequently accompanying TOS, namely pectoralis minor syndrome


does anyone else have this extra syndrome?....anyone had the minor surgery (pectoralis tenotomies) that he mentions?
xx

I haven't had the surgery, but I have all of the symptoms of pec minor syndrome. I would be careful with that surgery. It will compromise your ability to pick things up.

It's been awhile since i read specifics about pec minor syndrome , but I am pretty sure I have a form of it. Not surgical for me - but sticky fascia.

Sharon Butler {in her RSI book {in libraries}she has a website too} talks about fascia & adhesions and how important doing stretches for the pec minor/arm pit area are. Her book really explained a lot for me.

If you think it applies for you - in our useful stickys is a description of laying out on the floor with arm out to the side {as tolerable} and if you can do that with not sx increase then move up to laying on a rolled towel or foam roll cylinder.
I even use my inflatable exercise ball and lay face up and face down to stretch spine both ways. 15 mins or so each way.
I had to do this stuff many x's a day during my bad time- and still do when I feel any tightness coming on.

anything that will gently encourage the chest to open - the shoulders to drop back and down - laying down like that uses gravity and you are able to focus on relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing.

Thanks for that Jo, im going to try and get hold of a copy of her book as it sounds quite beneficial.

The problems with my collarbone started about a year after the shoulder/arm/hand symptoms so it could possible that i developed pec minor as an result of TOS!.

I have pec minor syndrome and am having the surgery on my right side on Monday.

<<I would be careful with that surgery. It will compromise your ability to pick things up.>>

Why do you say this, Trixlynn?

I have chatted with several people who have had the procedure, and none mentioned any problems with picking things up. I am looking forward to a relief of my pain!

I think a few members have mentioned the picking up of some things after the pec minor was a issue.

beth & astern I believe have mentioned it.
here's some I found -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ight=pec+minor
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ight=pec+minor

Yes, there will be limitations now that the pec minors are not able to support certain arm movements. I am not able to tie my shoes well or carry anything 'away' from my body.

basically anything that requires pulling apart (opening a package of coffee, making a bow with shoelaces, etc) OR pushing hands together (remember isometrics to make chest muscles bigger?, or picking up a box, or a child) is not possible for me now.

also, your sternum and shoulder muscles will be compensating for the loss of stabilization the pec minors give - so these can become weakened and even torn. be cautious and much more reserved in your movements!

Good luck with your surgery - i have read that it is a very uncomplicated surgery, with far less possibilities of complications and that out of 60 operated on, very few had any bad side effects....
hope it goes well for you
x

I had the pec minor procedure done on my right side. It took several months for my upper back to adjust, and picking things up, reaching, quite a few things were awkward and uncomfortable and sometimes painful during that time. But my body DID adapt, eventually. I needed it done, because two cords were being seriously compressed at the pec minor and my hand was losing both muscle and function. I didn't get everything back, but I did stop the loss, and I gained back some muscle, and some hand strength, and I no longer have the terrible 24/7 feeling of being poked in the armpit with a broomstick handle! I also have much greater ROM than before the tenotomy.

I don't regret having it done, and it is much simpler than recovering from a rib resection - but it still creates a permanent physical change to your body. Your individual recovery really is a mix of your particular circumstances (positive/negative outlook, Dr's experience, how long you've had TOS, complications, etc) and how your body responds, more than how other people have done. (My pec minor tenotomy was done in Oct 2004 by Dr Annest, I believe it was the very first done of the solo pec-minor procedures, those not done at the same time as a rib resection. If I ever have the left side done I guess I will see how much they have refined it since then!)

beth

bumping up