Thoracic outlet syndrome

[jd]

Hi

Anyone have any advice for this condition, at present affecting the shoulder and chest only.

Thanks in advance

[Paul in Hobart]

What caused it? You need to get the anatomy analysed.
Read here for a concise overview http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracic_Outlet_Syndrome
I had this to varying degrees ; a chronically bad ergonomic setup definitely contributed. And like it says , it took a fair while to alleviate. I had to stand at work for nearly 6 months. Tried lots of things - but you know how I finally managed it...;) But , I did not have a history of neck trauma or old shoulder girdle fractures.
Very interested to hear of Count Victor's experiences with managing his TOS clients.

[jd]

not sure what has caused it and i will get the anatomy assessed

i do believe though that ergonomic set up is an issue, both at the home and place of work. particularly noticeable after guts at the PC. No history of neck trauma etc

Paul i have a pretty good idea on how you managed it :) any particular advice you can give? My research suggests many drills that i already perform in warm ups or during flexibility/mobility specific sessions, scalene stretches, thoracic mobility. Then i was discussing with a colleague who has suggested that those activities will actually aggravate the condition

[Paul in Hobart]

Jamie my experience was that stretching makes trigger points angry , and trigger point treatment in the neck region is extremely uncomfortable. I spent many many hours trying to stretch out the problem. Now I wonder whether there may be those myofascial "adhesions" that people talk about. I have had a lot of repetitive microtrauma to my upper pec/trap region over the years.

KB snatches done too heavy can make things worse...after all there is a lot of pulling on the guilty muscles , on the downswing especially. I think powerband stretches and light KB work may be a good combo - e.g. Windmills aiming to really stretch the tight muscles , stretch band behind the back , dislocates with rope , KB OH work really working on the fixation - stretching shoulder muscles , pushups on 2 KB handles holding the bottom stretch ; also hanging from a bar and trying to contract/relax the tight pecs and shoulder girdle/traps etc.

Yoga "camel" pose will highlight problem areas.
A combination of dynamic exercises and static stretching between has worked well for me. It is always an ongoing issue if you are a sportsman , or indeed sedentary. Before computers (yes I was there ;)) I never noticed a problem. So many subtle imbalances that even with a "perfect" ergonomic setup , too much "forward" work will cause problems...esp in the pecs , traps and scalenes.

GS is in many ways like manual labour , however it emphasises OH and posterior chain work so is inherently restorative. It does take a while to find the right balance and we are all different in how we respond. Old patterns love to resurface. Mostly they reflect inappropriate recruitment of certain muscle groups.

Any work done when tired or under stress (eg deadlines) causes poor posture and a subtle general increase in muscle tone , which becomes habitual. Find a mobility routine that breaks up long periods at the pc, and 5 mins of relaxing stretches just before bed can help to reset the body after a long day working against gravity.

Good luck mate, patience and persistence brings results and wisdom!