Episode 257/365: Athletic Thoracic Outlet

May 23, 2011
Category: Blog —
Tags: neck pain, shoulder, thoracic outlet, throwing, TOS —
9 Comments

Hey Mwodies,

Today’s mission is about dealing with what is essentially a really tight/compressed anterior neck-shoulder compartment. We often see this kind of dysfunction in athletes that perform lots of throwing or athletes that pull on a paddle/oar for a living. Even if you don’t have athletic TOS (thoracic outlet symptoms/syndrome), spend 10-15 minutes opening up your front shoulder and enjoy the “open-ness”.

Kstar

9 Responses to “Episode 257/365: Athletic Thoracic Outlet”

Dennis Hegge May 23, 2011 Reply

Today’s post has either generated an Epiphany or a dead end for me. We have skin, let’s call that our clothes..then we have fascia, let’s call that our long underwear sans trapdoor. I realize many of the posts are designed to correct posture. (hit the 10 minute paleo squat one week ago, numb for about 2 minutes afterwards and final 3 minutes in the squat). The tilted pelvis exercises have redeemed full extension on the snatch and clean. Shoulder mobility have allowed me 5×185 jerk. First one almost pulled me off my feet. The movement was short and fast due to better rack position mobility. So..the lacrosse ball mashes out the trigger points, rumbleroller seperates the skin from my long underwear(fascia) and allows for easy gliding between those surfaces. I went back through the archives, still not sure. I hope I communicated this accurately.

All my best,Dennis
Adam Kayce May 23, 2011 Reply

I don’t have a -Star after my name, but I’d say you’re on target, Dennis.

Fascia is like saran wrap that’s wrapped around all your muscles, organs, etc. – it’s pretty much everywhere. So thinking of it as getting separated from the skin and allowing for freer movement is a good metaphor.

I can’t remember if this video has been linked up here before, or what K-Star thinks of it, but it’s the “Fuzz” video on fascia, and it’s pretty helpful for visualizing this stuff. Hope you like cadavers… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FtSP-tkSug
Dennis Hegge May 24, 2011 Reply

Thanks Adam, I’m close to being one, cadaver that is. Am weighing options: left thigh bone does not rotate in, (from my anat. days I think it is trochanter) at the pelvis, love to do sprints. Am trying to do both, sprints (in the summer) and OlyLift (compete in the fall). I do not get the left hip to raise as much as the right. I have gotten more mobile in every spot but this one. C’est la vie

Dennis
Jeff May 24, 2011 Reply

I imagine this same kind of dysfunction is also seen in swimmers, especially those who perform a lot of freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly. Have you found this to be true? Are there any unique issues swimming imposes on the structures of the neck/shoulder/thoracic region?
ErinHightower May 24, 2011 Reply

Thank you, thank you thank you
I was referred to this site by the crossfit mainpage. You happen to work thoraics on the first day! I was in a nasty car crash a year ago and this was amazing for continuing where my last chiropractic appointment left off…. you rock
Cal May 24, 2011 Reply

Almost seems like a catch-22 for me: when performing lacrosse balls vs. thoracic spine it’s hard to avoid straining / craning my neck forward. So while I’m trying to get more mobility in the thoracic spine, I’m strengthening the same neck muscles that are already pulling me forward.
Ben M May 25, 2011 Reply

Thanks for this.
Philip October 12, 2011 Reply

Lost a rib to venous thoracic outlet syndrome. My right arm was swollen up to half of a K-Star. Very happy to put this to use so that I don’t have to go through that again!