Rock-Hardened Muscle?

[Not Grey]

I'm dealing with a serratus anterior (and intercostals) that have gone literally rock hard with various forms of overuse and health issues. I'm having a hard time softening these areas up. Any hints/ideas as to how I should approach this other than a bit of heat and some good old fashioned elbow grease? These muscles are seriously, seriously, afflicted.

Also, how about the ideal body position for serratus anterior massage, it seems it's difficult to find a position where the muscle is not completely relaxed.

Thanks very much.

 

[Navy ACC]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

My first instinct would be slow and gentle work to the area. Gliding strokes to soothe, and moderate cross fiber and static pressure to the attachments. Sometimes the lighter stimuli will affect a greater change.

Also if you are familiar with basic isometric MET, using this technique can help soften the tissues. If your client understands the technique properly during the session, basic isometric can be effective self care.

As for positioning, side lying seems best when the client is supporting the humerus of the affected side with the arm they are resting on. (if you need me to describe further, i can). It's easy to apply MET in this position. This allows for access of serratus anterior, as well as all of the latt, both teres, & subscapularis (and just about everything else).

 

[Barbara F]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

I had a client with this. I had tried numerous trchniques.
She took it upon herself to go and get shots of cortizone from her doctor to bust up the fasia. )One on each side of the medial scapula)I know we would much rather use massage but this was the only way her scapulas are now plyable so that I can get under them. Her doctor recommends that she keeps working with me. She has not had to go back.for any shots
Just a thought

 

[TAHA]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

The very best technique I've seen for stuff like this is ART, or Active Release Technique. Unfortunately, I don't think the developers/instructors will tech to MTs. But they do teach to DCs, PTs, etc. It typically involves passively putting the muscle in its most shortened position, anchoring the tissue in place, and then having the patient actively make a motion that lengthens the muscle. Very UNcomfortable, so only do about 4 reps. This's one of few times in the soft tissue realm I would ever tell someone to breathe through it. Drastic tissues call for drastic measures, in this case.

 

[BDS]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Are you suggesting anything that your client can do on his own? When muscles have been held in one position they are not only "locked", so to speak, by the surrounding facsia, but they have learned to facilitate a pattern to specifically hold themselves in place, so your client should be working on creating new patterns for them. One of the things I find helps clients out is doing a postural annalysis so they can see how they are standing, leaning, sitting, ect., so that they can try to learn better posture, which also helps strenghten muscles that have been weakened. Do you know a good P.T. you can refer to? A P.T. can prescribe excersises for your client to help bring their muscles to a normal, healthy state. Working with a good personal trainer can help with this a great deal too.
Wrapping moist heat pads around the neck pre-treatment could help soften the tissue enough to be worked with, and you could have your client do that everyday as well, and get even better results if the muscles are warmed up before he/she does stretches that you suggest.
Good luck!

 

[Vicky]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Seems like its been awhile for me. Question: I was talking with a potential client who has rhumatory authoritis is taking predizone for pain. (eek) but any way she also has authoritis. She said that massage don't work for her (interesting I thought) she said it didn't matter how long the massage goes for 1 hour 2 hrs she stil walks out with only minnamal pain lasting only 5 min then its back to the same. Her last massage lasted for 2 1/2 hrs at that point both m-t an client decided to stop. She was not getting relief.
I asked her if she would come in to let me work on her an she agreed.
Do u think myo-facial would work better on this situation
Please help I would like to get her some relief
Tks

 

[Pompal 09.]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Pete,

While MFR may be helpful, you've only described her diagnosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis. Gentle releases to the painful joint region(s) during non-flare up times can be very helpful, avoiding the joints when she is in an acute flare up period. Is here pain joint related, or more diffuse? If the pain is more widespread, evaluation should reveal muscle and fascia restriction elsewhere. The secondary effects of her joint degeneration may have created soft tissue tightness that may soften with MFR. With someone who is suffering from so much pain, I would not try to fix her all in one session, that is, I would tend to remain in her most problematic area for the length of a session. Try to make changes that she can fee and that last. When she feels chamge, she may be more willing to continue the work, targeting other regions.

 

[?l????? peac??]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

I'm seeing lots of talk about what the muscles and fascia are doing... but they don't do **ANYTHING** unless the CNS is somehow involved. So, ask yourself why that client's nervous system is maintaining muscle innervation/inhibition. The WHY will help you figure out the HOW of getting the involved tissues to make positive changes.

 

[Wott Wott]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Thanks for the input looks like its back to the books for me. Alot to think about

 

[Pompal 09.]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

I'm with Jason on this one, and would be thinking about sending this person to see an acupuncturist, or if this person is afraid of needles either a Shiatsu, or Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner.

On the energetic level, when it comes to muscular tension Kidney & Bladder Meridians would be 2 choices due to where they track. Kidney energy relates to the muscles, & Bladder relates to muscle spasms (among other things of course). Spleen Meridian relates to the nervous system and as such it would help to bring it back into balance. Also very often when one side of the body has more tightness, it helps to work on the other side of the body to open things up so that the tight side blockage has a place to release into...Kinda like clearing away the dam for water to flow again.

 

[AlinamE]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Petedose: If your client should consider cortizone shots again you may want to mention that you've heard that over time these shots can actually damage the joints they are supposed to help! One of my clients had done them as well, then found out about a product called Traumeel (normally available at healthfood stores as a topical cream) being used in an injectable form. She had it done for a foot/ankle injury and found it was equally effective, without the nasty side-effects.

 

[help me!]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Petedose: If your client should consider cortizone shots again you may want to mention that you've heard that over time these shots can actually damage the joints they are supposed to help! One of my clients had done them as well, then found out about a product called Traumeel (normally available at healthfood stores as a topical cream) being used in an injectable form. She had it done for a foot/ankle injury and found it was equally effective, without the nasty side-effects.

Thanks I will let both my clients know.
The client with the tight traps hasn't done it since but the client with trigger finger is contraplating.having it done again.

 

[Lemon Drop]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Thanks everyone
I'm having a hard time getting what walt and jason understandably described. If that makes any sense lol
1. What would be acute flare up of the joints?
Client says she is in constant pain. She takes predizone and says that helps.
I don't like to see her take medication if we can help. Is that possible?

2.I'm not understanding joint related diffuse?
3. Would I just take like one side of the scapula,traps and rhomboids and attachments and work them with MFR the entire time?













.

 

[lemonloveless]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Rheumatoid Arthritis, huh? Humdinger for sure.

It's often overlooked by the medical community, at least in terms of their symptom-based treatment (yet very important to realize) that RA is not a joint problem; it is an immune system problem. In any autoimmune disease, the immune system has become imbalanced. Two types of leukocytes (a type of white blood cell), known as TH-1 and TH-2 should remain in balance; if that balance is disrupted and one becomes excessive, bad things happen. The body starts identifying "self" as "non-self" and it starts attacking its own tissues. This could be very specific tissues, like just the joints (RA, AS) or just the thyroid gland (Hashimoto's or Grave's), etc, or it could be global manifestations (like Systemic Lupus). In truth, we are realizing more and more as time goes on that even the specific manifestations are actually a global problem (ppl with 1 autoimmune disorder are very likely to develop others). In these cases, the immune system is the culprint - the joints are simply the victim.

Fascial work (MFR/ART, etc) are good for symptom relief, for sure. I have a patient with RA and massage helps her greatly. Cortisone is good to control the inflammation, but it causes a HUGE host of problems that actually end up doing more harm than good long-term. The weight gain is usually irreversible, and it compromises the integrity of the tissues, leading to things like "leaky gut", which was probably one of the greatest contributing factors to their development of RA in the first place!

These people really need to get in to see someone who is either:
1) a MD/DO who practice Complementary Medicine, or
2) a DC who practices Functional Medicine. DC Diplomates of Internal Medicine are good, too, but Functional Medicine is more clinical and less academic (i.e. in the trenches versus theoretical exercise and trivia).

Acupuncturists can be of good help, too - it's hit and miss. I've seen the same individual respond differently to 2 separate treatments given the same way by the same acupuncturist. So as with anything, it depends.

Can massage therapy help RA? It will help with the symptoms of pain and post-inflammation. It will definitely help flush inflammatory chemicals so that the process heals quicker. Will massage therapy affect the central integrated state of the CNS? Yes, but probably not enough to effect enough of a change in the RA mechanism.

There is a protocol that is used to determine someone's TH-1/TH-2 leukocyte dominance without HAVING to run the bloodwork (as the lab testing is in its infancy right now, being developed and worked out as we speak). It has no peer-reviewed research behind it (but then, neither do more than half of conventional medical protocols either ) but it seems to work very well clinically at identifying the problem and providing relief that gets to the cause. It's cool, because the person's immune system can be tipped back into balance using some super-high-quality nutritional supplements. Powerful stuff, very cool. There IS hope for these people

Hugs,
~Jyoti

 

[techrockstar]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Jyoti - just wanted to let you know how much I value your very informative posts. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowlege and experience!

 

[Wang Rita]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Good info from Jyoti.

Just want to add that Active Isolated Stretching is very helpful for RA, also osteo arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Chronically contracted tissues often respond well too. All require devoted attentiveness and a soft touch with the AIS technique.

 

[Steven Q. Urkel]

Rock-Hardened Muscle?

Thanks you guys t008