Hey everybody, it's Doctor Jo, and today I'm gonna show you some stretches and exercises
for thoracic outlet syndrome.
Let's get started.
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Alright, let's get started.
What I like to do with thoracic outlet syndrome is stretch your pec muscles, that's really
important get that correct posture.
Do nerve glides or stretching kind of get those nerves loosened up and moving around
in there, and then also doing some first rib mobilization.
So let's start off with some pec stretches.
The first one is a pretty easy one, you can just take your hands and clasp them CLASP
them behind you.
Try and keep your palms together if you can, and you're really just pushing your chest
outwards.
So it really opens up the chest, gets the stretch in there.
Hold it for about 30 seconds.
Then relax it, and do that 3 times.
So that really kind of opens everything up in there and the reason you want to get those
pec muscles stretched out is cause usually that's where all the stuff gets trapped in
that area right there.
So if you loosen those up, that's gonna help get that movement and get everything nice
and loose and get that irritation out of there.
So the next thing I'm gonna show you is a first rib mobilization.
You can do that a couple of different ways, but what I think is probably the easiest way
is just grab a ball.
A massage ball, lacrosse ball, anything that's kind of firm.
You can use a tennis ball, but you want it to be enough where it puts pressure on that
first rib.
And the first rib kind of lies underneath that clavicle or the collar bone.
So what you want to do is take that ball and just set it in that little pocket.
You can kind of feel a little pocket in there, and if you push hard enough you can feel that
first rib.
And a lot of times that first rib has come up a little bit.
So you want to put it right there.
What I like to do is relax this arm kind of down.
Take your neck and bend it over cause that relaxes some of those neck muscles in there.
And then take a deep breath in, and as you're letting it out, push down as hard as you comfortably
can on the ball.
So you go .
And come back up and do that about 4 or 5 times.
So big breath in.
And push down.
And sometimes, people do feel a little pop where it's popping back into place.
So as long as it's not painful, that's a good thing, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
And a lot of time that pressure gets off of those nerves and those vessels and veins and
arteries in there, and then it feels a lot better after that.
So now, we're gonna lie down a little bit and Im gonna show you some more pec stretches.
I like to use a foam roller, this is probably the best way that I like to stretch the pecs.
Put it vertically, and you're gonna lie on top of it.
So come down close to the edge because you want to be able to be nice and relaxed and
put your head on it.
So then you're not stressing out your neck muscles.
And then just bring your arms out to the side and let them drop down.
So as you can see here, I'm stretching out those pec muscles and that's a really, really
nice stretch.
And if you want more of a stretch, if this is just a medium stretch for you, then straighten
your arms out a little bit.
And then do the same thing.
Just try and relax and let them go down.
If you need a little bit more, you can have somebody kind of push down on your arms a
little bit and get a really good pec stretch there.
But again, just holding it for about 30 seconds, give it a little break, and then doing that
again.
Just really stretching it out.
Then you're gonna do some scapular squeezes, shoulder squeezes, this is again just to help
get that correct posture.
Cause a lot of times when you roll forward like that with those tight pec muscles, that's
what ends up causing all the problems.
So getting your chest open is what really helps.
So a scapular squeeze is just really, imagine that somebody is placing their hand in the
middle of your back on your spine.
And you're trying to squeeze that hand with your shoulder blades.
So just coming, squeeze back.
Hold it for about 3 - 5 seconds, and then come forward.
So really nice, squeeze, and then come back.
I like to use my elbows while I'm pushing back cause I feel like it helps me squeeze
a little bit more.
Some people just kind of squeeze this way, but I feel like you get a little bit more
of a squeeze if you actually use your elbows a little bit.
So just hold that squeeze for about 3 - 5 seconds and then relax.
And do about 5 to 10 of those and that should really help loosen it up a little bit.
And then finally is the nerve glides or the nerve stretches.
You can do both ways.
Sometimes with the stretches, people get a little bit irritated with them, so there's
a modified way to do it which is kind of the glide, and then there's the stretch glide
as well.
Some people call it a little bit differently, different ways.
But the first one is gonna be the little bit of modified, more of a glide.
So if it's on my right side, I'm gonna start with my elbow up, my head up, and then I'm
gonna put my arm out, but take my head, almost like I have a string connected to my head.
So I'm gonna go out like that and then come up.
So what I'm doing is I'm kind of gliding that nerve, flossing that nerve, as I go.
So out, come back in.
This is the one that's not quite as stressful on the nerves, so you might want to start
off with this one.
With nerve glides, I only like to do about 10 of them because if you do a whole lot,
then you're gonna end up just irritating that nerve even more.
So especially with the stretches, the big glides, really only stick with 10 just once
a day.
Don't do a whole lot more than that.
But then what you're gonna do put your arm straight out with your palm up.
And this time you're gonna take your head to the opposite way as you pull your palm
downward.
So it's gonna be this movement.
Now you might want to just start off doing the palm part first.
Cause some people feel it there.
I can feel a little bit of tingle in my middle finger just right there doing that.
But if you want even more, then you go out this way and come back in.
That really stretches out that nerve in there.
If it's kind of scarred up in that area, that's gonna help loosen everything up a little bit.
And again, like I said, only just do about 10 of those.
Don't do any more of those especially in the beginning.
And then the last one is gonna be a stretch for those scalene muscles right here.
And the reason you really want to stretch those out is these attach to that first rib
down there.
So if they're tight, they're pulling up on that first rib.
So what you want to do is, again kind of put your hands behind you, you can clasp them.
You don't have to be so tight with them, but put your hands behind you.
And then you're gonna turn your head a little bit to an angle and then side bend.
So it's not just side bend this way, and it's not just rotating, it's that kind of combination
so you feel that stretch right in there where those scalene muscles are.
And then hold that stretch for about 30 seconds and then relax.
And do that 3 times.
So there you have it.
Those are your stretches and exercises for thoracic outlet syndrome, or people call it
TOS.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments section.
If you'd like to check out some other videos, go to AskDoctorJo.com Don't forget to like
us.
And remember, be safe, have fun (don't let the zombies get you), and I hope you feel
better soon.