How to relax & lengthen scalene muscles

July 10, 2017 10:45 AM

How do I relax and lengthen my scalene muscles? I've been finding the traditional stretches (gently pulling ear to shoulder, etc) to not be effective.

The tightness is on one side and I believe it is resulting in nerve impingement issues in my hand.

posted by mizrachi to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

You should get a massage. Find someone that specializes in trigger point therapy. If there are underlying problems that are keeping your muscles tight and inflamed, those need to be worked out before stretching can be more beneficial.
posted by hopeless romantique at 10:49 AM on July 10, 2017

Oh, and this book is very helpful, if you don't actually want to go see someone: Trigger Point Therapy Workbook.
posted by hopeless romantique at 10:51 AM on July 10, 2017

A weird one that a friend taught me: lie flat on on your back. Lay your arms next to you so that your arms are straight out from shoulder to elbow, then bent at a 90-degree angle at the elbow (so your arms form an L shape). Holding your wrists on the floor, try to lift your elbows.
posted by mai at 10:53 AM on July 10, 2017

I'm having trouble visualizing this. Do you have an image? Not sure what direction the "L" is. Is the palm of my hand or the back of my hand making contact with the floor?
posted by mizrachi at 11:03 AM on July 10, 2017

The back of your hand. Let me see if I can find an image.
posted by mai at 11:13 AM on July 10, 2017

Try hot towel or warm pack against your muscles before doing gentle stretches, or have a warm bath or shower.

Roll up a bath towel, hold the ends with your hands, and flip the towel so the back of your head is in the center of the towel tube. Gently pull ends forward as you face forward, then turn left, then turn right, to stretch your neck muscles. Rotate your hold on the towel for more stretching. There's also this cradle device you can lay on.
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:19 PM on July 10, 2017

The exercise mai is describing I think is similar to one I do on a foam roller? It's done with the foam roller under and along your spine and head, and helps open your chest muscles (also to relax the upper back, in my experience). My scalenes are like rock or piano wire, depending on the day, despite regular massage but I've found some "nerve glides" that help with the nerve impingement / neuropathy anyway, and I'd recommend you look into those. Go easy though!
posted by Lady Li at 11:10 PM on July 13, 2017