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Working with the Ribcage
This week I worked on a new client, who happens to be a fellow massage therapist. She presented with an issue that I have written about in the past.
Her upper right rib cage was posterior and it was immobile. Her scapula was shifted lateral, into abduction, because of the rib position. Her pain radiated down her tricep and into her elbow. Sometimes when I work on massage therapists, they will tell me what the problem is and what they feel needs worked on. This client was positive it was her triceps. I began with the forearm to check the position and mobility of the ulna, quickly moved to the upper arm to unadhere her triceps, and finally landed in the shoulder. I noticed right away that the muscles along the lateral border of the scapula were very tight. Continuing my palpation, I felt her pecs and her upper anterior ribcage, which is when I knew what the problem was. By the time I asked her to lie prone, I only had 20 minutes left.
At the end of the session, I felt like we had gotten through most of it, but I also felt like I could have spent another half an hour on her posterior ribcage. Understanding how to work on the ribcage is crucial to restoring balance in the shoulder girdle. You can get Full Circle’s SMRT: Rib cage video through digital download for only $80 or by DVD for only $85 at https://efullcircle.com/spontaneous-muscle-release-technique-ribcage/
