Cutting Through; a Brief Overview of the Serratus Posterior Superior

Sometimes it is the smallest muscles that can cause the biggest pain.

Serratus muscles are named so for the jagged appearance, like a knife with a serrated edge.

There are three setts of Serratus muscles; the set shown here is known as the Serratus Anterior, as shown by actor Arnold Schwarzenegger back in his heyday. 

Always visually pronounced among body builders and comic book heroes these muscles are. Though the anterior set are perhaps the most well known, it is the posterior superior set that is the most problematic.

The Serratus Posterior (back) Superior (higher up) is a set of muscles that are deep in the body. They begin at the spine, attached to what is known Ligamentum Nuchae and the spinous processes of your lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae and attach to the 2nd and 5th ribs, under the shoulder blades. Notice here in this medial posterior view that only with the Scapulae (shoulder blades) extended can theses muscles be treated.

Although these muscles' main action is only to elevate the ribs during inspiration, they have suffered greatly from the introduction of the typewriter and then the computer. The Human body is not separated into groups of muscles - they all work together in tandem. The Serratus Posterior Superior muscles can be strained by exercise or poor posture. Moreover, tension in muscles that are superficial such as the Rhomboid muscles, can cause trigger points to develop in the deeper muscles as well.

Being directly under the Rhomboid muscles, Scapulae (shoulder blades), and Trapezius muscles primarily, it can be difficult to assess where the pain is should this muscle develop knots or trigger points. Due to aggravation of the Serratus Posterior Superior (SPS), pain under the blades is a common sign and is extremely debilitating. These muscles cannot be easily relaxed without professional help; they require a therapist to apply very focused work to release tension and thus alleviate the pain and/or other symptoms. 


Of course that is not all, folks! SPS aggravation can cause a number of other sensations such as chest pain and numbness. The following link is to a website I have used to analyze some clients' symptoms to help assess which muscle group may be the true culprit. 

http://www.pressurepointer.com/pain_reference_chart.htm

As a therapist will know, if you have an SPS that is causing pain or tension, transversely the chest muscles will need treatment as well. The body is a curious system; tension and pain have a curiously unpleasant way of translating to the opposite side of the body of the affected muscle.

For self care, make sure to stretch your body regularly! Remember that regular massage combined with stretching helps to reduce levels of stress hormones, promotes better sense of self, and contributes to overall longevity.

Plantar Fasciitis: A Walk Through

Plantar Fasciitis (pronounced fash-ee-I-tis) is inflammation of the fascia underneath the foot. An unpleasantly evil and uncomfortable situation that is one that many of us need to be aware of. Those of us whom have ever suffered pain in the arch of the foot need especially be aware.

Firstly, the fascia, which is everywhere throughout the body and serves as not only a connective matrix but also as a lubrication system for the musculo-skeletal powerhouse that is your body. Bones, muscles and organs are all wrapped in it. It is a still not quite well understood system of the body, possibly also relaying nerve information and electrical signals as well.

However, fascia can become fibrous instead of more fluid like, due to inactivity or over-strenuous activity. Imagine what happens when you empty the oil from the engine of a car and then drive, or not grease a pan before frying; things will get right ugly, right quick you can be sure (if neither of those analogies appeal to you please feel free to add your own in the comments section, the more the merrier).

Unlike a muscle cramp, this can be more difficult to cure in the plantar region of the foot. Moreover, it frequently goes noticed until it has become moderate to severe, where movement begins to be inhibited and then of course we take action, mostly....

Why is this important? If fasciitis is not treated either with self-care, physical therapy, massage therapy or some kind of treatment, it can worsen. Once it spreads far enough to affect the Achilles tendon, it can be a rapid onslaught of discomfort to first the calf and then even the hamstrings, impeding the ability to even walk normally. If you are the type to view crutches as appropriate daily fashion attire, maybe that would seem fun. And yes, untreated plantar fasciitis can even put you in crutches or require surgery should you not do anything about it.

If you feel you may have fasciitis, talk to your doctor, your physcial therapist or even your massage therapist or accupuncturist. All of us are professionals trained to treat this particular issue. As a massage therapist, we look for a hard ball or lump in the mid-arch. In my experience people themselves can self diagnose this condition by feeling around the arch of the foot, from the mid-arch toward the heel.


Not only that, self care is easy and if done regularly, completely effective! A golf ball in the freezer or a frozen water bottle will suffice, just you may want to have a towel or something to hold them in place as your are going to put as MUCH weight as you can stand on them, right where the inflammation is and HOLD it there for 20 seconds maybe more if you can. Roll the ball/bottle a little back and forth to stretch out the tissue and relieve the tension. This part is key for self care, simple rolling will not do much, if anything. Those of you who love the axiom 'no pain...' will appreciate its proper usage here. Use these simple treatments twice a day and the inflammation will subside gradually

So, the good news in all of this, you can see, feel and touch the base of your feet, unlike the back or even neck without even a mirror. Yes they touch the floor, they can be stinky and icky, but they are you nonetheless.

LOVE your body, it is the only one YOU have! Mind your fascia and your fascia will take care of you.

The Machine of the Human Body

The machine of the human body: an infinitely complex, inter-woven structure of balance and consciousness. It is our vessel, the only one from beginning to end, yet we rarely appreciate it for what it is, how hard it works for us.

Every movement, every action, our bodies work hard. The heart pumps 1,500 to 2,000 gallons every day; it never takes a break. The average pot holds 1.5 gallons of water, your car probably has about 15-30 gallons of gas give or take depending if you have a compact or SUV.

The lungs process on average 10,000 litres of air every day; that is over 300 Cubic feet of air. Every move you make utilizes an entire battery of muscles relaxing and contracting. Looking down at a laptop screen, by way of example, engages your front neck muscles (the SCMs) for hours on end; may I welcome you to headache world.

Western medicine has had the solution-based philosophy, often a pill, as a cure for everything. However, as technology accelerates our lives at an ever-increasing pace, it is critical to emphasize a new approach towards preventive care.

The body and its systems - Nervous, Integumentary, Musculoskeletal, Circulatory, Lymph, Respiratory, Digestive, Endocrine, Urinary and Reproductive - all function to keep the body alive and well. It is a robust system and yet very fragile. It does not take much to throw things out of that delicate balance.

Keep your life, and hence your body in balance. The old idiom 'Too Much of Anything is a BAD Thing' may have become cliche but the expression exists for a reason. Especially for Americans, I find, who enjoy the 'work hard, play hard' mentality, 'Too Much' is something we need to make use of as a battle-cry to bring about a more body-conscious style of living.

Take care of your body, the only one you have and took years to break in. When it breaks, it is not easy to fix; prevention is your best weapon.


E. Hon, LMT, MFA