Pectoralis minor muscle in red. Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectoralis_minor_muscle
At Inner Outer Health, many of our clients come in for massage and myotherapy seeking treatment for upper back and neck pain. The pain can result in headaches and migraines, and even referral pain or numbness down the arms.
A good percentage of these clients are working in environments that require them to have their arms forward and/or down - sitting at a computer, for example. This can cause the back to slump and the shoulders to round forward, resulting in tight/shortened pectoral muscles, particularly the pectoralis minor.
This underappreciated muscle is the cause of so much of that pack and neck pain - but luckily, it's easy to stretch, and doing so regularly can help relieve stiffness and soreness everywhere!
Dr Jacob Harden from the USA has posted a fantastic pec stretch on Instagram that is guaranteed to help open up the chest area and alleviate sore shoulders, upper back and neck.
The key to success with this stretch is to make sure you do it every day. We spend hours in the same position at work every day, so we need to reverse it with multiple stretch sessions throughout the day. Watch the video below!