The injury I referenced below is behind my right shoulder blade (I have a left thoracic curve; T10-12 is the apex). The movements that caused the injury were squeezing my shoulder blades together and releasing to strengthen my mid traps in cat/ cow, down dog and Parsvottanasana. I have stopped these postures and it is a bit better but the pain persists whenever I do twists. Any insights?
How does stretching the spine upwards feel? This stretches the middle trapezius while toning the serratus anterior. How is it now? Any more insights?
This feels fine; I feel that spot a little bit when I do this. My guess is that I “strained” either the serratus anterior or the rhomboids (both attach at the medial scapula I believe). Should I focus on stretching this area with poses like eagle and thread the needle? Or do you think massage/ Rolfing? …I do continue to work this area with raising and holding my arms overhead, handstand, headstand, plank etc. as well as external shoulder rotation exercises. I have transitioned from working with the scapula
Pulsing that I learned from you to focusing on working the serratus anterior (I think) which I have recently learned more about at some Iyengar classes I have been taking. I am confused though (again), your focus was on squeezing the shoulder blades together and the Iyengar classes focus on spreading the shoulder blades apart and pulling them down. Is the difference working the middle traps (squeezing together) vs. working the serratus anterior and lats (broadening and pulling down) and if so, which is the area to work to strengthen the mid back? I focus on this area for the prenatal classes I Teach as well so I hope to clarify which is the better focus or is it both?
Continue as you are those are good ideas for the muscles you have identified. Also encourage going up and down while in eagle as this frees up the muscles and their joint range of motion. If it persists then definitely go for connective tissue bodywork such as Rolfing. Spreading the scapula tones the serratus, hence opposite motion stretches it. Its antagonist is the middle and lower trapezius; the pectoralis major is an agonist (does the same). I always like to encourage the ability and strength to do both motions. For prenatal they also need both ranges but mainly to tone trapezius in its lower fibers.