@artscaping I can't wait till my therapist receives her education on Myofacisal release technique

I just googled it. It kind of sounds like slow massage of specific places, not muscles, I'm not sure where but I'll find out. There is a place that does MFR 1/2 a mile from me (I'm in Bethany Beach, Delaware). I said I would try anything, I will try it. I'll call them tomorrow - I'll let you know how it goes. I've been a guinea pig in more difficult situations than getting a massage ... Peggy

@artscaping @pfbacon @qball2019 MFR has helped me a lot. I have thoracic outlet syndrome which causes one side of my neck and chest to be tighter. It's like living in a straight jacket. That was causing a functional scoliosis to develop and I have had physical breathing problems where one side of my chest doesn't expand as much as the other side. The functional scoliosis has been cured by MFR and is no longer evident on MRI. Now we can feel individual muscles in my neck which before were just a solid hard mass. I have better posture. I have less nerve pain in my arms that was coming from entrapment in the tight spaces where the nerves pass through. I have fewer headaches.

I also self treat at home with several things...small 3 inch balls, foam roller, Body Back Roller (hard wood roller, massages muscles next to spine), Davinci tool, webbing straps, Sacro Wedgie, triangular foam blocks, 3 inch hard foam dice from the Dollar store, and even a question mark shaped tool with rotating rubber knobs on it that came from 5 Below. With that I can push when my hands can't get into the right position. You can lay on the balls or blocks and also use a doorway to push up against. You learn by feel what your body needs and what to do. My therapist also gives me suggestions for homework. During my physical therapy for TOS, my spine problem became apparent, and I had to stop therapy and have spine surgery. I'm a couple years past that and back to working on TOS again in therapy. My spine surgery recovery was also better because of the MFR work I had been doing for a few years prior to it. The muscles were looser, and it was easier for my surgeon to retract my neck during surgery. Of course that all tightened from the surgical incision, but MFR loosens that too and breaks up the scar tissue. As it changes from day to day, I stretch out the tightness as it happens. I also work on my core strength and riding my horse is great for that. Once you get back to correct posture because your body can move properly again, building strength to keep it there helps maintain what you've gained.