Massage Therapy

The Bird Dog

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Bird Dog

Today we are going to look at one of the most effective exercises to protect your lumbar spine from discogenic injury, the bird dog. A great way to work on both posterior chain and rotational stability, the bird dog is safe, effective and simple.

  • Get on your hands and knees (four point position) with your knees and hands, hip and shoulders width apart.
  • Your back is in neutral position (slightly arched) and your chin must be tucked in.
  • Activate your lower abdominals (transversus abdomini) by bringing your belly button inward and by activating your pelvic floor muscles 20 to 30% of maximal contraction.
  • Maintain a steady abdominal breathing while you simultaneously lift one leg backwards and the opposite arm overhead keeping your back in neutral position.
  • Return to the initial position and repeat with the other leg and arm.

2 sets of 10 reps as part of your regular core/stability routine will have you well on your way to a life-proof low back!

Image and instructions from physiotec.ca 

Trigger points in the pectoralis Major muscle.

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The pectoralis major or “pecs” is commonly thought of as the chest muscle. It originates on the clavicle, sternum, costal cartilage , and the external oblique aponeurosis. It inserts on the intertubercular groove of the humerus. Its main actions are to adduct the shoulder and to internally rotate the humerus. This muscle gets chronically shortened by a rounded shoulder forward posture such as from prolonged sitting. Tightness in this muscle can cause strain in the rhomboids and traps. When trigger points form in this muscle they refer pain into the anterior shoulder, as well as the anterior chest and medial aspect of the arm. Trigger points in the pecs can also cause nipple hypersensitivity. Trigger points in the left pec muscle can mimic heart pain.

Trigger points in the rhomboid muscles.

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This is another common muscle to get trigger points. It originates on the spinous processes of the T2-T5 vertebrae. It inserts on the medial border of the scapula. It’s main actions are to adduct the scapula pulling it back toward the spine, and to rotate the glenohumeral joint downward. This muscle also prevents wining of the scapula. This muscle is often overloaded by a sitting posture where the shoulders are rolled forward such as when using a computer. The Rhomboids are often weak and under trained in people. Trigger points in this muscle cause pain and ache in the upper back between the shoulder blade. Strength trading for this muscle is necessary to help prevent postural overload.

Trigger points in the trapezius muscle.

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The trapezius muscle is a large diamond shaped muscle in you mid/upper back and neck. This muscle is one of the most common sites where trigger points can form. This muscle originates on the Nuchal ligament and the spinous processes of C6-T12. It inserts on the spine of the scapula, the acromion process, and the distal clavicle. The upper fibres elevate the shoulder and rotate the glenoid fossa (shoulder socket) upward. The lower fibres assist this motion as well as help depress the shoulder. The middle fibres of this muscle strongly adduct the scapula. This muscle is susceptible to postural overload such as sitting at desk all day. Trigger points on the lateral upper edge refer into the lateral neck and temples, causing “tension neck ache”as well as headache pain.Trigger points in the middle and lower fibres refer pain into the posterior neck and shoulder.

Trigger points in the Levator scapula

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The Levator scapula is a muscle in your neck that originates on the transverse processes of C1-C4 and inserts on the superior part of the medial border of the scapula. The primary actions of this muscle are to elevate the scapula and rotate the glenoid fossa downward. It also rotates the neck to the same side and assists in extension. When this muscle is tight it restricts neck rotation resulting in the classic “stiff neck”. With a forward head position the Levator is often stretched and over worked. To help combat this you must get the head back by releasing the anterior chest and neck muscles. Trigger points in this muscle refer pain into the angle of the neck and down the shoulder blade.

Trigger points in the masseter muscle

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The masseter is the main muscle that moves your jaw. It originates on the zygomatic arch and maxilla, and inserts on the coronoid process and Ramus of the mandible. It’s actions are to elevate the mandible and close the jaw. The deep fibres of this muscle also retrude the mandible. This muscle commonly harbours trigger points as a result of teeth grinding. Trigger points in this muscle are often also associated with tmj dysfunction. Trigger points in the upper part of this muscle will refer pain to the upper molars and maxilla often felt as sinusitis. Trigger points in the lower portion of this muscle refer to the lower molars and temple. All trigger points can cause tooth sensitivity

Trigger points in the suboccipitals.

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The suboccipitals are a group or four muscles that attach to the transverse and spinous process of C1 and C2 and the occipital bone.

These muscles provide extension side bending and rotation movements between the occiput and C1 and C2. These muscles are often overloaded due to postural strain. A classic example being sitting in front of a computer all day.

When these muscles are overloaded trigger points can develop. Pain and symptoms of trigger points in the suboccipitals include head pain that penetrates into the skull but is difficult to localize.

Patients are likely to describe the pain as “all over” including the occiput, eye and forehead, but without any clarity. Trigger points in these muscles are often associated with tension head aches

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Trigger points in the sternocleidomastoid muscle. By Bryan Cobb RMT.

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The sternocleidomastoid muscle or “scm” is a strap like muscle located in the front of the neck. It originates on the manubrium of the sternum and the medial clavicle, and inserts on the mastoid process of the temporal bone( the lump or bone behind the ear). When working together the scm flexes the head and neck. The actions of one muscle working by itself is to rotate the face to the opposite side and lift it toward the ceiling.

Trigger points in this muscle usually form due to acute injury or to chronic postural stress. These trigger points can cause a wide variety of symptoms including pain felt in the cheek, temple, forehead, top of the head, and base of the skull. Trigger points in these muscles can also refer deep into the ear and cause postural dizziness.

What the heck is a trigger point?

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By Bryan Cobb, Advanced Remedial Massage Therapist

trigger-point-referred-pain-shutterstock_228843211

What is a Trigger Point?

Trigger Points (TP’s) are defined as a “hyper-irritable spot within a taut band of skeletal muscle. The spot is painful on compression and can evoke characteristic referred pain and autonomic phenomena.”1

Put into plain language, a TP is a painful knot in muscle tissue that can refer pain to other areas of the body. You have probably felt the characteristic achy pain and stiffness that TP’s produce, at some time in your life.

TP’s were first brought to the attention of the medical world by Dr. Janet G. Travell. Dr. Travell, physician to President John F. Kennedy, is the acknowledged Mother of Myofascial Trigger Points. In fact, “Trigger Point massage, the most effective modality used by massage therapists for the relief of pain, is based almost entirely on Dr. Travell’s insights.”2 Dr. Travell’s partner in her research was Dr. David G. Simons, a research scientist and aerospace physician.

Trigger Points are very common. In fact, Travell and Simons state that TP’s are responsible for, or associated with, 75% of pain complaints or conditions.1 With this kind of prevalence, it’s no wonder that TP’s are often referred to as the “scourge of mankind”.

Trigger Points can produce a wide variety of pain complaints. Some of the most common are migraine headaches, back pain, and pain and tingling into the extremities. They are usually responsible for most cases of achy deep pain that is hard to localize.

A TP will refer pain in a predictable pattern, based on its location in a given muscle. Also, since these spots are bundles of contracted muscle fibres, they can cause stiffness and a decreased range of motion. Chronic conditions with many TP’s can also cause general fatigue and malaise, as well as muscle weakness.

Trigger Points are remarkably easy to get, but the most common causes are

TP’s (black X) can refer pain to other areas (red)

 

Sudden overload of a muscle

  • Poor posture
  • Chronic frozen posture (e.g., from a desk job), and
  • Repetitive strain

 

Once in place, a TP can remain there for the remainder of your life unless an intervention takes place.

 

Trigger Points Not Well Known

With thousands of people dealing with chronic pain, and with TP’s being responsible for — or associated with — a high percentage of chronic pain, it is very disappointing to find that a large portion of doctors and other health care practitioners don’t know about TP’s and their symptoms.

Scientific research on TP’s dates back to the 1700’s. There are numerous medical texts and papers written on the subject.

But, it still has been largely overlooked by the health care field. This has led to needless frustration and suffering, as well as thousands of lost work hours and a poorer quality of life.

 

How Are Trigger Points Treated?

As nasty and troublesome as TP’s are, the treatment for them is surely straight-forward. A skilled practitioner will assess the individual’s pain complaint to determine the most likely location of the TP’s and then apply one of several therapeutic modalities, the most effective of which is a massage technique called “ischemic compression”.

 

Basically, the therapist will apply a firm, steady pressure to the TP, strong enough to reproduce the symptoms. The pressure will remain until the tissue softens and then the pressure will increase appropriately until the next barrier is felt. This pressure is continued until the referral pain has subsided and the TP is released. (Note: a full release of TP’s could take several sessions.)

 

Other effective modalities include dry needling (needle placed into the belly of the TP) or wet needling (injection into the TP). The use of moist heat and stretching prove effective, as well. The best practitioners for TP release are Massage Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Athletic Therapists. An educated individual can also apply ischemic compression to themselves, but should start out seeing one of the above therapists to become familiar with the modality and how to apply pressure safely.

 

 

 

1 Simons, D.G., Travell, D.G., & Simons, L.S. Travell and Simons’Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual.

Vol. 1. 2nd ed. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins, 1999.