Shoulder Pain & Upper Back.

  Shoulder pain and upper back pain is often caused by tension in the subscaps, or subscapularis.

To work on this area you will need to work with another person as it is almost impossible to reach on one's self. Although I have resorted to leaning on a rubber covered broom handle, which helps but doesn't get into the sub-scaps very well.

To do this work you will want to work on the area from the front  and the back. It doesn't matter which way is first but for this instruction we'll start face up or supine.

Have the client raise their arm above their head or if it is too painful as far as they can. A small pillow can supportThen find the soft area in the armpit, between the pec and the subscap muscle. Very gently work your way into this area. (It is extremely tender and often very ticklish so go slow.) However to get the tension out you will need to dig deep. Work everything you can reach, forward, backward, up, down, and around. Grab hold of the edge of the pec muscle and kneed this muscle between your thumb and fingers.

Then turn the client over and work from this angle. 

You may have to do this in stages but the more tension you can get out the more releaf you're going to achieve.

Years agoI had an old farmer who would come to me once a year when his shoulder would freeze up. I would spend the whole hour working on this area coupled with the traps and deltoid. To say the least this was an extremely painful endeavor for my client. I begged him to come more often in order to avoid going through so much pain in order to relieve his shoulder problem but to no avail. He would grit his teeth and bare the pain of this technique knowing that when we were through he would once again have the use of his shoulder.

So I strongly recommend that you do this work in stages. about every other day until the pain is gone.

If you know how to do energy work send energy into the area as you slowly move forward into the muscle. This cuts the pain a great deal. 

* Once again remember that there are medical conditions that shouldn't have massage. ie Cancer and others. If you have a medical condition please talk to your doctor before getting massage work done.