Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Intermediate Exercise Programme
Aim to perform this programme a minimum of once per day unless prescribed otherwise. As with any new exercise, start slowly (repetitions as able) and build up as you are able within the guidelines below.
Pain should not exceed 5/10 whilst completing this exercise programme.
1. Neck side bend
- Sitting upright in a supportive chair.
- Bring your left ear down to your left shoulder, and then the exact opposite over to the right. Working in your comfortable range.
2. Median nerve glide
- Hold your arm out to the side so elbow and wrist as close to level with the shoulder as possible. Have the palm of the hand facing forward.
- Pull the wrist backward so the backs of the fingers are trying to touch the back of the forearm.
- With the head facing forward, try to take the ear on the opposite side to the outstretched arm, down to the opposite shoulder whilst staying facing forward. Hold for 2-5 secs.
- Stop at the point it produces symptoms and slowly return the head to upright and the hand to facing forward and repeat.
3. Shoulder sets
- Begin sitting looking forward, put your hands on your hips.
- Pull your elbows and shoulders back to bring your shoulder blades together.
We recommend consulting a musculoskeletal physiotherapist to ensure exercises are best suited to your recovery. If you are carrying out an exercise regime without consulting a healthcare professional, you do so at your own risk. If you have any concerns whilst completing these exercises, please contact a healthcare professional.
More Plans
This programme focuses on maintaining a range of movement within the shoulder and neck and appropriate stretches for specific muscles. Advice will be provided in order to help you decrease your symptoms. We suggest you carry this out once a day for approximately 2-4 weeks as pain allows. We can work into pain during these exercises but ideally, it should not exceed any more than 5/10 on your self-perceived pain scale (3).
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 910
This programme is a further progression with challenging, provocative, compressive positions (i.e. overhead activities). Again, some pain is acceptable but ideally, we do not want it to exceed 5/10 on your pain scale.
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 910