Have you been suffering from numbness and tingling into your fingers? You may be suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) occurs when the blood vessels or nerves in the space between your collarbone and your first rib (thoracic outlet) becomes compressed. some of the muscle groups that can cause this compression are the Pectoralis Minor, the Anterior Scalene, and the Middle Scalene. This can cause pain in your shoulders and neck, and cause numbness in your fingers.

TOS can commonly be caused by physical trauma, such as from a motor vehicle collision, Prolonged poor posture, repetitive injuries that are work or sport related, external compression from crutches, or from pregnancy.
Some symptoms of TOS include:
– numbness and tingling in the hand, fingers and forearm
– altered sensation in the hand
– aching or throbbing pain in the shoulder, forearm and hand
– increasing weakness and clumsiness in the hand
– a sense of coldness in the limb

One of the best things you can do for TOS is to make sure you are adopting correct posture. Slouching can cause TOS symptoms to flair up.

Some stretches to do if you are suffering from TOS symptoms include:

Anterior Scalene Stretch
Sitting upright in a chair, lower your right shoulder and secure your right hand underneath your buttock. Draw your left arm over your head, so that the left hand is touching your right ear. Gently draw your head towards the left side, and turn your face upward and towards the right side. Hold this stretch for 5 deep breaths, then repeat on the other side.

Middle Scalene Stretch
Using the same positioning as above, Draw your head towards your left side. Be sure that there is no rotation of the head. Hold this stretch for 5 deep breaths, then repeat on other side.

Pectoralis Minor Stretch
Standing in a door frame, place your forearms and hands on either side of the door frame, with your hands raised slightly higher than your head. Engage your core muscles, and step through the door frame until you feel a stretch. Hold this stretch for 5 deep breaths.

Repeat all these stretches 5-7 times daily.