Pectoralis Minor Corner Stretch
By Dr. Christopher Notley

Key points

• Helps with muscle tightness in the shoulders, neck and mid-back.
• Helps with thoracic outlet syndrome
• Make sure to exhale completely to get the full effect.

The pectoralis minor muscle is a small, but very important, muscle when it comes to thoracic outlet syndrome as well as neck, shoulder and mid-back pain from long days working at a desk. It is located deep to your pectoralis major muscle (your chest muscle). It attaches to your shoulder blade as well as the upper part of your rib cage. If tight this muscle will the alter function of your shoulder blade. This will affect the muscles of your mid-back, neck and shoulder causing them to be tight. This muscle is often the cause of thoracic outlet syndrome because it travels over top of the nerves and blood vessels that travel down to your arm. If tight, the muscle will compress on these structures and give you thoracic outlet symptoms.

Here is the stretch I give my patients.

Start Position

• Standing facing the corner.
• Place forearms on wall.
• Your elbows are bent and above your shoulders. (Not seen in photo)
• Place one foot into the corner. This is important. If you do not do this you will be contracting the pectoralis muscles at the same time as you are stretching them. This is counterproductive.

Finish position

• Move your shoulders and your hips at the same time towards the corner until you feel a broad, moderate stretch across the front of the chest.
• Now, exhale completely. The broad stretch should change to a smaller and deeper stretch.
• Inhale and the stretch with become broader again.
• Repeat this, inhaling and exhaling, for one minute.
• Frequent use of this stretch, along with the use Chiropractic care and the application of Active Release Technique, will help maximize your recovery from postural stresses and thoracic outlet syndrome.