Workout of the Day:
Seven rounds for time of:
200 Meter Run
10 Ring Rows
15 Box Jumps

Scalenes and Rhomboids – Part One
Written by Mike Hom

I have recurring knots that line the inner edge of my right shoulder blade which not only irritate me but can become rather painful on certain days. Kelly Starrett, otherwise known as Dr. K-Star from San Francisco CrossFit, has repeatedly told me that I need to work on my scalenes, which I admittedly had not taken to heart until recently. Turns out, those pesky neck muscles that help hold your head up can also cause a substantial amount of discomfort in the upper back, shoulder, and upper arm when tight enough. This directly applies to us CrossFitters who happen to perform exercises on a daily basis that can lead to tight neck muscles.

The scalenes are made up of a group of three, sometimes four, muscles in each side of the neck: the anterior, middle, and posterior. In the picture shown above, you can clearly see the anterior and middle scalene (m. scalenus anterior and medius). The posterior scalene is tucked away close to the trapezius muscle. Depending on the person, a fourth scalene, known as the scalenus minimus will exist–This one we’ll call optional for now. They have the job of attaching themselves to several of your cervical vertebrae to help to stabilize and flex the neck. On top of that, they also assist in your ability to breathe. Interestingly enough, the scalenes are often overlooked when trying to diagnose pain in the three aforementioned areas and defer the blame primarily to the rhomboids.

Simply put, when scalene muscles are tight and shortened by trigger points, they essentially add to the already compounded effect of “closing you up.” That is, tightness on the anterior (front) side of your body will cause you to have hunched shoulders, flexion in your back, all that bad jazz. If you think about it, many of our normal every day activities utilize the scalenes regularly. Who works for long hours with arms out in front of the body? Who carries heavy bags on their back? Who pulls, lifts, or carries heavy loads? Remember what I said about the scalenes helping you breathe? Well, they’re active to some degree in every breath you take and work extremely hard when your breathing is labored during vigorous activity.

Thankfully, massaging the scalenes is quite simple. Take your index and middle finger and apply pressure starting at the bottom of the ear. Run your fingers down. You should notice a long muscle that runs from the ear down to the about the clavicle. This is the sternocleidomastoid muscle which, while important, is not the focus.  What you need to do is get AROUND that muscle and attack the muscles behind it. From here, you should be able to dig your fingers into the side of your neck and enjoy the euphoria you will receive from working these whipcord muscles until they start to loosen up and give. Let’s be quite clear here, it will be somewhat uncomfortable at first, and once you hit a trigger point, there is a chance your legs will give out. It may feel like you’re pressing on a nerve. It may feel like the discomfort is actually being amplified.

If you have a hard time massaging your own neck muscles, find a partner and have him or her do it. Do not fear the discomfort. Revel in it and you will come out stronger and healthier for it. As always, if you guys have questions, find a coach and we’ll be more than happy to help you. Or even better, register for the first-ever CrossFit Movement and Mobility Certification with Kelly Starrett at CrossFit Invictus on October 17 and learn how to keep your whole body healthy and primed for optimal performance.

Happy scalene massaging.

Tags: Anatomy/Physiology, Rest and Recovery

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 10:47 pm and is filed under Workout Of The Day. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.