Myofascial release for "that damn spot" (upper back/shoulder pain)

Do your clients have pain in their upper back, right near the shoulder blade? Here's how I work with this area: Broadly, keeping the entire shoulder girdle in mind.

0:00 Introduction
2:00 The anatomy of upper back pain
2:55 Defining strict myofascial release
4:00 Massage demonstration- creating fascial traction
5:06 Palpating the region
5:36 Myofascial release for the upper back
9:25 Using active engagement to increase intensity
10:47 Spreading across the scapula
12:42 Mobilizing the scapula
13:33 The scapula sandwich
14:33 Myofascial release for pec major
16:23 Pec minor
18:45 Walking your hands under the scapula
21:11 Mobilizing trapezius, deltoid, and the shoulder as a whole

The "scapula sandwich" video (which is actually about subscapularis):    • Massage Tutorial: Subscapularis (rota...  
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There's something I should clarify for this video: It's not much of a routine. I wanted to leave you with a general idea of the pacing of strict myofascial release, as well as a number of tools for working with the fascia of the upper back, shoulder, and chest. How "strict" you end up being (e.g., whether you use oil, how long your contacts last) isn't the important thing, and neither is whether you end up using all or some of these exact techniques. What I'd like you to take away is this: There's more to upper back pain than just the upper back. Work with the shoulder, really explore the scapula, do a deep dive into the pecs, and yes, do some specific work with the area just medial to the scap. I've had much better results with pain relief by working broadly than I ever got by digging into that point.

A quick FAQ: How much pressure should you use? Whatever's comfortable for the client. Light pressure is fine, or you can sink in if the client enjoys deeper work. How long should you hold fascial traction? A little while. 10 deep breaths is fine, 30-60 seconds is fine, or you can wait until you feel something shift. That might be an increase in heat, or your hands might sink into the tissue, or you simply feel the local muscles let go. It could even be an energetic experience. Are you allowed to use oil or lotion? Absolutely, but I recommend using a small enough amount that you can trust your client with your body weight. Too much oil and you'll have to use your strength to slow down, which can be quickly tiring. Do I have to use myofascial release? No! Lots of approaches work, including trigger point therapy, structural integration, shiatsu, Thai, and good old Swedish. All I ask is that you take a broad view rather than focusing too much on "that spot."

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