Prog 8 Wall Pec Stretch Numbness

[Wilson]

Hi all!

I'm having a bit of trouble with the first stretch in the video with the arm on the wall at 45 degrees. Immediately as I get into the stretch I start to get a feeling of numbness. Its hard to tell if I can relax into the stretch because by the time I come out of the stretch 40 seconds later I can't feel my forearm or hand.

If it helps to know, the tightest part starts from around the medial part of the elbow all the way up the forearm.

 

Is there something I can do differently or do I just keeping at it?

 

[Nathan]

Hi Wilson,

Sorry for the late reply. Did you keep going, and has your experience of the movement changed?

Numbness is not necessarily an issue in all cases, but I would lean toward avoiding any stretch that leaves an extremity completely numb by the end of the stretch. Can you avoid the numbness while still getting some amount of stretch? If so, then I would start there. A gentle stretch will still produce results. Some other options:

• You could try playing with angles. 45 degrees is a good starting point, but it may not be what your body needs right now at this point in time.
• You can also place some kind of towel, cushion, or other padding between your shoulder and the wall to help get a more comfortable setup while still allowing for a nice stretch. 
• You might want to try the stretch on the floor (see program 13 or for example this YouTube video). The wall is generally easier to start with, but some people much prefer the floor setup over the wall.

[Kit_L]

Thanks for that, Nathan. 

A note of explanation: the numbness is caused by putting tension on the group of nerves that innervates the whole arm; the brachial plexus. And your experience with the stretch is strong evidence that this group of nerves is simply not 'flexible' enough to make this movement, or position, easily. I used inverted commas here because anatomically speaking, nerves don't stretch (this is the classical position) but in reality, they can glide and move in their sheathes. If your shoulders and neck are generally tight, then the tension created by getting into the stretch position (especially with the elbow straight) can cause the effect you noticed.

So, break the pose down: let's say you want to work on the R arm. Step into a doorway with your palm at shoulder height, and facing forward (like when you tell someone to "stop") and lean that hand against the frame. Now slowly lift the elbow up behind you, while playing with the tension you are applying. By stretching with the elbow bent, you are moving the upper arm in the shoulder joint, and you'll find that full movement will be possible, because the main muscles and nerves are not being strongly stretched. Once you have loosened that up, then try the first exercise, but with the arm just below horizontal to start with. As everything loosens, over a number of stretching sessions, try carefully raising the arm. In time, the 45° angle will be possible, and you will not experience the numbness, but rather, the stretch. Please do report back.