Foam Rolling the Pectoralis Minor

I use foam rolling with most clients as part of their warm-ups to help mobilize tight muscles and fascia. Foam rolling utilizes the same neuromuscular principles as massage, applying pressure to stimmulate the stretch receptors to get the muscle and fascia to extend, therefore improving joint mobility. A common, chronically tight area is the chest/front of the shoulder. More specifically, when the Pectoralis Minor is short, it pulls the shoulder blade forward and down. This diminishes the mobility of the shoulder joint itself, and can limit shoulder mobility and stability.





The Pectoralis Minor can be tough to get at with the roller. Here is a video of me using the foam roller on it. The roller lies perpendicular to my arm, and I try lift my arm up from the ground while I role. This activates the muscles in the middle of the back, which effectively help stretch/relax the Pecoralis Minor.

This helps prepare my shoulder for any pressing or overhead exercises. Try it for several minutes during your warm-up next time.